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Jewelled Garter Stars in the British Royal Collections
Posted by Thomas on December 31, 2018, 4:36 am
I know that insignia aren't well-known by most people, though they are often a very important part of the Royal "uniform", much like jewellery. Jewelled insignia are especially interesting to us, as they form an often overlooked part of Royal Collections, and, especially in the case of Britain, are some of the oldest jewels still preserved, and sometimes used, to this day. Insignia are also one of the last elements of male costume that allow a certain measure of embellishment. Prince Charles' habit to wear jewelled insignia on important occasions bears testimony to that fact. I have tried to expose here, in the most comprehensive manner, the jewelled stars of the Order of the Garter that are preserved in the British Royal Collections.
Queen Victoria
As Sovereign of the Order of the Garter, Queen Victoria wore its insignia on a daily basis. She had her own star, badge and collar made in diminutive size.
King George III's Garter Star According to the Royal Collection, Queen Victoria may have worn the star of King George III on her mantle.
This huge star (RCIN 441147), measuring 13 x 13 cm, was King George's only jewelled star of the Order. "In 1844, John Bridge of Rundell and Bridge recorded that the star, which consisted of 838 brilliants and was valued at, £2,500 (RA vic/c 58/40), 'may have been made in Queen Anne's time'. It was described as 'a star which Queen Anne had provided for Prince George of Denmark, but which had never been worn by him'." (George III & Queen Charlotte: Patronage, Collecting and Court Taste, London, 2004, p. 360) Despite its historical interest, the star was considerably altered for Queen Victoria, who had most of the stones replaced with smaller ones in 1858.
Queen Victoria's Small Garter Star The star (RCIN 250005) was made by Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, of London, in 1838, to form a set of small stars of the four British Orders of Chivalry: Garter, Thistle, St Patrick and Bath. This star is quite small, measuring only 6.7 x 6.3 cm.
From photographs, it appears that Queen Alexandra wore Queen Victoria's Garter insignia, including her small star, until her death.
Queen Alexandra at the Opening of Parliament 1901, by Downey (RCIN 2113782)
"Here is another story that will make you smile. Again, we were all waiting for [Queen Alexandra]; this time it was for a Court at Buckingham Palace. When she did enter the drawing-room, the King looked at her very sternly and asked why she was wearing the star of the Garter on the right side instead of on the left, which was the correct place for it to be worn. She merely smiled and answered that to wear it on the left side interfered with the arrangement of her jewels. (…) The King was adamant, and requested her to go back to her dressing-room" (Princess Marie-Louise, My Memories of six reigns, 1956 (Penguin 1959), p. 137)
King Edward VII and King George V
I believe that, after the Prince Consort's death, the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) began wearing his father's diamond star of the Order of the Garter. Unlike Prince Albert's diamond Lesser George, which was worn by Queen Victoria, this star, and very likely a star of the Bath, were probably deemed too big for the Queen to wear.
Prince Albert's Star, c. 1820, by Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, London, 9.3 x 9.1 cm (RCIN 250007)
In this 1893 photograph (below), the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Connaught, and the Duke of Edinburgh, are all wearing diamond stars of the Garter. I am fairly certain that that of Prince Albert Edward is the star of Prince Albert.
On this coronation portrait (NPG x1576), Edward VII wears four stars: top and bottom (Garter and Bath) are notably bigger than left and right (Thistle and St. Patrick). The bigger stars are—in my hypothesis—Prince Albert's, while the two smaller stars are most likely those stars of reduced size which were made for Queen Victoria around 1838, which would have become available to wear after the Queen's death.
Order of the Bath (military division) - Knight Grand Cross Star belonged to Prince Albert, possibly made by Kitching & Abud, c. 1840-1, 9.2 x 8.7 cm (RCIN 441277)
After his accession, George V wore what looks to be the same pair of big stars (Garter and Bath), sometimes replacing the star of the Bath with his own Thistle star.
Order of the Thistle - Star presented to King George V (when Duke of York) in 1893, 10.1 x 9.9 cm (RCIN 441237)
King George V c. 1923 (Library of Congress)
This portrait by Lafayette studio, c. 1923 (NPG Ax26460) shows the star in detail.
Here is a full length portrait from the same sitting (NPG Ax26458).
King George V's Small Garter Star On occasions, such as the wedding of the Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923 (below), George V wore a set of four small stars. Although the Thistle, Bath, and St. Patrick stars look like Queen Victoria's, the Garter star looks distinctively rounder (less elongated) than the small star of Queen Victoria. Considering that this star was probably still with Queen Alexandra, the King appears to have owned yet another small star of the Garter.
Queen Victoria's small Stars, made in 1838.
