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| Photos (clockwise from top left): tiara detail; Queen Louise of Sweden; Queen Victoria of Sweden; Queen Silvia of Sweden; Queen Silvia of Sweden |
One of the most impressive tiaras in the Swedish royal vault, the Braganza Tiara is another sparkler whose name doesn't quite match with its current geographical home. The Duke of Braganza, after all, is Portuguese -- but this tiara doesn't come from Portugal at all. Instead, it can be traced all the way to South America: Imperial Brazil, specifically, which explains the Portuguese connection.
The tiara was originally made in France with Brazilian diamonds; it was reworked in 1820 into the gigantic, leafy tiara we recognize today. The piece belonged to Empress Amelie of Brazil, whose sister, Josefina, was queen of Sweden. When Amelie died, she left the tiara to Queen Josefina, and it's been worn by Swedish queens ever since.
Today, the whopper of a tiara is worn by Queen Silvia. It's perfect for her, not only because it's a tiara befitting a queen but also because Silvia's mother, Alice de Toledo, was born in Brazil.
For more on this tiara:
Weekend Bonus: Queen Silvia wearing the tiara
Mad Hattery's TiaraPedia (Sweden)
For more on this tiara:
Weekend Bonus: Queen Silvia wearing the tiara
Mad Hattery's TiaraPedia (Sweden)
Ah yes, Silvia's "big gun"! This is lovely and she wears it well, yet I think it's a bit "busy". There's a LOT going on with this tiara.
ReplyDeleteStill, it's a beauty.
Empress Amelie's husband. D. Pedro, was the first Emperor of Brazil and was also the Crown Prince of Portugal. He was king of Portugal during a few time, because his brother occupied the throne, throwing the country into a civil war. D. Pedro wan the war, but he abdicated the portuguese throne to his daughter,D. Maria, fruit of his first marriage.
ReplyDelete