-
The Court Circular Dearest reader, Norway’s royal jewel box holds more than diamonds and amethysts. It holds family history, a little royal mischief, and some rather extraordinary reminders that not every crown is destined to grace a royal head. There is something particularly fascinating about Norway’s royal jewels. Unlike a collection assembled solely for spectacle,…
-
The Court Circular Dearest reader, there comes a moment in every monarchy when the next generation must take its place. And in Denmark, that moment arrived with a rather unexpected twist: the queen handed over her crown, but very kindly stayed for the family photographs. Because one does not simply say goodbye to Queen Margrethe…
-
Dearest reader, Three hundred years of history. A magnificent palace chapel. A concert celebrating centuries of Danish royal tradition. And yet, dear reader, the moment that caught our attention was not a grand musical performance, a spectacular gown, or even the return of a much-loved queen to the public stage. It was a seating arrangement.…
-
Dearest reader, When discussing royal tiaras, one must be rather careful about ownership. A princess may wear a family heirloom for decades without ever owning it. A grand duchess may have access to an entire vault of historic jewels, yet possess a personal collection quite distinct from the treasures reserved for the dynasty. And this…
-
Dearest reader, There are jewels that sparkle, jewels that impress, and jewels that have witnessed history from a position rather closer to the throne than most of us shall ever manage. And then there are the jewels appearing at Sotheby’s Royal & Noble Jewels auction in Geneva on November 11, 2026. This is a sale…
-
Dearest reader, Some princesses are born into a fairy tale. Others are born into a history book, which, as any sensible reader will tell you, is generally a far more complicated place to live. Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg managed to experience both. Born a Belgian princess, she was the daughter of a king, the…
-
The End of One Royal Era and the Women Waiting to Inherit the Crowns Dearest reader, There was a time, not so very long ago, when the phrase European queen conjured two particular women. One was Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. The other was Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. For decades, these two…
-
A Glittering Tour Through the Tiaras of Luxembourg Dearest reader, One might be forgiven for overlooking Luxembourg when discussing Europe’s great royal jewelry collections. After all, Luxembourg is a small country, its Grand Ducal Family is considerably smaller than some of Europe’s sprawling royal households, and its public ceremonies rarely arrive with quite the spectacle…
-
Dearest reader, There are moments in royal life when ceremony feels almost timeless. The carriages—or in Norway’s case, the motorcade—arrive. The uniforms are immaculate. The jewels are polished. Parliament assembles. The King takes his place. Everything appears exactly as it should. And yet, sometimes, beneath all that ceremony is the unmistakable feeling that history has…
-
There are few things in the world of antique jewelry quite as intimate as a piece of jewelry containing a lock of someone’s hair. To the modern eye, Georgian hairwork mourning jewelry can seem unusual—even a little macabre. But to the people who wore it, these pieces represented something deeply personal: remembrance, affection, and the…