Queen Mary
On the occasion of King George V's accession, the Marys of the Empire raised £14,000 as a gift to Queen Mary. While a large part of that sum was given to charity, part of the gift was used to make a full set of jewelled Garter Insignia (comprising Lesser George, Star, Garter and bar brooch), which was created by Garrard's.
Queen Mary wrote in her thank you letter to the contributors: "I thank most warmly all the Marys of the Empire who have so generously contributed to the gift which has been presented to me. The thought of affectionate impulse which prompted it has, I can assure you, deeply touched me. The beautiful insignia of the Garter and pictures of the King and my son, which will form the personal part of the gift, will be treasured by me throughout my life, and will be handed down as precious heirlooms to those who come after. I look forward with special satisfaction to devoting the remainder of this noble gift to a charitable object in which I am greatly interested." (reproduced in The Mercury, Wednesday 2 August 1911, page 5 – National Library of Australia)
It may be noted that between the photograph of the original gift (above, 1911), and that listed by Getty Images as c. 1925 (below), the bar brooch (if it is indeed the same) has gained four additional diamonds. I wonder if this B&W picture, which bears the number XXXIV in Roman numerals, comes from Queen Mary's inventories.
Queen Mary wore the set throughout her life, and it may be assumed that it was bequeathed, like most of her possessions, to the present Queen after her death.
Queen Mary, 13 March 1914, by Jean Desboutin (RCIN 2084643)
The Cambridge Insignia
Queen Mary had a keen eye for insignia: "In a letter written to her aunt, Princess Augusta, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, in 1907, the Princess of Wales (later Queen Mary) described seeing Kaiser Wilhelm II wearing [the Duke of Cambridge's insignia]; she added ‘they are so fine they ought to belong to our crown jewels’ (ra gv/cc/24/94)" (quoted in Ancient and Modern Gems and Jewels, 2008)
The two Dukes of Cambridge, Prince Adolphus and his son Prince George (Queen Mary's uncle) amassed considerable wealth, and, as a consequence of their prominent status, a considerable number of awards. In line with the sovereigns of the 19th century, both dukes had multiple stars for each of their orders, sometimes as much as 10 or 15, all in different shapes, sizes and materials, and numbered on the back.
With the help of an esteemed member of the board, I have researched the Cambridge collection of insignia in detail.
The Duke's will was widely commented by the press. It was reported that he had bequeathed the 'Duke of Teck his diamond star of the Grand Cross of the Bath', and, of note to us, that his 'smaller Diamond Garter jewel and star' were left to the eldest son of the Prince and Princess of Wales (Edward VIII, later The Duke of Windsor).
Prince Edward wore a diamond Garter Star (which Queen Mary's own star greatly resembles) during his Investiture as Prince of Wales, on 13 July 1911 (left), and during a photo session for Jean Desboutin, at Buckingham Palace, 13 March 1914 (right, RCIN 2084636). We can assume that this was indeed the small Cambridge Star.
In his biography of Queen Mary, James Pope-Hennessy mentioned a letter to the Duke of Windsor concerning his Garter Star, dated 3 April 1937: "Queen Mary wrote to the Duke of Windsor, whose diamond Garter Star she wished to borrow so that she might wear it at his brother's Crowning" (p. 583). I have no certainty as to whether the Duke did loan his Star to his mother.
The whereabouts of the Cambridge-Windsor set are unknown to me.
A large portion of the Cambridge insignia was auctioned on 15 June 1904 at Christie's London.
Lot 781 of the sale (circled in blue), a Diamond star of the Order of the Garter, belonged to Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge, was sold for £720 to a J.M. Jones, probably on behalf of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia, along with a most exceptional Diamond and Cameo Lesser George by Caputi, lot 783, which sold for £1,790. These insignia were the ones that caught Queen Mary's eye in 1907.
We know that the Caputi George (RCIN 10003) and star were finally acquired by George VI, thus fulfilling Queen Mary's youth desire, from Princess Adelheid of Prussia (the wife of Prince Adalbert, the Kaiser's third son. The Kaiser died in 1941, his son in 1948, and George VI in 1952, so the insignia were most likely acquired sometime between 1948 and 1952.)
Indeed, in a 2010 written question, Andrew MacKinlay, a former Labour MP, asked "the Secretary of State for Justice whether the Garter Banner, uniforms, decorations and other related artefacts of Kaiser Wilhelm II which relate to his honorary rank as United Kingdom Field Marshal and Honorary Colonel-in-Chief of United Kingdom regiments prior to 1914 are in the custody of the Royal Household; and if he will make a statement. [321126]" The answer followed as such: "Mr. Wills: The Garter Banner and other insignia of Kaiser Wilhelm II were removed from St. George's Chapel, Windsor during the First World War. We have been unable to ascertain their location. The stall plates of Kaiser Wilhelm II are still in place in St. George's Chapel. The Royal Collection has confirmed that it holds the Robe and Garter dress of Kaiser Wilhelm II as well as two diamond Garter Stars and Badge of Kaiser Wilhelm II. No other uniforms, decorations or related artefacts are held." (House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 10 Mar 2010 (pt 0019), Column 382W—Royal Household) This confirms that the Cambridge Star and Badge, as well as the Kaiser's 'Small Set' (the provenance of which is unknown) are all in the Royal Collection.
