From Sparkling Jewels to Sentimental Keepsakes: Inside Queen Alexandra's Royal Wedding Gifts

Hey everyone, welcome back to my channel. Today, we're diving into the world of royal weddings, but not just any weddings, we're talking about the stunning wedding gifts received by Queen Alexandra herself. So, picture this, it's the 19th century, and love is in the air as Queen Alexandra, then Princess of Wales, ties the knot with Prince Albert Edward, the Prince of Wales. But what's a royal wedding without a touch of extravagance? That's right, we're here to explore the lavish gifts bestowed upon Queen Alexandra on her special day. From dazzling jewels to symbolic treasures, these gifts tell a tale of love, tradition, and regal splendor. Before we start, please support my channel by clicking on the like and subscribe buttons. Thank you. Wedding Prepare. Picture a time when royal weddings were rare and monumental events, especially when involving the heir to the British throne. Such was the case with Prince Albert Edward, the Prince of Wales, as the nation anxiously anticipated his choice of bride. So, when Prince Albert Edward's wedding approached, it was anticipated to be a rare and extravagant affair. Initially, Queen Victoria contemplated a modest, family-oriented ceremony, but such a notion faced opposition. Some even proposed a simple newspaper announcement, Albert Englishman marries Alexandra of Denmark. However, the occasion demanded grandeur, and grand it was. Initially, Alexandra wasn't viewed as the ideal match for the heir to the British throne. Not due to any fault of hers, mind you. Her lineage was relatively humble, her father, Christian IX, rose to the Danish throne in 1863 but hailed from non-royal origins. Moreover, Queen Victoria envisioned a German princess for her son, given the strained relations between Danes and Prussians. Yet, fate intervened through Albert's older sister, Victoria, Crown Princess of Prussia. With their parents' approval, she orchestrated a serendipitous encounter between Albert and Alexandra in Speyer, Germany. Victoria even showed Albert a photograph of the princess beforehand, sparking his willingness to marry her. And indeed, Alexandra blossomed into a remarkably elegant woman over time, though at the moment, the 17-year-old princess was simply enchanting. Nearly a year later, after the tragic passing of his father, the prince consort, Bertie proposed to Alexandra at Lycan, the Belgian castle of his great-uncle, King Leopold I. Alexandra arrived in England a few days before the royal wedding, set to occur at St. George's Chapel, Windsor, instead of the customary chapel royal at St. James's Palace in London. Queen Victoria insisted on this change, citing it as the wish of the late Prince Albert. However, many speculated that the widowed and increasingly reclusive monarch preferred St. George's Chapel because she could observe the ceremony from Catherine of Aragon's closet, situated above the proceedings. Wedding gifts. So, now we're getting to the most interesting part. The reason why we're all here, Queen Alexandra's wedding gifts. The bride was literally showered with jewels, diamond earrings and necklace, a brooch of diamonds and pearls, a diamond necklace, a gift from the Corporation of London, a bracelet of opals and diamonds, a gift from the Queen, a diamond bracelet presented by the Ladies of Leeds, another bracelet of opals and diamonds, a gift from the Ladies of Manchester. But let's talk about it all in order. During the wedding preparations, Bertie bestowed upon his betrothed a remarkable gift, an extravagant collection of diamond and pearl jewellery. He commissioned the necklace and brooch, presumably along with matching earrings, from Gerrard, as reported in various newspapers, including the Liverpool Mercury. Described as magnificent, the necklace features eight clusters of large diamonds with pear-shaped pearl drops at the centre, connected by diamond festoons. The brooch, equally stunning, boasts magnificent pearls surrounded by diamonds, with particularly exquisite centre pearls. Bertie personally oversaw the creation of these pieces, which began soon after his return from Germany the previous year. It's anticipated that Princess Alexandra will adorn herself with these jewels as the focal point of her bridal ensemble. Encased in an elegant dark velvet casket adorned with her royal cypher and crown in gold, this bridal gift exudes regal grandeur. The necklace's three central medallions, each with a pearl drop pendant, can be detached and worn as brooches. The necklace itself drapes gracefully around the neck, with double rows of diamonds adding to its allure. Following Queen Alexandra's passing, the necklace passed through the hands of Queen Mary, then Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and then Queen Elizabeth II. The matching earrings, now recognised as Queen Alexandra's Cluster Earrings, feature two large pearls encircled by diamonds. The accompanying brooch, known as the Queen Alexandra Triple Drop Brooch, showcases a central large pearl flanked by smaller pearls, all surrounded by diamonds. Detachable pearl pendants accented with large diamonds further enhance its elegance. This brooch, too, was passed down through Queen Mary and then to Queen Elizabeth II. The last piece in the wedding set is the Diamond Rundell Tiara. It's a bit of a paradox because although made by Gerard, the royal jeweless, it bears the name of a former jewellery company, Rundell, which closed in 1843, 20 years before the Prince and Princess of Wales' wedding. Furthermore, despite being called a tiara, it's technically a coronet since it forms a closed circle. The base consists of two diamond rows with ten large pear-shaped diamonds connected by smaller diamonds in a scroll pattern. Its components are interchangeable, the large diamonds can be worn as brooches, the base alone, or sometimes Queen Alexandra added several diamond star brooches. Following the Queen's passing, the Rundell Tiara was inherited by her daughter, Princess Victoria, and it's speculated that the jewels may have been repurposed into other jewellery pieces. Queen Victoria bestowed upon then-Princess Alexandra a stunning suite of Indian ornaments, including a collar, armlet, and two bracelets, crafted from uncut emeralds, diamonds, and pearls. The seven-row collar adorned with pearl and emerald beads cascaded with a