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Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
How beloved princess was 'a breath of fresh air' for the British Royal Family
Alexandra of Denmark, firstly Princess of Wales and then Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India, was renowned as one of the most elegant ladies of her era. When she married Edward, Prince of Wales in 1863, her mother-in-law, Queen Victoria, had already been in deep mourning for the death of Prince Albert for two years. Court life in London disappeared. So, when the Danish Princess married the heir to the throne, she brought a beauty and a freshness to the British Royal Family that spread throughout the aristocracy. The Prince and Princess of Wales were very much in love, and both are captured in their youthful elegance which can be seen in the almost life size portraits by Winterhalter at the current exhibition at Buckingham Palace 's King's Gallery. But it is the sheer amount of jewels worn by the Princess of Wales, then afterwards Queen Alexandra, that she is so often remembered by - painted draped in diamonds and pearls; some of which are on display; as are several diamonds set gifts from the Indian subcontinent. The highlight of the exhibition is the splendid Coronation gown that the newly minted Queen Alexandra wore in August 1902. Despite enjoying a social life, the public's perception of the Royal Family was of Queen Victoria's black gowns and pearl necklaces, her only head ornaments being her small diamond crown that she wore over her widow's cap and Prince Albert's sapphire and diamond coronet. It was decided that the coronation, despite being delayed for two months due to Edward having an appendicitis emergency, would be sumptuous and bring in a new glamorous era. Alexandra chose Parisian couture maison Morin Blossier to create a gold dress embroidered with thousands of gold spangles (similar to sequins but with the hole at the top so that they hang and move more fluidly) which would sparkle iridescently under the lights that had been installed in the Abbey for the occasion. Alexandra chose Parisian couture maison Morin Blossier to create a gold dress embroidered with thousands of gold spangles (similar to sequins but with the hole at the top so that they hang and move more fluidly) which would sparkle iridescently under the lights that had been installed in the Abbey for the occasion The gown was covered by a gold gauze net that had been embroidered in Delhi, then part of the British Empire. Queen Alexandra also wore not one but two pearl and diamond necklaces during the magnificent event - both of which you will find near to the gown. Her wedding necklace and earrings were a gift from the Prince of Wales her husband; created by the Crown Jewellers Garrard - they are thought to have been inspired by a pearl and diamond parure that Empress Eugenie wore for her wedding to Napoleon III, in 1853, with large pearls surrounded by diamonds designed to look like buttons. The second was the Dagmar necklace, given to her as a wedding present by the King of Denmark, which she actually wore as a stomacher on her gold gown. This ornate piece of jewellery gets its name from the pendant cross that is a replica of a famous, enamelled, 12th century cross, which was buried with Queen Dagmar of Denmark in 1212 - the cross also has a small fragment of wood from the True Cross (that on which Jesus was crucified) and some silk from the grave of King Canute. An official portrait of Queen Alexandra by Sir Samuel Luke Fildes shows her in all her coronation splendour. Alongside these is the Kokoshnik tiara, that was a gift to the then Princess of Wales for her 25th wedding anniversary in 1888 from the Ladies of Society (the 365 peeresses), and inspired by her sister's, the Tsarina Maria Feodorovna of Russia, traditional diamond Russian headdress. There is also her ostrich feather fan that has a diamond crown, an 'A' and the national emblems set on the handle. A pair of Tiffany opera glasses set with diamonds, a Cartier rose quartz flamingo with diamond eyes, and a Faberge blue guilloche enamel cigarette case set with diamonds are just a few other incredible bejewelled treasures in the exhibition - as well as Queen Mary's Love Trophy Collar. During 1875–1876 the then Prince of Wales toured India, visiting more than 21 regions including parts of modern-day India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal, as an opportunity to forge diplomatic links between Indian rulers and the British Crown as well as occasion for Prince Edward to learn more about the culture and history of part of the Empire. Gifts were exchanged with each ruler he met, as was customary during diplomatic visits, many of which are set with a huge number of large diamonds, from of course India - it had been only a decade since diamonds were first found in South Africa. A large cabinet contains several of these gifts - a shield; a sword from the Maharajah of Jaipur; a punch dagger set with diamonds, emerald and rubies set in floral motifs; a woman's belt also set with diamonds, emeralds and rubies, from the Maharajah of Mysore; and a perfumer holder (attar dan) set with diamonds and pearls on enamel. When he returned home the pieces were sent on loan around the United Kingdom, and later to Paris and Copenhagen, before being displayed in Sandringham House in what became known as the Indian Room. The Edwardians: Age of Elegance is at The King's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, from 11 April to 23 November 2025.
