What's Inside Duchess of Gloucester's REMARKABLE Royal Jewelry Vault?

The Grand Jewels of the Duchess of Gloucester For fifty years, the Duchess of Gloucester has been a quiet force in the royal family, graceful, devoted and draped in an astonishing jewellery collection. But here's what most people don't realise. Her vault is bigger than some main royal collections. Among her treasures, a breathtaking emerald necklace once worn by a queen, yet rarely seen in public. And that's just the beginning. Some of her jewels have mysterious origins, while others vanished without a trace. Just how many hidden royal treasures does she have? And what shocking secret lies behind one of her most dazzling tiaras? Let's find out. Diamond and Emerald Bando Tiara The Diamond and Emerald Bando Tiara is a masterpiece of Art Deco elegance, crafted in the 1930s. A wedding gift from Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, to Lady Alice Montague Douglas Scott, it features a sleek platinum design adorned with brilliant diamonds. Its versatile centrepiece transforms between a diamond setting or an emerald-accented motif, while detachable side elements can be worn as brooches. Princess Alice wore it for grand royal occasions, from a 1937 London ball to the Portuguese state visit in 1955. After her passing, the tiara was inherited by Bogueit, the current Duchess of Gloucester, who continues its legacy. At the 2023 state banquet for the South Korean President, she dazzled in its emerald setting paired with matching jewels. A tiara of timeless sophistication, its adaptability and royal provenance make it a treasured heirloom, Commissioned by Queen Mary in 1913-14, the Gloucester Honeysuckle Tiara is a testament to early 20th century regal elegance. Crafted by E. Wolfen Company, it features a diamond framework adorned with honeysuckle motifs, culminating in a central element designed for versatility. Originally, this centrepiece could be interchanged with the Cullinan Vive Diamond, a sapphire brooch, or a pink gemstone, believed to be Kunzite, a gem discovered only a decade prior. Queen Mary gifted this tiara to her daughter-in-law, Lady Alice Montague Douglas Scott, upon her marriage to Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, in 1935. The Duchess of Gloucester wore it at significant events, notably the coronation of King George VI in 1937. In the late 1970s, the tiara was passed to her daughter-in-law, Birgitte, the current Duchess of Gloucester, who continues to don it at state occasions, maintaining its legacy within the royal family. The tiara's adaptable design allows the central motif to be swapped, reflecting the royal tradition of personalising heirloom pieces for successive generations. Its enduring presence at royal events underscores its status as a cherished emblem of the House of Gloucester. Emerald Necklace A masterpiece of the Belle Epoque era, this emerald necklace showcases large, square-cut emeralds, elegantly interspersed with diamond swags and festoons. Its exact origins remain shrouded in mystery, though it is believed to have belonged to Queen Mary, who bequeathed it to her son, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, in 1953. The Duchess of Gloucester began wearing this exquisite piece shortly thereafter, gracing events such as the Swedish state visit to Britain in 1954 and the Portuguese state visit in 1955. In the 1970s, the current Duchess inherited the necklace, frequently pairing it with the emerald version of the Gloucester Honeysuckle Tiara. While appearances have become less frequent due to a decline in gala events, this heirloom remains a testament to royal elegance, grandeur and an enduring legacy. We've already seen some of the Duchess's most exquisite jewels, but here's where it gets even more fascinating. One of her tiaras was originally owned by Queen Mary, but did you know it once had a completely different centrepiece? And there's another jewel in her collection that mysteriously disappeared for decades. Stay with us, because the rarest and most jaw-dropping royal piece is coming up, and it has a connection to a lost dynasty. Queen Mary's 11-Row Pearl Necklace Queen Mary's 11-Row Pearl Choker is a rare masterpiece, an ocean of pearls held together by two dazzling diamond motifs. Thought to be a wedding gift, Queen Mary frequently wore it as Princess of Wales and early in her reign. However, after World War I, she abandoned it for heavier diamond chokers. After her passing in 1953, the choker was inherited by her son, the Duke of Gloucester. His wife, Princess Alice, wore it sparingly in the 1960s, most notably at the Order of the British Empire service. The current Duchess of Gloucester revived its grandeur in the 1980s, featuring it in anniversary portraits and at royal banquets, often paired with Queen Mary's Hivert Tiara. From Edwardian splendour to modern-day elegance, this necklace remains a symbol of royal heritage, its luminous pearls whispering stories of queens, duchesses and a century of history. Tech Turquoise Tiara The Tech Turquoise Tiara, an emblem