Today marks the 120th Anniversary of the Birth of Queen Astrid of Belgium, who died in a tragic car crash on this day in 1935! The Swedish Princess who became the beloved Belgian Queen and tragically passed away in a car crash, Queen Astrid had some spectacular jewels including this Emerald and Diamond Choker!
Nine Provinces Tiara | Queen Elisabeth’s Diamond Bandeau | Emerald Tiara | Emerald Earrings | Emerald Choker | Emerald Peacock Tiara | Queen Astrid’s Emeralds
This striking Art Deco Diamond Bracelet with a large cabochon Emerald was reportedly a gift to the future Queen Astrid from her mother-in-law, Queen Elisabeth, on the birth of her first child, Princess Joséphine-Charlotte in 1927.
Crown Princess Astrid notably wore the Art Deco Emerald Bracelet with the bandeau of the Nine Provinces Tiara and her Napoleonic Emerald Pendants for a striking portrait taken in the late 1920s.
Later, in the 1930s, Queen Astrid often wore the Emerald Bracelet with the Nine Provinces Tiara as well as Queen Elisabeth’s Art Deco Diamond Bandeau and her Emerald Tiara for several galas and portraits.
After Queen Astrid’s death, the King later remarried to the Princess of Réthy, who wore Art Deco Emerald Bracelet on a number of occasions for some portraits in the 1940s, alongside Queen Astrid’s Emerald Necklace Tiara and also the Art Deco Diamond Bandeau.
When Queen Astrid’s only daughter, Princess Joséphine-Charlotte, married the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg in 1953, Queen Astrid’s Emerald Bracelet was among the few heirlooms passed along to the bride, while most of Queen Astrid’s other emerald jewels remained with the Princess of Réthy and have since disappeared.
Unlike her mother’s Emerald Earrings and the Emerald Peacock Tiara she had created from the other jewels, the Art Deco Emerald Bracelet was rarely seen on Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte, with only one notable appearance at the 70th birthday celebration of Prince Edouard de Lobkowicz in Paris in 1996.
After her death in 2005, many of Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte’s jewels were put on auction by her children, and they included most of the jewel acquired by the Grand Duchess during her marriage; the Belgian Scroll Tiara, her Diamond Earrings, Congo Diamond Necklace, the Sapphire Bracelet Tiara, Van Cleef & Arpels Ruby Suite, and also Queen Astrid’s Emerald Choker. The Auction was later cancelled due to public outcry, and the Emerald Choker Bracelet is among the jewels that were not discreetly sold off.
Instead, Queen Astrid’s Emerald Choker became a favourite piece of Grand Duchess Maria Teresa being worn with the Luxembourg Empire Tiara for the Luxembourg State Visit to Belgium in 2007.
The Art Deco Emerald Choker was also worn with the Emerald Peacock Tiara for the the Luxembourg State Visit to Portugal in 2010.
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa has notably worn Queen Astrid’s Art Deco Emerald Choker with the Chaumet Emerald Tiara and the antique Emerald Earrings, most notably for Queen Margrethe’s 70th Birthday Celebrations in 2010 and the Nobel Prize Ceremony in 2011.
More recently, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa wore Queen Astrid’s Emerald Choker for King Harald and Queen Sonja’s 80th Birthday Gala in 2017 and the Luxembourg State Visit to France in 2018. Now that there is a new Belgian-born Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, let’s hope we see Queen Astrid’s Art Deco Emerald Choker worn again soon!
Nine Provinces Tiara | Queen Elisabeth’s Diamond Bandeau | Emerald Tiara | Emerald Earrings | Emerald Choker | Emerald Peacock Tiara | Queen Astrid’s Emeralds
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