Duchess of Albany’s Diamond Necklace

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Today marks the 165th Anniversary of the birth of Princess Helena, Duchess of Albany, who was born on this day in 1861. The Waldeck and Pyrmont Princess who was married to Queen Victoria’s youngest son, the Duchess possessed some lovely jewels, most of which are with her descendants, like her Diamond Necklace!

Diamond Necklace | Diamond Star | Sapphire Bracelet

When Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont married Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, the youngest son of Queen Victoria, she received this magnificent Diamond Necklace, along with a large Diamond Star Booch, as a Wedding Gift from her groom.

Princess Helena notably wore the Diamond Necklace for the Wedding Ceremony at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, paired with the Waldeck and Pyrmont Tiara.

The Diamond Necklace was one of the Duchess of Albany’s principal jewels, and she was pictured in the piece in numerous Official Portraits even after being widowed in 1884.

The Duchess of Albany used the Diamond Star atop her Diamond Necklace when converted the piece into a Tiara for the Coronation of her brother-in-law, King Edward VII, in 1902, with the same combination being worn a decade later for the Coronation of her nephew, King George V, in 1911.

After the Duchess of Albany’s death in 1922, the Diamond Necklace was inherited by her only son, Prince Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, whose family managed to retain most of their jewels despite much upheaval in the 20th century.

After almost a century, the Duchess of Albany’s Diamond Necklace was worn by American investment banker Kelly Rondestvedt when she married the Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 2009.

The couple are close to many royal families and Hereditary Princess Kelly wore the Duchess of Albany’s Diamond Necklace at the Wedding Gala of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden in 2010.

A few years later, Hereditary Princess Kelly wore the Diamond Necklace for the Wedding Gala of Princess Madeleine of Sweden in 2013, and lets hope we see this magnificent heirloom worn again soon!