Royal Style: Gucci and Chanel for the win, coat dresses for the bin!

[Maireas]

Royal style continues!
Thanks to Deftly for the thread title. Let's hope there's more Gucci and Chanel.....fewer coat dresses..,.

@Koshnique

I can really see a resemblance between that portrait of a young Victoria and Beatrice.

She really does

There is a resemblance but Beatrice is more attractive than Victoria was!

I think that necklace is the Coronation Necklace that Queenie still wears at the State Opening of Parliament:

www.thecourtjeweller.com/2021/06/the-coronation-necklace-and-earrings.html

There are several such collet necklaces in the royal family's jewel vaults I believe...

I really like that Franz Xaver Winterhalter portrait of Victoria, painted in 1843, when Victoria was 24.

She had already had two children by then, but Winterhalter emphasised her carefree youthful look, with her unbound hair and soft draping fabrics. Such a contrast to the unsmiling widow encased in black we know so well from her later portraits and photographs.

Not a fan of the necklace, it's a bit vulgar as the diamonds are almost too big! 😆

Can diamonds be too big?

Nope.
^Dear Angela Kelly...

@AdaColeman

Can diamonds be too big?

I'm sure it's in the vault somewhere, waiting to be worn. Angela Kelly will know

Cover me in vulgarity

Can we just reflect on this astonishing picture (thanks to SeaRabbit for the link), of Queen Alexandra at the coronation in 1902.

This is truly a 'more is more' attitude to jewellery.

@Eaumyword "Cover me in vulgarity."

Love it

That could be the title of the next thread!

It could indeed! Brilliant!

Super photo of Alexandra, who was quite a fashion icon of her day. She popularised the choker style of necklace which she wore to hide a childhood scar on her neck.
She had a great love of jewels, which her husband, the flamboyant Bertie (Edward VII) encouraged and indulged, see her opulent Garrard wedding parure, a gift from Bertie.

The coronation in 1902 had been cancelled once due to Bertie’s ill health, so I can imagine Alexandra getting ready that morning and heaping on those pearls and diamonds with abandon. I wonder if she was thinking “Mother in Law wouldn’t like this”!

Bertie personally funded a coronation meal for thousands of poor people, which he insisted went ahead, on what would have been the original coronation day. I hope Charles does something similar!

@Jjacobb

Does anyone else follow Royal style- fashion and jewels on FB? it's very interesting.

Today I've been reading about Queen Victoria's small diamond crown. She had it made to wear over her widows cap after the death of Prince Albert.
It may have been small but contained 132 carots of diamonds in total. It was considered ok to wear diamonds whilst in mourning but coloured stones were frowned upon.
I think most people remember Victoria as a sad Queen who mourned her beloved Albert all of her later life, so I love this picture of her looking quite the temptress.
And look at the size of the diamonds in that necklace. It's similar to one Max wears. I wonder if any of you know where it is these days.

DD and I saw Queen Victoria's coronet at the V&A yesterday - was mesmerising. NB: thoroughly recommend the jewellery collection at the V&A.

That coronet is beautiful.

That’s beautiful.
Can diamonds ever be too big? (Probably for slogging round Tesco)
I did read a few days ago, but can’t remember where, that HMQ had given Kate the gift of the coronation diamond necklace and earrings for her 40th. Who knows?

You learn so much on this thread, it's so interesting to hear the history behind the jewels!

What a 40th gift, if so. To be fair, I think Kate is a super queen in waiting so, if they were going spare...why not?!

I can’t remember where I read it, I’ll have to try to find it again. I’m sure it said she wanted it to go to the next Queen, which, if true, is interesting in relation to Camilla. Maybe a hint she will be Princess Consort for definite, not Queen, as has been talked about on here previously. I actually think both Kate and Cams would be great as Queen, both very steadying and support very down to earth causes.

I can't see Camilla not being Queen now. When she and Charles first married it was only 8 years after Diana died but there's been too much water under the bridge now and she's been well and truly rehabilitated in the eye of the general public.

Plus Cams already has the QM's magnificent jewellery, so I'd say already well supplied in the diamonds department.

I agree, Glue and Killing, think both are likely quite calming influences on their partners.
I was young enough to buy into the fairytale princess idea when Diana got married and still young enough when she died to be outraged at Camilla. Now far older, I see it was far more complex and sadder all round than that and all individuals involved had their strengths, weaknesses and culpability in the situation.

While Clarence House have always maintained that Camilla would merely be Princess Consort, it looks to me as though a gentle breeze of change is blowing through Windsor Castle!

Just within the last few days, Camilla has been appointed a Royal Lady of the Order of the Garter, this changes her status to that of a Senior Royal, which is an indication of what role she will assume when Charles is King.

Of course, all the rapid changes to the hierarchy with the loss of Harry and Andrew, will have influenced this decision I think. But there is no doubt that Camilla's popularity has grown recently.
A lot of this has been due to glimpses of her sense of humour and personal warmth, smiling at the camera during Trump's visit, telling tales her childhood holidays, for instance, as well as constructive support of her favourite charities.

I think everyone has made good points about Camilla. Also, she seems like a genuine person, I get the impression that it's not about her, but what she can do in her role.

@MotherofPearl

Can we just reflect on this astonishing picture (thanks to SeaRabbit for the link), of Queen Alexandra at the coronation in 1902.

This is truly a 'more is more' attitude to jewellery.

Wow!!!!