Revealed: Queen Mary of Denmark marks her first year as monarch by unveiling a spectacular tiara created from a historic diamond belt
Queen Mary of Denmark has marked her first year as monarch in spectacular fashion with the unveiling of a dazzling tiara repurposed from a historic diamond belt.
The Australian-born royal, 52, known for her penchant for heirloom tiaras, has revived the unique accessory.
In a video shared by Amalienborg Palace on Tuesday, Mary is seen bare-faced and casually styled as she meets the jeweler to try on the redesigned Rose Stone Tiara.
The glittering transformation is a nod to tradition, with the Danish royal family continuing its age-old practice of reshaping crown jewels to suit the times.
“The frame on which the rose stones in the new diadem are mounted was created by jeweler Matias Hasbo Dinesen in consultation with the Queen and the Royal Danish Collection,” the Instagram caption read.
‘The rosestone set was created in 1840 as a chain fitted around a corseted waist with the large pendant, the corsage, in the centre. The pendant can be divided and used individually as standalone brooches.’
Indeed, Queen Lovisa, wife of Frederick VIII, is depicted wearing the ‘belt’ in a 1911 portrait exhibited in the National Historical Museum at Frederiksborg Castle.
Queen Mary of Denmark has spectacularly marked the end of her first year as monarch by transforming a historic belt into a dazzling new tiara
Queen Lovisa of Denmark wore the diamonds in their original format – a belt – in 1911
The Crown Jewels available to Mary as queen include four parures that are considered among the monarchy’s most important treasures.
These jewels, which must remain in Denmark, include the brilliant-cut diamond set, the emerald set, the pearl-ruby set and the rose-cut diamond set. Each parure is surprisingly versatile and can be separated to mix and match individual pieces.
Of the four, only the emerald green set includes a matching tiara. Mary debuted the emerald jewels in gala portraits released in April, pairing them with a green Birgit Hallstein dress.
Mary’s new tiara was crafted using the largest stones from the rose-cut diamond set, the least worn parure by previous Danish queens.
A notable occasion was in 1991, when Queen Margrethe wore elements of the set during a state visit by the Norwegian royal family.
She shortened the chain and pinned the four brooches from the set to her dress.
In 1840, Queen Caroline Amalie commissioned CM Weisshaupt to create the rose-cut parure, which incorporated diamonds that once belonged to Princess Charlotte Amalie, sister of King Christian VI.
It includes a long chain originally designed to be worn as a belt around the queen’s waist, a style popular in the 1840s. However, the waist chain fell out of fashion and was rarely used by subsequent monarchs.
The Crown Jewels possessed by Mary, as Queen, consist of four parures, including the rose-cut set
In 1991, Queen Margrethe wore elements of the set during a state visit by the Norwegian royal family
The rose cut set was made by CM Weisshaupt in 1840 at the request of Queen Caroline Amalie with diamonds that belonged to Princess Charlotte Amalie, a sister of King Christian VI.
The redesigned Rose Stone Tiara was unveiled in a video shared by the palace
The frame on which the rose stones in the new diadem are mounted was made by jeweler Matias Hasbo Dinesen in consultation with the Queen and the Royal Danish Collection
The footage showed Mary, bare-faced and casually dressed, meeting the jeweler to try on the new creation
This modern approach to historic jewels reflects a long Danish royal tradition of adapting the palace’s treasures to make them both contemporary and personal
The term ‘rose cut’ refers to a style of diamond cut that was popular before the invention of the brilliant cut in the late 19th century.
The rose cutting technique involves applying multiple facets, ideally 24, to the top surface of the diamond, creating the appearance of a round rosebud. The back of the diamond is flat, which enhances the vintage charm.
The brilliant diamond, on the other hand, has 33 cut facets on the top and 24 on the bottom.
Today, all four parures are kept in the treasury of Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen.
They can be traced back to Queen Sophie Magdalena, consort of Christian VI, who bequeathed them to the Danish monarchy.
Mary’s innovative approach reflects the Danish royal tradition of adapting the palace’s treasures to ensure they remain both contemporary and personal.
The behind-the-scenes video shows the chain being carefully placed on the frame as the queen prepares to try on the transformed tiara.
The casual elegance of her messy bun, combined with the tiara, adds a recognizable touch to this regal moment.
The palace wrote: ‘The new diadem is designed as a so-called bandeau: a headband for mounting in the hair, consisting of a single row of rose cut diamonds.
‘This simple shape continues the expression of the belt, where the diamonds are also mounted in a row.’
The Danish Crown Jewels are the property of the state, but remain at the disposal of the Queen. They must remain in Denmark and are not allowed to accompany the monarch on visits abroad.
When not being worn, these beautiful jewels are displayed in the treasury of Rosenborg Castle, where they can be admired by the public.