If true then the argument that EMF didn't take the tiara with her when she went to Kiev falls apart.
I wanted to pick up on an earlier thread and get some thoughts on this tiara, to which I now can't find a picture of!
Beth or one of the other posts please help out here with a photograph.
The tiara is purported to have belonged to the Empress but there is no real proof it did but no proof either that it didn't. It's also quite a contentious subject as I found out on the RJWMB!
My line of thought is as follows.
Whilst the evening parure's were left in St Petersburg when Empress went to live in Kiev I can't believe she didn't take at least some sort of head ornament with her. Often as well it would be her ladies maid perhaps overseen by a Lady in waiting who would have generally chosen what went, with some instruction from the Empress on particular pieces she wanted to take..
When the Empress later left Russia it was on board a British battleship. So the tiara could have been gifted as a thank you to KG & QM or given to Queen Alexandra as a thanks for the extended stay.
This however is an also interesting theory. As per the above the reason why the tiara didn't make the inventory of her jewels that were to be sold or consideration for sale, and given as a major reason for it belonging to Empress, was quite simply QM had already bought it. Whether she had bought it earlier or effectively when the casket was opened for inventory. Why put something on the inventory that had already been sold?
Lastly the Empress died in October 1928 and the first really confirmed sighting of the bandeau was in 1930 I believe. Perhaps we just can't find a newspaper article or pictures where we can be assured it was worn earlier. Perhaps Queen Mary just decided to give it a bit of a grace period before wearing the piece.
I'd love to know other people thoughts or correct my suppositions as this piece really fascinates me.
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