(left) Wilhelm II wearing the Cambridge Star—(centre) In British Field-Marshal Uniform, wearing his second star, c. 1898 [Getty]—(right) In British Admiral Uniform, wearing his second star (frontispiece of Memories of the Kaiser's Court, by Anne Topham [Project Gutenberg])
On a side note, lot 806 of the sale was a Diamond-set "Star of the Most Ill. Order of St. Patrick" also belonged to Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge. It was purchased by a group of Irish friends of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, and presented to him on Saturday 3rd November 1906. I am inclined to think that this star, along with many of the Duke's Insignia, might be preserved in the Royal Collection, though the RCT has not answered my inquiries.
Lots 807 and 811, a jewelled star and badge of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, also made their way to the Royal Collection (RCINs 441309 – 441310).
King George VI
Like all British Sovereigns, George VI wore many different Garter badges and stars. The King reportedly took great interest in the knowledge of Orders and their insignia. He was responsible for a number of acquisitions concerning the Order of the Garter (a practice that was continued by his daughter) as well as re-establishing the full ceremonial of the Order. Apart from his coronation portrait by Gerald Kelly, where he wears a diamond star of the Garter, pictures of the King with jewelled insignia are very scarce.
This photograph shows the King and Queen's fifth and final wave from the balcony, on the evening of their Coronation, May 12, 1937. The King wears evening dress, and the star looks to be a jewelled one. Given its impressive size, I wonder if it might be George III's Star, which has the same elongated shape, and is much bigger than the other stars in the collection.
King George VI's 'Naval' Garter Star At the time of his wedding to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, in 1923, the then Duke of York was presented with a diamond Star (RCIN 200147) (and Lesser George, RCIN 200149) by the Royal Navy.
These insignia were in turn given to Princess Elizabeth when she was invested with the Order of the Garter on November 11, 1947. The star, which is distinctively round, and has an enamelled garter and George Cross, is the one the current Queen wears most often.
King George VI's 'South African' Star During the South African Tour of 1947, the government of South Africa presented the King with diamonds weighing just under 33 carats, to be made into a Garter Star. For presentation the diamonds were set in wax in the shape of a springbok.
Press photo from the International Magazine Services photo archive [Amazon]
The star was made by Garrard's in 1947.
Illustration on the dustjacket reverse of Garrard - The Crown Jewellers for 150 Years, London, Quartet Books, 1993.
It was famously exhibited at Christie's London's 'The Ageless Diamond' in 1959.
In all likelihood, it remains unworn in the Royal Vaults.
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
I have come to think that QEQM, when she was made a Royal Lady of the Garter in December 1936, received Prince Albert's Star. It was indeed available, as part of the late King's insignia, and from photographs, it appears that the star worn by QE was similar in shape and proportions to Prince Albert's.
Queen Elizabeth by Cecil Beaton, July 1939
This archive picture of 'A diamond brooch of the insignia of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, which King George VI bestowed on his wife Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) in 1936.', shows, in my view, Prince Albert's Star [The Daily Telegraph, April 22, 2018].
HM The Queen
Since she was invested with the Order in 1947, HM has worn metallic Garter insignia very occasionally, mainly when she rode in the Queen's Parade for Trooping the Colour. Other than that, her Garter insignia (seen in this picture) haven't varied much: she wears two jewelled Lesser Georges (George VI's and Prince Albert's), the Marlborough Great George, and her father's 'Naval' Star, sometimes with a jewelled Garter.
Unknown small Garter Star But while I was researching the subject, I remarked a number of photographs which showed the Queen with a different, unknown, Garter Star.
It has been worn as early as 31 May 1956 (Trooping the Colour):
Again at the CHOGM in Cyprus, in 1993:
On May 4, 1994, at a Banquet to commemorate D-Day in Portsmouth:
At the CHOGM in Malta, 25 November 2005:
And very likely at the Diplomatic Reception (The Queen's Jewel Vault lists the pictures as 2005 and 2006):
It is very similar in shape and size to the small star worn by George V (see above).
Garter Star 'Brooch' In addition to the two said stars, HM has worn a peculiar sort of gem-studded Garter insignia, consisting of the cross of St. George circled by the Garter, but without rays, on at least two occasions:
At the Royal film performance of Romeo and Juliet, March 3, 1968, at the Odeon Leicester:
At a Royal film premiere at the Dominion Theatre on 20 October 1969:
I don't know anything about this 'star', except that it was used by HM as a Garter insignia, since on those occasions orders were worn by the other attendees.
