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Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. Opera Gala Posted by Beth on April 14, 2020, 6:27 am For the State Visit to Germany in February 1909 Queen Alexandra wore some of the most spectacular jewels available to her. At the time, the gala held at the Opera House was the function most visible to the public, and some of the British media provided readers with sketches of the occasion. Although the press reports did not mention the Diamond Diadem by name, the sketches show that Queen Alexandra wore it. The last sketch above suggests that HM wore rows of diamonds as a choker with her large diamond necklace beneath. As her gown was reported to shimmer, every movement would have caught the light.

Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Ball Posted by Beth on April 14, 2020, 6:40 am, in reply to "Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. Opera Gala" For the State Ball, Queen Alexandra is said to have worn a "diamond and pearl tipped tiara". This is one of the many occasions for which there is evidence that Queen Alexandra had a diamond and pearl tiara. I think that it was probably the one which is today worn by Princess Michael of Kent but, of course, I have no way to prove that. The sketch published by the Illustrated London News shows a tiara with a similar shape, but it is possible that the sketch is simply a generic one designed to show the magnificence of the occasion.

Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet Posted by Beth on April 14, 2020, 6:57 am, in reply to "Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Ball" Queen Alexandra's jewels for the State Banquet are the ones which intrigue me the most. Her jewels were described simply as a diamond tiara and ropes of pearls. Yet, the sketch published by the Sphere shows a tiara which might match the amethyst tiara. How I wish we could find some more evidence! There is evidence that Queen Alexandra was wearing the amethyst tiara and necklace for Court events from 1904 onwards, so it is possible. But would it be likely?

Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet Posted by Torkel on April 15, 2020, 2:08 am, in reply to "Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet" I am intrigued by the state banquet sketch too. The other three people bear resemblance to the King, the Emperor and the Empress, but the lady to the right does not look like Queen Alexandra. Could this be the German Crown Princess sketched, not Queen Alexandra? As for wearing amethysts. They were considered a stone for half-mourning (halfway into mourning periods the court went from full mourning to half-mourning, with a somewhat less rigid codex of what to wear). I doubt the Queen would wear amethysts when the court was not in mourning. Previous Message Queen Alexandra's jewels for the State Banquet are the ones which intrigue me the most. Her jewels were described simply as a diamond tiara and ropes of pearls. Yet, the sketch published by the Sphere shows a tiara which might match the amethyst tiara. How I wish we could find some more evidence! There is evidence that Queen Alexandra was wearing the amethyst tiara and necklace for Court events from 1904 onwards, so it is possible. But would it be likely?

Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet Posted by Beth on April 15, 2020, 7:40 am, in reply to "Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet" In part I agree with Torkel. For many amethysts were a jewel for part mourning. Queen Victoria was in perpetual mourning after the death of Prince Albert, so, when she wore her mother's amethysts, little significance can be attached to that. Her mother, Victoria, Duchess of Kent, definitely wore her amethysts at times when she wasn't in mourning, possibly because they were her most significant jewels. In the case of Queen Alexandra, I suspect that we are looking at another scenario again. The first reports of Queen Alexandra wearing amethysts (as her principal jewellery) come from 1904. Prior to that she wore either jet for early mourning or diamonds and pearls for half mourning. We know that shades of mauve and violet were her favourite colours. And, according to the press reports, she wore a mauve dress for the gala at the Opera in Berlin in 1909. The first reports of Queen Alexandra wearing the amethyst necklace and tiara come from the wedding of Princess Alice of Albany who married on 10 February 1904. Was the Queen in half mourning then? I don't know. Does anyone? Below is a description of HM's dress and jewels at the wedding. There are reports of Queen Alexandra wearing the jewels for "routine" evening Courts with little evidence that the Court or the Queen, personally, was in half mourning. For example -- The 2nd court in May 1904 I doubt if Alexandra was in half mourning for the ball given by the Duchess of Wellington at Apsley House in 1905 when the Queen also wore her amethysts. 1905 Apsley House ball Having given those examples, I admit I could be very much on the wrong track, especially as I haven't tried to ascertain when Queen Alexandra would have been in half mourning. Did Queen Alexandra wear the amethysts in Berlin? The only evidence (and I admit it is flimsy) is the sketch. Queen Alexandra was at the banquet, and according to protocol HM would have been seated next to the Emperor, so I suspect that the person depicted was meant to be Alexandra. But, I could be mistaken. I find Alexandra's use of her amethysts interesting. It is a great shame that we don't have any photos of her at the events where she was reported as wearing the jewels.

Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet Posted by Dave on April 15, 2020, 8:56 am, in reply to "Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet" A very interesting discussion. The Queen if I read correctly wore a small diamond crown along with her amethysts and diamond tiara in the excerpt provided by Beth. I wonder, 'was the crown' the very small one worn by her mother in law QV, and was it a style to have more than one head gear in at the same time? It has been documented and reported that QA had an insatiable dislike or hatred for her German in-laws following the annexation of some portions of her country by them, actually it is claimed by some historians that it was the main reason for the first world war, could wearing of the amethysts have some other symbolic message. Regards, Dave. Previous Message In part I agree with Torkel. For many amethysts were a jewel for part mourning. Queen Victoria was in perpetual mourning after the death of Prince Albert, so, when she wore her mother's amethysts, little significance can be attached to that. Her mother, Victoria, Duchess of Kent, definitely wore her amethysts at times when she wasn't in mourning, possibly because they were her most significant jewels. In the case of Queen Alexandra, I suspect that we are looking at another scenario again. The first reports of Queen Alexandra wearing amethysts (as her principal jewellery) come from 1904. Prior to that she wore either jet for early mourning or diamonds and pearls for half mourning. We know that shades of mauve and violet were her favourite colours. And, according to the press reports, she wore a mauve dress for the gala at the Opera in Berlin in 1909. The first reports of Queen Alexandra wearing the amethyst necklace and tiara come from the wedding of Princess Alice of Albany who married on 10 February 1904. Was the Queen in half mourning then? I don't know. Does anyone? Below is a description of HM's dress and jewels at the wedding. There are reports of Queen Alexandra wearing the jewels for "routine" evening Courts with little evidence that the Court or the Queen, personally, was in half mourning. For example -- The 2nd court in May 1904 I doubt if Alexandra was in half mourning for the ball given by the Duchess of Wellington at Apsley House in 1905 when the Queen also wore her amethysts. 1905 Apsley House ball Having given those examples, I admit I could be very much on the wrong track, especially as I haven't tried to ascertain when Queen Alexandra would have been in half mourning. Did Queen Alexandra wear the amethysts in Berlin? The only evidence (and I admit it is flimsy) is the sketch. Queen Alexandra was at the banquet, and according to protocol HM would have been seated next to the Emperor, so I suspect that the person depicted was meant to be Alexandra. But, I could be mistaken. I find Alexandra's use of her amethysts interesting. It is a great shame that we don't have any photos of her at the events where she was reported as wearing the jewels.

Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet Posted by Eiriksn on April 15, 2020, 4:08 pm, in reply to "Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet" I wish I had my books available so I could check this... I seem to recall that it has been written somewhere that Queen Alexandra more or less wore half mourning for the rest of her life after the death of her son the duke of Clarence. Anyone else remember reading this? I could have been a personal preference to certain colors and jewels though.

Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet Posted by Kongetro on April 17, 2020, 4:55 am, in reply to "Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet" I too read that Queen Alexandra never came out of mourning after her eldest son died in 1892 Eiriksn. Unfortunately I cannot remember where I read this, but if that is the case it would not be strange to see her wear amethysts. Previous Message I wish I had my books available so I could check this... I seem to recall that it has been written somewhere that Queen Alexandra more or less wore half mourning for the rest of her life after the death of her son the duke of Clarence. Anyone else remember reading this? I could have been a personal preference to certain colors and jewels though. Kongetro To visit my website Regal Events use this link: https://regalevents913271078.wordpress.com/

Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet Posted by OmerH on April 15, 2020, 9:41 pm, in reply to "Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet" Dear Dave, the Queen did wear the small crown with other head ornaments: She was definitely in the "pile it all together" club!!

Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet Posted by OmerH on April 15, 2020, 9:31 pm, in reply to "Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet" Oh what a wonderful topic Beth full or many different possibilities!!!!! Like Torkel I also think the lady next to the Kaiser is not Queen Alexandra because the other three people are instantly recognisable as the persons depicted but this lady looks too young to be Alexandra. One thing Im also finding odd is the placement of the guests at the table. The two sovereign couples should be sitting side by side (as we often see now at state banquets at Buckingham palace) or opposite each other (as is done at Windsor now). When Queen MAry & King George V visited berlin for the Kaiser's daughter's wedding they were seated as the premier guests on a long table opposite each other with the Kaiser and Kaiserin. Anyhow we are probably veering wayyyy off topic but I have another observation i.e. in the illustration of the ball isn't the lady dancing at the very front also wearing the tiara which we think is the amethyst tiara?? I would hazard a guess and say that the lady standing next to the Kaiser in the Illustration is Winifred Cavendish-Bentick, The Duchess of Portland who was Mistress of robes to Queen Alexandra and is likely to have attended the Queen during the state visit. The tiara on her head being the Portland diamond tiara.

Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet Posted by 992234177 on April 16, 2020, 4:49 am, in reply to "Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet" I found your post very interesting but could I just say that I doubt a duchess would have been sat next to the kaiser while he made a speech at a state banquet. The German court was known as being second only to the Spanish court in terms of over the top formality and while a duchess did rank as book three of the almanach de Gotha, there would have been many people at the dinner who were book one, that is HRH or even HIH. It is odd that the lady looks very unlike the Queen but then, the Kaiserin isn’t an especially good likeness. I think it may just be that the men had such strong visuals that the artist didn’t bother as much with their consorts.

Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet Posted by Torkel on April 17, 2020, 12:17 am, in reply to "Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet" I wonder if the sketch could be from when the Emperor gave his speech, standing in a different position from where he was seated during the actual meal. The description quoted below suggests the royals were all seated next to each other, which does not fit the sketch. The artist could still be trying to sketch Queen Alexandra, but it might also be that he was actually allowed into the room only during the speeches, and sketched whoever was next to the Emperor when he was standing up, facing his guests? Note that Queen Alexandra is described wearing pearls and diamonds. The State banquet is described this way in The Times February 10, 1909: "In the centre of the high table, which ran down the side of the room, sat the Emperor, with the King on his right. On the King´s right sat the Empress, and on the Emperor´s left the Queen. Next to the Empress came Prince Henry of Prussia, with the Crown Princess, and Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia with Princess Frederick Leopold of Prussia. By the Queen sat the Crown Prince with Princess Henry of Prussia, and next Prince Frederick Leopold of Prussia with Princess Eitel Frederick of Prussia. Facing the Emperor and the King sat the Imperial Chancellor, Prince Bûlow, who had on his right the wife of the British Ambassador, Lady Goschen, and on his left the Countess of Antrim. The guests assembled in the picture gallery and entered the hall in procession at half past 8. The Emperor wore the uniform of the 1st Royal Dragoons, of which he is colonel in chief, and the King that of a Prussian general. The Queen wore a dress of the darkest blue-green, with pearls and diamonds." Previous Message I found your post very interesting but could I just say that I doubt a duchess would have been sat next to the kaiser while he made a speech at a state banquet. The German court was known as being second only to the Spanish court in terms of over the top formality and while a duchess did rank as book three of the almanach de Gotha, there would have been many people at the dinner who were book one, that is HRH or even HIH. It is odd that the lady looks very unlike the Queen but then, the Kaiserin isn’t an especially good likeness. I think it may just be that the men had such strong visuals that the artist didn’t bother as much with their consorts.

Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet Posted by Kongetro on April 17, 2020, 5:04 am, in reply to "Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet" I must say that I agree with 992234177. I think it is very unlikely that the sketch would show a "mere" Duchess at a State Banquet during a State Visit when what one wants to show is the four most important persons in the room: the Emperor, the Empress, the King and the Queen. I must say that the likeness of the Empress is not very accurat either to my eyes. Also in the description from The Times the Queen was sitting between King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, just as we see it in the sketch. Do we know that the Duchess of Portland actually was present at all during this State Visit? Previous Message I wonder if the sketch could be from when the Emperor gave his speech, standing in a different position from where he was seated during the actual meal. The description quoted below suggests the royals were all seated next to each other, which does not fit the sketch. The artist could still be trying to sketch Queen Alexandra, but it might also be that he was actually allowed into the room only during the speeches, and sketched whoever was next to the Emperor when he was standing up, facing his guests? Note that Queen Alexandra is described wearing pearls and diamonds. The State banquet is described this way in The Times February 10, 1909: "In the centre of the high table, which ran down the side of the room, sat the Emperor, with the King on his right. On the King´s right sat the Empress, and on the Emperor´s left the Queen. Next to the Empress came Prince Henry of Prussia, with the Crown Princess, and Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia with Princess Frederick Leopold of Prussia. By the Queen sat the Crown Prince with Princess Henry of Prussia, and next Prince Frederick Leopold of Prussia with Princess Eitel Frederick of Prussia. Facing the Emperor and the King sat the Imperial Chancellor, Prince Bûlow, who had on his right the wife of the British Ambassador, Lady Goschen, and on his left the Countess of Antrim. The guests assembled in the picture gallery and entered the hall in procession at half past 8. The Emperor wore the uniform of the 1st Royal Dragoons, of which he is colonel in chief, and the King that of a Prussian general. The Queen wore a dress of the darkest blue-green, with pearls and diamonds." Previous Message I found your post very interesting but could I just say that I doubt a duchess would have been sat next to the kaiser while he made a speech at a state banquet. The German court was known as being second only to the Spanish court in terms of over the top formality and while a duchess did rank as book three of the almanach de Gotha, there would have been many people at the dinner who were book one, that is HRH or even HIH. It is odd that the lady looks very unlike the Queen but then, the Kaiserin isn’t an especially good likeness. I think it may just be that the men had such strong visuals that the artist didn’t bother as much with their consorts. Kongetro To visit my website Regal Events use this link: https://regalevents913271078.wordpress.com/

Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet Posted by Beth on April 17, 2020, 5:11 am, in reply to "Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet" This sketch is a real puzzle. All the press reports state that Queen Alexandra was wearing a diamond tiara and pearl necklaces. Oh, for a photo or two!!

News from yesterday - german reporting Posted by Juscha on April 17, 2020, 8:13 am, in reply to "Re: Queen Alexandra. Jewels worn in Berlin 1909. State Banquet" I´ve checked german reporting of the visit of King Edward and Queen Alexandra in Berlin. Jewellerywise it is disappointing. Occasionally, fashion seems to have been worth mentioning for the reporting, hardly any jewelry. I´m sorry. I´ve took a look to "Berliner Volkszeitung", "Berliner Tageblatt und Handelszeitung" und "Vossische Zeitung". The reports are formost interested in the political meaning of the visit - understandably. Only "Vossische Zeitung" gave also an impression of the court and a little glamour. In short: I could tell from the tiring lists of the guests that the Queen was accompanied by the Countess of Antrim and the honorable Charlotte Knollys in addition to the ambassador's wife, Lady Goschen. So as in Times, according to Torkel. The Duchess of Portland is not mentioned. Wiki says she was Mistress of the Robes from 1913 on. The gowns: 9th February, Gala dinner, the Empress in a white robe, the Queen in a black one. The correspondent didn´t seemed to be a fashion victim. Perhaps it was a very dark colour. Based on the seating arrangement the next lady to the Queen was Irene of Hessen, Princes Henry of Prussia. But I've never seen such a substantial tiara with her. 10th February, court ball, the Empress in a white silk robe, the Queen in a light yellow robe with gold. King and Queen were quiet tired after supper and went to bed while the ball went on. 11th February, Gala at the Opera, the empress in a dark pink robe (mauve?) with embroideries in silver, the Queen in a golden robe with a blue order ribbon. Any pictures! Addition: at one point the good looks of the queen were mentioned, who did not suggest that she was already 65 years old. She would just pull a leg a little. Well, that was probably a little poisonous praise. All in all, not the smallest diamond was mentioned anywhere.

Re: News from yesterday - german reporting Posted by Beth on April 19, 2020, 7:36 am, in reply to "News from yesterday - german reporting" Thank you Juscha. If only the reporters and commentators could have given as much attention to the jewels as they did to the dress descriptions at times! In the UK press the turquoise dress was described as "dark turquoise", perhaps that meant it was almost black such as some shades of blue and emerald green can be. I know I often have though that some dark navy blues were in fact black.

Re: News from yesterday - german reporting Posted by OmerH on April 19, 2020, 10:07 pm, in reply to "Re: News from yesterday - german reporting" Thank You all for the great responses. Like Beth I just wish there were some proper pictures of the event!!! Sigh!!

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