The similarity between the two necklaces gifted by George V to his granddaughters has always intrigued me. It ould make sense that they came from an already matched set.
Anyway the George V pearls have been worn by QE throughout her life, and I have no doubt this is a sentimental jewel to her. On a sidenote I don't think Pss Margaret's two rows of pearls ever resurfaced after her death.
Both necklaces are seen (in colour) in this 1944 picture.
Since the pearls gifted by the Duke of York look quite small, there is also a possibility that they were the ones gifted by Queen Mary to Princess Margaret on her 18th birthday (sold at Christie's)
There have been so many pearls gravitating around the BRF that we could keep on making guesses tonight, if I didn't have to get some sleep!
An intriguing idea Thomas! Such a scenario would account for 5 rows of pearls. Each Princess would have been given part of an historic jewel on an historic occasion, something which would have appealed to Queen Mary's sense of continuity.
I have never been convinced that the pearls Queen Mary wore to the Devonshire House Ball in 1897 were the ones given to her by George V for their wedding, as that set of pearls had larger pearls in the centre of each row; the ones in the press sketch and the only known photo of the pearls in a photo of the wedding gifts does not have larger pearls in the centre.
Queen Mary dressed for Devonshire House Ball
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