HRH The Prince of Wales
Prince Charles wears his own set of jewelled insignia, comprising a Star and Neck Badge of the Order of the Bath, a cameo Garter Badge and a Star, round in shape, like that of Prince Albert or the one from the Kaiser's second set. Since the Prince of Wales has worn the set since the 1980s (at least) I doubt the star could be Prince Albert's. The dark (onyx?) cameo Lesser George also resembles the one from the Kaiser's second set, so I wonder if the Prince of Wales wears the Kaiser's Garter Insignia.
In 1988:
At the Diplomatic Reception, 8 December 2016:
With at least a dozen diamond Garter stars in the British vaults, I regret that—with the exceptions of HM and The Prince of Wales— the current Royal Knights and Ladies of the Order don't wear jewelled insignia. Princess Anne, Princess Alexandra of Kent, or the Duke of Cambridge could probably borrow a star to wear at the most important Court functions...
Anyway, I'd love to hear which star you like best!
Thomas Ghysdaël
Re: Jewelled Garter Stars in the British Royal Collections
I enjoyed reading this so much that I cheerfully broke my resolution not to sit at my computer this morning. Seriously, there is so much to absorb that I have read the article several times and will do so again later.
Thank you so much Thomas for sharing the fruits of your research with us.
Thomas asked what are our favourites.
Without a doubt my personal favourite is the star of George III, followed by Queen Victoria's small Garter star.
Thomas, have I understood correctly -- that the King purchased both sets of insignia which had belonged to the Kaiser? It is my understanding that, when the Kaiser was stripped of the Garter, he would have had to return the insignia with which he was invested, but that the Duke of Cambridge's star would have remained personal property as it had been purchased at auction (by an intermediary).
Re: Jewelled Garter Stars in the British Royal Collections
Concerning the Kaiser's Garter insignia, I assume that George VI purchased both sets (the sale of the Lesser George is mentionned in Ancient Gems and Jewels..., and the parliamentary question confirmed my idea).
I have a feeling that the sale could have been promoted by Queen Mary, who was known to correspond with her German relatives; but this is pure speculation.
In theory, the collar is the most important part of the Garter Insignia, and it has to be returned with the insignia that are issued to a Knight at his Investiture (Star, Badge, Garter). These insignia are always plain metal, and any jewelled insignia is considered a private gift, thus never returned.
The return of Royal insignia, though compulsory, was not always stricly observed. Many collars of Foreign Knights have remained in private custody (Louis Philippe, Napoléon III).
The presentation of jewelled insignia was rather common: Napoléon III had a set, Abdülaziz, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, was given one by Queen Victoria in 1876.
The insignia of the Sultan of Turkey (on display at Topkapi Palace, in Istanbul): none was returned.
It is possible that the Kaiser's second set was given to him (or to his father) by Queen Victoria, he was her grandson after all! Wilhelm II owned at least 4 Garter stars (not including his offcial star)...
In the case of the German (and Austrian) knights, few insignia were returned. As a matter of fact, the Coburg family still owns a collar, and other collars have surfaced on the market (in Germany) over the years.
A set of insignia from the Coburg Family (Wikimedia commons)
The ownership of these collars is a tricky matter, and honestly, I don't know if the Kaiser's collar and official insignia were ever returned.
The fact that the Garter costume of the Kaiser is in the Royal Collection might indicate that they were indeed returned.
Previous Message
Masterful!! Another tour de force Thomas!
I enjoyed reading this so much that I cheerfully broke my resolution not to sit at my computer this morning. Seriously, there is so much to absorb that I have read the article several times and will do so again later.
Thank you so much Thomas for sharing the fruits of your research with us.
Thomas asked what are our favourites.
Without a doubt my personal favourite is the star of George III, followed by Queen Victoria's small Garter star.
Thomas, have I understood correctly -- that the King purchased both sets of insignia which had belonged to the Kaiser? It is my understanding that, when the Kaiser was stripped of the Garter, he would have had to return the insignia with which he was invested, but that the Duke of Cambridge's star would have remained personal property as it had been purchased at auction (by an intermediary).
Re: Jewelled Garter Stars in the British Royal Collections
What an end of the year treat for us jewel lovers, what great work again Thomas. Your collection and insight on these matters are beyond recall. I love everything I have seen, QM really did know how to make grand statements. I at times wonder how she would have matched up against the Tsarinas of Russia, I think she beat them all. Anyways I think my favourite insignias go to QV. I look forward with much unabated vigour to yours and others contributions in the New Year. So to you all, best wishes for the coming year.
Regards,
Dave.