multitude of pearl drops and diamond pendants, each meticulously enamelled on the reverse side. This Indian-inspired ensemble, featuring a corsage, paired bracelets, and an armlet, was a regal gift from the Queen herself. Its allure lies in its barbaric gold and genu essence, embodying the pure oriental style with flat, lustreless diamonds and finely drilled emeralds, a treasure trove of rich, rare gems that evoke wonder rather than simple beauty. Queen Mary later repurposed this lavish piece into a rope of pearl and emerald beads, adorning herself before gifting it to her daughter-in-law, Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, on her wedding day in 1935. Additionally, she passed one of the diamond pendants with a pearl drop on a delicate gold chain to her first granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth, who wore it on her fifth birthday in 1931. Also Queen Victoria bestowed upon her daughter-in-law, Princess Alexandra, a magnificent opal and diamond set as a wedding present. Crafted by Gerard, this opulent collection comprised a cross pendant adorned with three oval-shaped opals, three matching brooches, earrings, and a bracelet. On her wedding day, the princess adorned her left arm with the opal and diamond bracelet. Notably, during the Victorian era, opals were associated with bad luck, a superstition that lingered. Later, it's speculated that the princess may have repurposed the set into other jewellery pieces, yet the fate of these items remains shrouded in mystery. Princess Alexandra was gifted yet another exquisite piece for her wedding, a charming gold bracelet from her bridesmaids, who also served as her train bearers. Crafted by Gerard, this bracelet boasted eight linked blue enameled hinged lockets, each adorned with diamond initials representing the first name of every bridesmaid. Intriguingly, the lockets could be opened to reveal hand-painted miniature portraits of each of the eight bridesmaids. As a poignant gesture, on the silver wedding anniversary of the Prince and Princess of Wales, the bridesmaids presented a beautiful silver box to store the bracelet when not in use. Adding another layer of sentiment to this cherished keepsake. The Dagmar necklace. This stunning necklace was among the earliest gifts she received, shortly after her engagement was officially announced. Presented by her grandfather, King Frederick VII, before her departure from Denmark to England, this magnificent creation was crafted by the Danish court jeweler, Julius Dideriksen. Comprising 118 pearls and 2,000 diamonds set in gold, the necklace featured elaborate medallions adorned with essential diamonds surrounded by intricate scrollwork and jeweled swags. At its heart lay the iconic Dagmar cross, flanked by two extraordinarily valuable pearls that had been exhibited at the Great Exhibition in Crystal Palace in 1851. The necklace derives its name and its most remarkable feature from the Dagmar cross, steeped in Danish history. Queen Dagmar, consort of King Voldemar II of Denmark, was buried with a pectoral cross upon her chest upon her death in 1212. This cross, a cherished relic of Denmark, gained legendary status when it was unearthed centuries later in 1690. In Danish tradition, it became customary for a duplicate of the Dagmar cross to be bestowed upon Danish princesses upon their marriage. The centerpiece of Princess Alexandra's necklace is a cloisonné enameled Byzantine gold cross, an exact replica of Queen Dagmar's cross. It's documented that this cross contains a small fragment from the original, as well as a piece of silk fabric from the grave of King Canute, adding layers of historical significance to this remarkable piece. The Dagmar necklace posed a challenge to wear due to the diamond and pearl swags not always lying flat. However, Princess Alexandra, later Queen Alexandra, was renowned for her penchant for layering jewelry, believing that more was indeed more. In the iconic photo, taken on the coronation day of her husband in 1902, who ascended the throne as King Edward VII, Queen Alexandra is adorned with the Dagmar necklace, elegantly attached to the lower portion of her bodice's dress. Following Queen Alexandra's passing in 1925, the necklace passed through the hands of Queen Mary, then Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, until eventually reaching Queen Elizabeth II in 1952. During Queen Elizabeth II's ownership, she wore the necklace on several occasions throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. Notably, during her 1957 state visit to Denmark, she chose to wear it, albeit with the two largest pearl pendants and Dagmar cross removed. On the occasion of her marriage, Princess Alexandra was given by the Ladies of North Wales this large emerald and diamond oval brooch with an emerald and diamond leek in the centre and cabochon emerald drop, along with matching earrings. The leek is the national symbol of Wales and the legend is in Welsh. It translates to Our Princess. The second brooch is a Prince of Wales feather surrounded by diamonds with a cabochon emerald drop. The Prince of Wales feathers is encircled by 18 diamonds and 36 emeralds with a hanging emerald pendant. A ribbon is engraved with the motto of the Prince of Wales I serve. A committee of ladies from South Wales, led by the Countess Dunraven, presented Queen Alexandra with a stunning piece of jewellery from Hunt and Roskill. The badge features emeralds, diamonds, and pearls arranged in a bouquet representing the Four Seasons, tied with a blue enamel bow inscribed with May God Preserve Our Own Princess. At the centre hangs a leek, a symbol of Wales, surrounded by emeralds and diamonds, with pendants depicting Saint David, the Red Dragon of Wales, and the Arms of Wales. The second part of the gift from a committee of ladies from South Wales included a bracelet set with diamonds and emeralds. This bracelet was a wedding present to Princess Alexandra from the Duke of Cambridge, Queen Victoria's first cousin. The three diamond ostrich feathers in the centre are the heraldic badge of the Prince of Wales. The enamel clasp appears to date from early in the reign of King William IV, the Duke's uncle. This is where my review ends. Which of the wedding gifts did you like the most? Thank you for watching this video. Share your impressions in the comments and support my channel by subscribing and liking. Thank you!