The Independent
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Queen Alexandra's coronation dress to go on show in Buckingham Palace exhibition
Queen Alexandra's gold coronation dress is to go on show at Buckingham Palace for the first time in more than 30 years. The dress will be displayed alongside more than 300 items from the Royal Collection in a new exhibition, The Edwardians: Age of Elegance, in The King's Gallery, the Royal Collection Trust said. The exhibition, which opens on Friday, explores the public and private lives of Alexandra and her husband, Edward VII, as well as George V and Queen Mary. The exhibition's audio guide is narrated by Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville. Alexandra, daughter of King Christian IX of Denmark, married Edward, then Prince of Wales, in St George's Chapel, Windsor, on March 10 1863. Her coronation took place on August 9 1902 and the gold coronation gown, designed by Paris-based fashion house Morin Blossier, broke with tradition as coronation dresses of the time were usually plain white or cream, inspired by ecclesiastical robes. The trust described Alexandra as a fashion trailblazer and said she chose a gold dress that would shimmer in the electric lights that had been installed in Westminster Abbey for the first time. The dress was also sewn with thousands of tiny gold spangles. It was also, by her request, the first royal outfit to feature the national emblems of Britain, the rose, thistle and shamrock. This tradition continued on all future coronation dresses including those of Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Camilla. Exhibition curator Kathryn Jones said: 'While it has darkened over time, Alexandra's choice of a shimmering gold fabric would have been incredibly striking at the coronation. There are descriptions in contemporary newspapers of moments in the ceremony where the Queen appears in an extraordinary blaze of golden light, the dress glowing in the new electric lighting. 'It's a powerful example of Edward and Alexandra's attempts to balance tradition and modernity as they stood on the cusp of the 20th century; a shining moment of glamour before the world was at war.' The exhibition also features jewellery worn by Alexandra at the coronation, including a diamond necklace and earrings given by Edward, a Dagmar necklace from the King of Denmark, and a diamond-handled ostrich feather fan. The display also includes personal items from the royal households, early photographs taken by Alexandra on one of the earliest Kodak cameras, Faberge animal sculptures, and objects from royal social events. The Edwardians: Age of Elegance is open to the public at The King's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, from April 11 to November 23.
New York Times
26-01-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Edwardian Elegance Is the Focus of a London Exhibition
Visitors should prepare to be dazzled as diamond tiaras, necklaces and other sparkly royal items go on display April 11 at the King's Gallery, the public gallery at Buckingham Palace that features selections from the vast royal collection of art, furniture, jewelry and more. The exhibition, titled 'The Edwardians: The Age of Elegance,' is to showcase the possessions of two style-setting royal couples of the early 20th century: Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and their son, George V, and his wife, Queen Mary. (George V is the maternal great-grandfather of Britain's current king, Charles III.) 'The Edwardian period, as we think about it, is very glamorous,' said Kathryn Jones, the exhibition's curator and the senior curator of decorative arts at the Royal Collection Trust, the charitable body established in 1993 to manage the collection. The royal family at the time 'are living this incredibly opulent and, not frivolous, but slightly hedonistic lifestyle, going to garden parties, sporting events and costume balls,' she said. About half of the 315 objets d'art selected for the exhibition are to be shown for the first time, according to Ms. Jones, because 'we've not touched on the Edwardians before.' (The gallery was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2002.) She said the exhibits were to include Edward VII's blue enamel cigarette case by Fabergé, showing that men could 'express themselves artistically through their smoking accessories,' and a lavish ostrich feather fan 'that Queen Alexandra used at her coronation with diamonds on the guard sticks.' According to Ms. Jones, jewelry plays an important role in telling the royals' stories: 'Both Alexandra and Mary are renowned for their jewels. And if you look at the official portraits of them, I mean, they really do both drape themselves almost from head to toe in jewelry. It's really part of their image. 'Alexandra, in particular, has this incredibly glamorous image and at the time she's renowned for, you know, being a leader of fashion.' And one of the many wide chokers that were a signature of Queen Mary's personal style is to be included, this one set with diamonds. Sometimes the royals had a hand in the jewelry design, as they were 'commissioning pieces, sending pieces back to be altered,' Ms. Jones said. As an example, she referred to the elaborate diamond Dagmar necklace with its gold and enamel cross that was given to Alexandra, a princess at the time, by a cousin, the king of Denmark, for her wedding in 1863. 'When it arrived in Britain she sent it to Garrard's and had extra pearls added to it so it shows her personal intervention,' she said. The exhibition, to run through Nov. 23, ends with the years after World War I. The conflict's death and destruction produced 'a very different sense of monarchy,' Ms. Jones said. 'So although of course they are still collecting, it's a very different sort of style and mind-set so it seemed a logical place to end at that point.' Ticket prices vary (adults pay 19 pounds, or $23.40) and may be purchased for specific entry times through the Royal Collection Trust's website.