Previous Message
I know that insignia aren't well-known by most people, though they are often a very important part of the Royal "uniform", much like jewellery. Jewelled insignia are especially interesting to us, as they form an often overlooked part of Royal Collections, and, especially in the case of Britain, are some of the oldest jewels still preserved, and sometimes used, to this day. Insignia are also one of the last elements of male costume that allow a certain measure of embellishment. Prince Charles' habit to wear jewelled insignia on important occasions bears testimony to that fact. I have tried to expose here, in the most comprehensive manner, the jewelled stars of the Order of the Garter that are preserved in the British Royal Collections.
Queen Victoria
As Sovereign of the Order of the Garter, Queen Victoria wore its insignia on a daily basis. She had her own star, badge and collar made in diminutive size.
King George III's Garter Star According to the Royal Collection, Queen Victoria may have worn the star of King George III on her mantle.
This huge star (RCIN 441147), measuring 13 x 13 cm, was King George's only jewelled star of the Order. "In 1844, John Bridge of Rundell and Bridge recorded that the star, which consisted of 838 brilliants and was valued at, £2,500 (RA vic/c 58/40), 'may have been made in Queen Anne's time'. It was described as 'a star which Queen Anne had provided for Prince George of Denmark, but which had never been worn by him'." ( George III & Queen Charlotte: Patronage, Collecting and Court Taste , London, 2004, p. 360) Despite its historical interest, the star was considerably altered for Queen Victoria, who had most of the stones replaced with smaller ones in 1858.
Queen Victoria's Small Garter Star The star (RCIN 250005) was made by Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, of London, in 1838, to form a set of small stars of the four British Orders of Chivalry: Garter, Thistle, St Patrick and Bath. This star is quite small, measuring only 6.7 x 6.3 cm.
From photographs, it appears that Queen Alexandra wore Queen Victoria's Garter insignia, including her small star, until her death.
Queen Alexandra at the Opening of Parliament 1901, by Downey (RCIN 2113782)
"Here is another story that will make you smile. Again, we were all waiting for [Queen Alexandra]; this time it was for a Court at Buckingham Palace. When she did enter the drawing-room, the King looked at her very sternly and asked why she was wearing the star of the Garter on the right side instead of on the left, which was the correct place for it to be worn. She merely smiled and answered that to wear it on the left side interfered with the arrangement of her jewels. (…) The King was adamant, and requested her to go back to her dressing-room" (Princess Marie-Louise, My Memories of six reigns , 1956 (Penguin 1959), p. 137)
King Edward VII and King George V
I believe that, after the Prince Consort's death, the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) began wearing his father's diamond star of the Order of the Garter. Unlike Prince Albert's diamond Lesser George, which was worn by Queen Victoria, this star, and very likely a star of the Bath, were probably deemed too big for the Queen to wear.
Prince Albert's Star, c. 1820, by Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, London, 9.3 x 9.1 cm (RCIN 250007)
In this 1893 photograph (below), the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Connaught, and the Duke of Edinburgh, are all wearing diamond stars of the Garter. I am fairly certain that that of Prince Albert Edward is the star of Prince Albert.
On this coronation portrait (NPG x1576), Edward VII wears four stars: top and bottom (Garter and Bath) are notably bigger than left and right (Thistle and St. Patrick). The bigger stars are—in my hypothesis—Prince Albert's, while the two smaller stars are most likely those stars of reduced size which were made for Queen Victoria around 1838, which would have become available to wear after the Queen's death.
Order of the Bath (military division) - Knight Grand Cross Star belonged to Prince Albert, possibly made by Kitching & Abud, c. 1840-1, 9.2 x 8.7 cm (RCIN 441277)
After his accession, George V wore what looks to be the same pair of big stars (Garter and Bath), sometimes replacing the star of the Bath with his own Thistle star.
Order of the Thistle - Star presented to King George V (when Duke of York) in 1893, 10.1 x 9.9 cm (RCIN 441237)
King George V c. 1923 (Library of Congress)
This portrait by Lafayette studio, c. 1923 (NPG Ax26460) shows the star in detail.
Here is a full length portrait from the same sitting (NPG Ax26458).
King George V's Small Garter Star On occasions, such as the wedding of the Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923 (below), George V wore a set of four small stars. Although the Thistle, Bath, and St. Patrick stars look like Queen Victoria's, the Garter star looks distinctively rounder (less elongated) than the small star of Queen Victoria. Considering that this star was probably still with Queen Alexandra, the King appears to have owned yet another small star of the Garter.
Queen Victoria's small Stars, made in 1838.
Queen Mary
On the occasion of King George V's accession, the Marys of the Empire raised £14,000 as a gift to Queen Mary. While a large part of that sum was given to charity, part of the gift was used to make a full set of jewelled Garter Insignia (comprising Lesser George, Star, Garter and bar brooch), which was created by Garrard's.
