The Napoleonic Heritage
By Bjarne Steen Jensen
European Royal History Journal © 2000


In 1898 Louisa gave the tiara to her daughter-in-law,
Alexandrine, Duchess of Mecklenberg-Schwerin,
just married to her eldest son, later King Christian X.
He inherited the rest of the parure when his mother
died in 1926.

In 1935 the whole parure was given as a wedding gift
to our aforementioned Princess Ingrid of Sweden
who married their eldest son, later King Frederic IX.
Therefore the rubies are Queen Ingrid's private jewels
and not part of the crown jewellery.

Today the ensemble consists of a tiara, large earrings,
a very grandiose collier, a stomacher and an armring.
Two shoulder brooches were dismantled and used by
Queen Ingrid to alter the tiara in 1947. Until then
the tiara had been two twigs set on a shackle.
Queen Ingrid still wears her rubies when she is in full
dress for state occasion or for family celebrations.


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