Countess Renée-Yvonne de Laborde de Monpezat, who passed away on this day in 2001, 25 years ago, left her Diamond Flower Brooch to her son, Prince Henrik of Denmark, who gave it as a Wedding Gift to his daughter-in-law, the now Queen Mary!

This diamond brooch, featuring six petals and interjacent diamonds surrounding a large central diamond, belonged to Prince Henrik’s mother, Countess Renée-Yvonne de Laborde de Monpezat.

Countess Renée-Yvonne de Laborde de Monpezat notably wore the brooch as a clasp of her pearl necklace with Princess Dagmar’s Diamond Floral Tiara for Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik’s 25th Wedding Anniversary Banquet in 1992.

After the Countess’ death in 2001, the Diamond Flower Brooch was inherited by her son, Prince Henrik, who gave the brooch to his new daughter-in-law, Crown Princess Mary, as a wedding present in 2004, who wore the Brooch for several occasions soon afterwards, including the 2004 Olympics, and a memorial ceremony for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

Crown Princess Mary notably wore the Diamond Flower Brooch on several occasions over the next few years, usually for ceremonial events but also for receptions and on foreign visits.

The Countess de Monpezat’s Diamond Diamond Flower was also worn by Crown Princess Mary at a couple of Gala events, including at King Harald and Queen Sonja’s 80th Birthday Banquet at the Royal Palace of Oslo in 2017.

The Diamond Flower Brooch has also been worn as a hair ornament, notably on a visit to Vietnam, where the Monpezat Family resided for several years from the 1930s to the 1950s.

Crown Princess Mary often wore the Diamond Flower Brooch at funerals and memorial services, including the reburial of Empress Maria Feodorovna in St. Petersburg in 2006 and the Funeral of Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg in 2017, as well as on several occasions leading up to and including the Funeral of Prince Henrik in 2018.  

Later that year, Crown Princess Mary wore the Countess de Monpezat’s Diamond Flower Brooch in the back of her hair for Crown Prince Frederik’s 50th Birthday Gala Dinner at Christiansborg Palace, and again paired it with her Diamond Necklace Tiara for the Spanish State Visit to Denmark.

Most recently, the new Queen Mary wore the Countess de Monpezat’s Diamond Flower Brooch for the Proclamation Service at Aarhus Cathedral following the Proclamation of King Frederik X in 2024. There is no doubt we will continue to see the Diamond Flower Brooch worn for years to come!

The Jewels of the Queens of Denmark

The Danish Emerald Parure

The Danish Pearl Poiré Tiara

The Danish Ruby Parure

Danish Diamond Bandeau

Wedding Tiara

Diamond Necklace Tiara

Queen Caroline Amalie’s Gold Tiara

Midnight Tiara

Danish Diamond Rivière

Antique Diamond Earrings

‘Belle Epoque’ Diamond Earrings

Duchess of Leuchtenberg’s Pearl Bracelet

Wedding Earrings

Diamond Fringe Earrings

Aquamarine Jewels

Amethyst Earrings

Queen Josefina’s Diamond Brooches

Connaught Sapphire Brooch

Queen Louise of Sweden’s Engagement Bracelet

Diamond Flower Brooch

Antique Turquoise Parure

Queen Lovisa’s Engagement Bracelet

Danish Flood Sapphire Brooch

Diamond Flower Earrings

Ole Lynggaard Brooch