Queen Mary wrote in her thank you letter to the contributors: "I thank most warmly all the Marys of the Empire who have so generously contributed to the gift which has been presented to me. The thought of affectionate impulse which prompted it has, I can assure you, deeply touched me. The beautiful insignia of the Garter and pictures of the King and my son, which will form the personal part of the gift, will be treasured by me throughout my life, and will be handed down as precious heirlooms to those who come after. I look forward with special satisfaction to devoting the remainder of this noble gift to a charitable object in which I am greatly interested." (reproduced in The Mercury , Wednesday 2 August 1911, page 5 – National Library of Australia)
It may be noted that between the photograph of the original gift (above, 1911), and that listed by Getty Images as c. 1925 (below), the bar brooch (if it is indeed the same) has gained four additional diamonds. I wonder if this B&W picture, which bears the number XXXIV in Roman numerals, comes from Queen Mary's inventories.
Queen Mary wore the set throughout her life, and it may be assumed that it was bequeathed, like most of her possessions, to the present Queen after her death.
Queen Mary, 13 March 1914, by Jean Desboutin (RCIN 2084643)
The Cambridge Insignia
Queen Mary had a keen eye for insignia: "In a letter written to her aunt, Princess Augusta, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, in 1907, the Princess of Wales (later Queen Mary) described seeing Kaiser Wilhelm II wearing [the Duke of Cambridge's insignia]; she added ‘they are so fine they ought to belong to our crown jewels’ (ra gv/cc/24/94)" (quoted in Ancient and Modern Gems and Jewels , 2008)
The two Dukes of Cambridge, Prince Adolphus and his son Prince George (Queen Mary's uncle) amassed considerable wealth, and, as a consequence of their prominent status, a considerable number of awards. In line with the sovereigns of the 19th century, both dukes had multiple stars for each of their orders, sometimes as much as 10 or 15, all in different shapes, sizes and materials, and numbered on the back.
With the help of an esteemed member of the board, I have researched the Cambridge collection of insignia in detail.
The Duke's will was widely commented by the press. It was reported that he had bequeathed the 'Duke of Teck his diamond star of the Grand Cross of the Bath' , and, of note to us, that his 'smaller Diamond Garter jewel and star' were left to the eldest son of the Prince and Princess of Wales (Edward VIII, later The Duke of Windsor).
Prince Edward wore a diamond Garter Star (which Queen Mary's own star greatly resembles) during his Investiture as Prince of Wales, on 13 July 1911 (left), and during a photo session for Jean Desboutin, at Buckingham Palace, 13 March 1914 (right, RCIN 2084636). We can assume that this was indeed the small Cambridge Star.
In his biography of Queen Mary, James Pope-Hennessy mentioned a letter to the Duke of Windsor concerning his Garter Star, dated 3 April 1937: "Queen Mary wrote to the Duke of Windsor, whose diamond Garter Star she wished to borrow so that she might wear it at his brother's Crowning" (p. 583). I have no certainty as to whether the Duke did loan his Star to his mother.
The whereabouts of the Cambridge-Windsor set are unknown to me.
A large portion of the Cambridge insignia was auctioned on 15 June 1904 at Christie's London.
Lot 781 of the sale (circled in blue), a Diamond star of the Order of the Garter, belonged to Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge, was sold for £720 to a J.M. Jones, probably on behalf of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia, along with a most exceptional Diamond and Cameo Lesser George by Caputi, lot 783, which sold for £1,790. These insignia were the ones that caught Queen Mary's eye in 1907.
We know that the Caputi George (RCIN 10003) and star were finally acquired by George VI, thus fulfilling Queen Mary's youth desire, from Princess Adelheid of Prussia (the wife of Prince Adalbert, the Kaiser's third son. The Kaiser died in 1941, his son in 1948, and George VI in 1952, so the insignia were most likely acquired sometime between 1948 and 1952.)
Indeed, in a 2010 written question, Andrew MacKinlay, a former Labour MP, asked "the Secretary of State for Justice whether the Garter Banner, uniforms, decorations and other related artefacts of Kaiser Wilhelm II which relate to his honorary rank as United Kingdom Field Marshal and Honorary Colonel-in-Chief of United Kingdom regiments prior to 1914 are in the custody of the Royal Household; and if he will make a statement. [321126]" The answer followed as such: "Mr. Wills: The Garter Banner and other insignia of Kaiser Wilhelm II were removed from St. George's Chapel, Windsor during the First World War. We have been unable to ascertain their location. The stall plates of Kaiser Wilhelm II are still in place in St. George's Chapel. The Royal Collection has confirmed that it holds the Robe and Garter dress of Kaiser Wilhelm II as well as two diamond Garter Stars and Badge of Kaiser Wilhelm II. No other uniforms, decorations or related artefacts are held." (House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 10 Mar 2010 (pt 0019), Column 382W—Royal Household) This confirms that the Cambridge Star and Badge, as well as the Kaiser's 'Small Set' (the provenance of which is unknown) are all in the Royal Collection.
