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Princess Margaret. Dahlia brooch
Posted by Beth on February 25, 2019, 6:16 pm
In late September 1957 prior to a trip Princess Margaret was making to parts of Africa, the press reported that the ardent Canadian monarchist and diamond mine owner, Dr John Williamson, who had given QEII the large pink diamond as a wedding gift, was to present a brooch to the Princess when she visited his mine in Tanganyika.
Unfortunately, Williamson became ill and so the brooch was not presented when Princess Margaret visited, and it was only on 19 November 1957 that it was presented by the Colonial Secretary on behalf of Williamson.
An additional delay was caused when it was discovered that one stone had a small flaw, and so another diamond was sourced to replace it.
According to Shutterstock's information, Princess Margaret was wearing the brooch, dubbed the Dahlia brooch by the press, when she visited the Coliseum on 21 November.
This information and the brooch is entirely new to me so I have not many images. In some cases I think I have filed this brooch as the Cartier rose and in other cases I have never been sure of what I was looking at.
I think Princess Margaret was wearing it to the Docklands Settlement ball on 10 October 1959
Detail
Possibly at the Dior fashion show at Blenheim Palace in 1958
And perhaps on a visit to Leicester Square in 1958
Some where I have seen photos of the Princess Wearing a brooch which resembles a dahlia but I always thought it was surrounded by leaves made either from enamel or a carved semi precious stone
Does anyone know the one I mean? Any other photos?
Thank you for the wonderful set of images Maridje! You have a much better eye than I have!
Maridje is correct - the brooch in the photo from 10 October (the one I gave a detail shot of) is not the same as the brooch presented to Princess Margaret by Dr Williamson. Nor, it is now clear, is the one in Maridje's photos.
I wonder what happened to the Williamson brooch? According to the media, it had a 5 carat diamond in the centre surrounded by stones of one carat and smaller ones pave set in the petals.
I do have one report from 1960 which said that Princess Margaret had remodelled the brooch, but if the brooch in Maridje's photos is the Williamson, it does not contain the larger diamonds. I would call it a totally different brooch. I was, and still am, inclined to dismiss the report below, as it has just so many other mistakes as to suggest it was a piece of uninformed comment.
We still need to find images of the Princess wearing the Williamson Dahlia brooch where the brooch can be clearly identified.
I wonder what the history of the brooch in Maridje's photos is? It seems to have been a favourite.
PS Thank you Maridje! The photo I was thinking of was the one of Princess Margaret returning from Canada.
This is extremely good and impressive research and detective work. The pictures supplied are unfamiliar to me and it brings to bear the very simple yet impressive jewels in the collection of the former Princess Royal. I am enjoying this.
Regards,
Dave.
Previous Message
In late September 1957 prior to a trip Princess Margaret was making to parts of Africa, the press reported that the ardent Canadian monarchist and diamond mine owner, Dr John Williamson, who had given QEII the large pink diamond as a wedding gift, was to present a brooch to the Princess when she visited his mine in Tanganyika.
Unfortunately, Williamson became ill and so the brooch was not presented when Princess Margaret visited, and it was only on 19 November 1957 that it was presented by the Colonial Secretary on behalf of Williamson.
An additional delay was caused when it was discovered that one stone had a small flaw, and so another diamond was sourced to replace it.
According to Shutterstock's information, Princess Margaret was wearing the brooch, dubbed the Dahlia brooch by the press, when she visited the Coliseum on 21 November.
This information and the brooch is entirely new to me so I have not many images. In some cases I think I have filed this brooch as the Cartier rose and in other cases I have never been sure of what I was looking at.
I think Princess Margaret was wearing it to the Docklands Settlement ball on 10 October 1959
Detail
Possibly at the Dior fashion show at Blenheim Palace in 1958
And perhaps on a visit to Leicester Square in 1958
Some where I have seen photos of the Princess Wearing a brooch which resembles a dahlia but I always thought it was surrounded by leaves made either from enamel or a carved semi precious stone
Does anyone know the one I mean? Any other photos?
In late September 1957 prior to a trip Princess Margaret was making to parts of Africa, the press reported that the ardent Canadian monarchist and diamond mine owner, Dr John Williamson, who had given QEII the large pink diamond as a wedding gift, was to present a brooch to the Princess when she visited his mine in Tanganyika.
Unfortunately, Williamson became ill and so the brooch was not presented when Princess Margaret visited, and it was only on 19 November 1957 that it was presented by the Colonial Secretary on behalf of Williamson.
An additional delay was caused when it was discovered that one stone had a small flaw, and so another diamond was sourced to replace it.
According to Shutterstock's information, Princess Margaret was wearing the brooch, dubbed the Dahlia brooch by the press, when she visited the Coliseum on 21 November.
This information and the brooch is entirely new to me so I have not many images. In some cases I think I have filed this brooch as the Cartier rose and in other cases I have never been sure of what I was looking at.
I think Princess Margaret was wearing it to the Docklands Settlement ball on 10 October 1959
Detail
Possibly at the Dior fashion show at Blenheim Palace in 1958
And perhaps on a visit to Leicester Square in 1958
Some where I have seen photos of the Princess Wearing a brooch which resembles a dahlia but I always thought it was surrounded by leaves made either from enamel or a carved semi precious stone
Does anyone know the one I mean? Any other photos?