The magnificent collection of Alice Albany The last surviving granddaughter of Queen Victoria

Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, was born on February 25, 1883, at Windsor Castle, England. She was the daughter of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, and Princess Helena of Waldeck and Permanent. As a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, she belonged to one of the most influential and renowned royal families in Europe. In 1904, Alice married Prince Alexander of Teck, who later became the Earl of Athlone. Their wedding was one of the notable events of the time, attracting the attention of numerous royals and aristocrats. Together, they enjoyed a long and happy life, raising three children. Princess Alice not only shone at social events but also actively engaged in charitable work, supporting various initiatives and funds. Her dedication and kindness earned her the respect and affection of the people. However, what truly distinguished Princess Alice from her contemporaries was her magnificent collection of jewellery. Throughout her life, she amassed an impressive array of jewels that were not only luxurious but also held historical significance. Let us delve into this remarkable collection, starting, of course, from the top. The first piece on our list is the unique palmette diamond tiara of the princess. This exquisite diamond palmette, of unknown origin, adorned with large swinging yellow diamonds, made its appearance in the late 1920s. It is believed to have been acquired during that time and possibly crafted by dismantling Princess Alice's pearl and diamond tiara, which will be discussed later. Princess Alice began wearing the palmette tiara in the late 1920s, notably at the wedding gala of Prince Gustav Adolf of Sweden and her niece, Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in 1932. Princess Alice also wore the tiara on numerous occasions and in several portraits while the Earl of Athlone served as Governor-General of Canada during World War II. Upon returning to the United Kingdom, the palmette diamond tiara was worn at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Princess Alice continued to don her diamond palmette tiara at various glittering events for decades, remaining an active, though largely out of sight, member of the royal family. The tiara was seen at various state openings of parliament and state banquets. After Princess Alice's death in 1981, the palmette diamond tiara was inherited by her sole surviving child, Lady May Abel Smith, who auctioned it at Christie's in 1984 for $33,696. Its current whereabouts are unknown. We must also highlight another splendid tiara adorned with woven wheat sheaves. This tiara, featuring numerous diamond wheat sheaves that could be worn in a variety of settings, was likely a wedding gift to Princess Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge, the younger daughter-in-law of King George III, in 1818. At a reception in Marlborough House in 1863, she was seen wearing a headdress adorned with diamond wheat sheaves. Her daughter, Princess Mary Adelaide, was noted wearing a wreath of silver wheat sheaves in 1857. Princess Mary Adelaide, later the Duchess of Teck, was depicted in a diamond wheat sheaves tiara, along with her diamond collar necklace and sapphire stomacher in an 1882 portrait by Hermann Schmidtchen. The Duchess of Teck was the mother of Princess May, who later became Queen Mary. Upon the Duchess of Teck's death in 1897, the diamond wheat sheaves tiara and the sapphire stomacher were inherited by her youngest son, Prince Alexander of Teck. In 1904, the tiara was given to Princess Alice of Albany, granddaughter of Queen Victoria, when she married Prince Alexander. Princess Alice wore the tiara at her wedding in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. After the abolition of German titles in 1917, Prince Alexander became the Earl of Athlone, while Princess Alice retained her title as Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, due to her lineage as a granddaughter of Queen Victoria through the male line. Princess Alice also wore the wheat sheaves tiara to numerous royal events. In 1957, Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, lent the Teck wheat sheaves tiara to her granddaughter, an Abel Smith, for her wedding to David Littlegranger at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The tiara remains in the possession of Lady May Abel Smith's descendants. Now, let's move on to the next stunning piece, Princess Alice's Pearl and Diamond Tiara. When Princess Alice of Albany married Prince Alexander of Teck in 1904, she received this elegant pearl and diamond tiara, featuring a graceful scroll design, as a wedding gift from her uncle and aunt, King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. She was depicted wearing this tiara in portraits during the early years of her marriage. In the 1920s, Princess Alice wore her pearl and diamond tiara in a series of official portraits, though it seemed to be worn less frequently to royal events, compared to her Teck wheat sheaves o' tiara. She exhibited her creativity with the tiara, attaching it to a fabric kukoshnik or adding her diamond riviera to the base to enhance its size. One of the last known appearances of the pearl and diamond tiara was in a portrait taken in the mid-1920s, after which it disappeared and is believed to have been dismantled and repurposed. Around this time, Princess Alice began wearing her magnificent diamond palmette tiara, and it is likely that the diamonds from her pearl and diamond tiara, as well as her diamond necklace, were used in its creation. Meanwhile, we come to one of the most exquisite pieces in her collection. This remarkable adornment, known as the Teck sapphire stomacher, is a true masterpiece. Although it is unclear how Princess Mary Adelaide came into possession of this stomacher, it is likely that she inherited it from her aunt, Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester. The stomacher features four detachable diamond clusters on a diamond corsage with diamond drops. She wore it with the Teck crescent tiara, the Teck wheat sheaves tiara, and the Cambridge emeralds. After her death, the stomacher was inherited by her youngest son, Prince Alexander. Following Prince Alexander's marriage to Princess Alice of Albany in 1904, the stomacher was frequently worn by the future Princess Alice, later Countess of Athlone. As fashion evolved, Princess Alice continued to wear the Teck sapphire stomacher without the sapphire clusters, which she used as earrings and brooches, often paired with her diamond palmette tiara, such as at Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953. The stomacher has not been seen since Princess Alice's death in 1981, but since it has not been publicly sold like some of her other jewels, it likely remains with the family, much like the wheat sheaves tiara. Now, let's turn our attention to Princess Alice's pearl corsage brooch. This grand brooch, featuring a series of pearls set within a diamond heart and a large pearl pendant, showcases a distinctive Edwardian design and was likely given to Princess Alice of Albany as a wedding gift when she married Prince Alexander of Teck in 1906. Princess Alice notably wore her pearl and diamond corsage brooch in a series of portraits in the 1920s, as well as during the Earl of Athlone's inaugural speech as Governor General of Canada in 1940. Princess Alice continued to wear her brooch well into her later years, including at the wedding of her goddaughter, Princess Anne, in 1973. After her passing, the pearl and diamond corsage brooch was inherited by Princess Alice's only daughter, Lady May Abel Smith, who was photographed with this heirloom only once. It appears that this brooch escaped the fate of some other jewels from Princess Alice's collection, which were auctioned off, and it likely remains in the possession of Princess Alice's grandchildren. Feel free to comment on which piece of jewellery impressed you the most!