(left) Wilhelm II wearing the Cambridge Star—(centre) In British Field-Marshal Uniform, wearing his second star, c. 1898 [Getty]—(right) In British Admiral Uniform, wearing his second star (frontispiece of Memories of the Kaiser's Court, by Anne Topham [Project Gutenberg])
On a side note, lot 806 of the sale was a Diamond-set "Star of the Most Ill. Order of St. Patrick" also belonged to Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge. It was purchased by a group of Irish friends of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, and presented to him on Saturday 3rd November 1906. I am inclined to think that this star, along with many of the Duke's Insignia, might be preserved in the Royal Collection, though the RCT has not answered my inquiries.
Lots 807 and 811, a jewelled star and badge of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, also made their way to the Royal Collection (RCINs 441309 – 441310).
King George VI
Like all British Sovereigns, George VI wore many different Garter badges and stars. The King reportedly took great interest in the knowledge of Orders and their insignia. He was responsible for a number of acquisitions concerning the Order of the Garter (a practice that was continued by his daughter) as well as re-establishing the full ceremonial of the Order. Apart from his coronation portrait by Gerald Kelly, where he wears a diamond star of the Garter, pictures of the King with jewelled insignia are very scarce.
This photograph shows the King and Queen's fifth and final wave from the balcony, on the evening of their Coronation, May 12, 1937. The King wears evening dress, and the star looks to be a jewelled one. Given its impressive size, I wonder if it might be George III's Star, which has the same elongated shape, and is much bigger than the other stars in the collection.
King George VI's 'Naval' Garter Star At the time of his wedding to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, in 1923, the then Duke of York was presented with a diamond Star (RCIN 200147) (and Lesser George, RCIN 200149) by the Royal Navy.
These insignia were in turn given to Princess Elizabeth when she was invested with the Order of the Garter on November 11, 1947. The star, which is distinctively round, and has an enamelled garter and George Cross, is the one the current Queen wears most often.
King George VI's 'South African' Star During the South African Tour of 1947, the government of South Africa presented the King with diamonds weighing just under 33 carats, to be made into a Garter Star. For presentation the diamonds were set in wax in the shape of a springbok.
Press photo from the International Magazine Services photo archive [Amazon]
The star was made by Garrard's in 1947.
Illustration on the dustjacket reverse of Garrard - The Crown Jewellers for 150 Years , London, Quartet Books, 1993.
It was famously exhibited at Christie's London's 'The Ageless Diamond' in 1959.
In all likelihood, it remains unworn in the Royal Vaults.
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
I have come to think that QEQM, when she was made a Royal Lady of the Garter in December 1936, received Prince Albert's Star. It was indeed available, as part of the late King's insignia, and from photographs, it appears that the star worn by QE was similar in shape and proportions to Prince Albert's.
Queen Elizabeth by Cecil Beaton, July 1939
This archive picture of 'A diamond brooch of the insignia of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, which King George VI bestowed on his wife Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) in 1936.' , shows, in my view, Prince Albert's Star [The Daily Telegraph, April 22, 2018].
HM The Queen
Since she was invested with the Order in 1947, HM has worn metallic Garter insignia very occasionally, mainly when she rode in the Queen's Parade for Trooping the Colour. Other than that, her Garter insignia (seen in this picture) haven't varied much: she wears two jewelled Lesser Georges (George VI's and Prince Albert's), the Marlborough Great George, and her father's 'Naval' Star, sometimes with a jewelled Garter.
Unknown small Garter Star But while I was researching the subject, I remarked a number of photographs which showed the Queen with a different, unknown, Garter Star.
It has been worn as early as 31 May 1956 (Trooping the Colour):
Again at the CHOGM in Cyprus, in 1993:
On May 4, 1994, at a Banquet to commemorate D-Day in Portsmouth:
At the CHOGM in Malta, 25 November 2005:
And very likely at the Diplomatic Reception (The Queen's Jewel Vault lists the pictures as 2005 and 2006):
It is very similar in shape and size to the small star worn by George V (see above).
Garter Star 'Brooch' In addition to the two said stars, HM has worn a peculiar sort of gem-studded Garter insignia, consisting of the cross of St. George circled by the Garter, but without rays, on at least two occasions:
At the Royal film performance of Romeo and Juliet, March 3, 1968, at the Odeon Leicester:
At a Royal film premiere at the Dominion Theatre on 20 October 1969:
I don't know anything about this 'star', except that it was used by HM as a Garter insignia, since on those occasions orders were worn by the other attendees.
HRH The Prince of Wales
Prince Charles wears his own set of jewelled insignia, comprising a Star and Neck Badge of the Order of the Bath, a cameo Garter Badge and a Star, round in shape, like that of Prince Albert or the one from the Kaiser's second set. Since the Prince of Wales has worn the set since the 1980s (at least) I doubt the star could be Prince Albert's. The dark (onyx?) cameo Lesser George also resembles the one from the Kaiser's second set, so I wonder if the Prince of Wales wears the Kaiser's Garter Insignia.
In 1988:
At the Diplomatic Reception, 8 December 2016:
With at least a dozen diamond Garter stars in the British vaults, I regret that—with the exceptions of HM and The Prince of Wales— the current Royal Knights and Ladies of the Order don't wear jewelled insignia. Princess Anne, Princess Alexandra of Kent, or the Duke of Cambridge could probably borrow a star to wear at the most important Court functions...
Anyway, I'd love to hear which star you like best!
Thomas Ghysdaël
Re: Jewelled Garter Stars in the British Royal Collections
The Lozenge shaped ones (taller than they are wide) are very odd. I much prefer the square stars. It is odd that there are the three shapes, considering how anal us brits are about this sort of thing. Usually we have strict rules that must never be broken. The round and square stars make sense as aesthetic choices since they are of equal size but the lozenge stars are very unusual, I wonder what is behind them. Do stars of other countries have variety of shapes?
Re: Jewelled Garter Stars in the British Royal Collections
Many thanks Thomas for explaining about the return (and non-return) of insignia. I learn something new every day.
Interesting observation 992234177. While I had noticed the different shapes previously, I had not appreciated the significance. I wonder if in some cases it was a question of individual preference? I recollect reading somewhere that Louis Mountbatten had his jewelled Garter star set somewhat differently and hoped that, because it was an expensive setting, the slight differences would be accepted. I don't recollect whether this was permitted or not.
Was Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother wearing her Garter star in an unusual position for the 1948 service?
The stars of the Order have indeed been made in a great variety of shapes. Even though metallic stars have been worn for a long time, it wasn't until the late 1810-20s that the old embroidered stars fell into disuse. Even so, until the 1850s, the official stars (provided by the Queen) were still embroidered. These years of experimentation resulted in a great variety of different (metallic) stars being made, at the expense of the Knights.
The Garter Jewels of the Earls Spencer show a number of different stars.
In Queen Victoria's reign, an attempt was made to standardize the stars, and the pattern that was adopted was in use until the end of the 19th century. Ii was gradually replaced by another one, which is still worn today.
A star in the Victorian pattern, which had eight points of equal lenght
Until the 1930s and possibly later, Knights of the Garter were asked to return the star of the Victorian pattern in exchange for the new one.
The (curent official pattern) Star of the Earl of Halifax in 1945:
Strangely, King Wilhelm Alexander of the Netherlands was presented with a star in the Victorian pattern during his recent State Visit.
Lord Mountbatten wore a jewelled Star fashioned after the current pattern, which is distinctly more elongated than the Victorian pattern.
The Earl Mountbatten of Burma by Allan Warren (1 January 1976)
Bern Schwartz, Louis Mountbatten, Earl Mountbatten of Burma At Broadlands, December 1977
Lord Mountbatten at Broadlands, by Andrew Newman spring of 1978 'The Great British' (published in 1979 by Sunday Times & NPG)
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Many thanks Thomas for explaining about the return (and non-return) of insignia. I learn something new every day.
Interesting observation 992234177. While I had noticed the different shapes previously, I had not appreciated the significance. I wonder if in some cases it was a question of individual preference? I recollect reading somewhere that Louis Mountbatten had his jewelled Garter star set somewhat differently and hoped that, because it was an expensive setting, the slight differences would be accepted. I don't recollect whether this was permitted or not.
Was Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother wearing her Garter star in an unusual position for the 1948 service?
Bryce, it is the Badge of a Knight Grand Commander of The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India (G.C.S.I.), which Lord Mountbatten received as Viceroy of India.
He usually wore it at the neck, since he wore the Garter riband most often.
The Gold star is visible in two of the portraits (second clockwise from top).
This was a lavish piece of insignia: the badge was formed of a cameo of a youthful Queen Vitoria, circled with the Order's motto, 'Heaven's Light our Guide'. It was always diamond-studded.
These insignia had been designed by Prince Albert.
Queen Mary's Sash Badge, with Queen Victoria's Star (all diamonds) and George V's Star of the Order of the Star of India .
Queen Victoria's Collar of the Order (RCIN 441295)
Badge and Star of a Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India (sold at Spink London)
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Thanks Thomas or those great pictures and comparisons.
Quick question - in the last picture of the Earl, what is the cameo neck badge that he is wearing? (the lowest one - looks to be QV???)
on December 31, 2018, 4:36 am
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