of regal elegance, traces its origins to the mid-19th century. Crafted around 1850, this resplendent piece features a central sunburst motif of luminous turquoise stones encircled by intricate rococo scrolls, all set amidst a bed of glittering Originally part of a perue that included necklaces, earrings and brooches, it was bestowed upon Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge. In 1893, as a cherished wedding gift from her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Tech, the tiara adorned Princess Mary of Tech upon her union with the future King George V. While she seldom wore it, she commissioned a redesign in 1912, softening its central peak to a more Kokoshnik-like silhouette. In 1935, Queen Mary entrusted the tiara to her daughter-in-law, Lady Alice Montague Douglas Scott, upon her marriage to Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester. The Duchess of Gloucester graced numerous occasions with the tiara, including the 1937 opening of the Odeon Theatre and the 1955 Givenchy Fashion Show at the Dorchester. By the late 1970s, the tiara passed to the current Duchess of Gloucester, who debuted it during Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee Gala at Covent Garden in 1977. Since then, it has illuminated events such as the 1982 American State Visit to Britain and Queen Magritte and Prince Henrik's 25th wedding anniversary in 1992. A resplendent diamond cluster encircled by intricate scrolls, adorned with three exquisite diamond pendants, such is the allure of the diamond corsage brooch of Gloucester. Believed to have been a wedding gift to Princess Helena upon her marriage to Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein in 1866, this brooch epitomises Victorian elegance. Princess Helena graced numerous occasions with this jewel, notably pairing it with her diamond tiara for a portrait around King George V's coronation in 1911. Post her passing in 1923, the brooch transitioned into the main royal collection. In 1935, Lady Alice Montagu. Douglas Scott received it upon marrying Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester. The Duchess adorned the brooch at significant events, including the coronations of King George VI in 1937 and Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. In recent times, the Duchess of Gloucester has elegantly worn the brooch as a pendant suspended from a diamond riviera, ensuring its legacy continues to dazzle at gala events and banquets. The Cartier India Tiara is a dazzling masterpiece, a fusion of diamonds, sapphires and pearls inspired by India's regal splendour. Created by Cartier in the 1920s, its intricate design reflects the grandeur of Mughal architecture and the opulence of Indian Maharajas. Originally owned by Beatrice Mills, the Countess of Granad, it later found a famed wearer in Princess Marie Louise, who adorned it for King George VI's 1937 coronation, and Queen Elizabeth II's in 1953, famously hiding sandwiches in her coronet. The tiara later became a Gloucester family heirloom, now worn by the Duchess of Gloucester at state banquets and royal events. A true blend of European refinement and Indian artistry, its legacy continues to shine in royal history. The Diamond Necklace Tiara, a masterpiece of regal elegance, showcases a series of collet-set diamonds encircled by delicate frames. Its origins remain shrouded in mystery, as it was not listed among the wedding gifts of Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester in 1935. Speculation suggests it may have been fashioned from a diamond tiara gifted by her husband, the Duke, which disappeared from public view post-1930s. Princess Alice favoured this piece as a tiara, gracing events from 1938 through the 1950s, notably at the Royal School of Needlework reception in 1951. Her successor, the current Duchess of Gloucester, initially embraced its tiara form for significant occasions, such as the Seychelles Independence Celebrations in 1976 and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden's Wedding Gala. By the 1980s, she elegantly transitioned to wearing it as a necklace, often pairing it with the Gloucester Honeysuckle or Ivog Tiaras. The necklace has since adorned events, including portraits marking the Duke and Duchess' 17th wedding anniversary in 1989, and more recently, the American State Banquet at Buckingham Palace in 2019. The Pearl and Emerald Suite is a testament to royal elegance and historical significance. Originally, in 1863, Queen Alexandra received an opulent seven-row pearl and emerald necklace, adorned with diamond, emerald and pearl pendants, as a wedding gift from Queen Victoria. This magnificent piece graced many royal occasions, notably the Devonshire Ball in 1897. After Alexandra's passing, the necklace was reimagined by Queen Mary, who transformed it into more wearable strands, integrating cabochon emeralds. In 1935, King George V and Queen Mary presented two of these necklaces to Lady Alice Montagu Douglas-Scott upon her marriage to their son, the Duke of Gloucester, forming a suite that included a stomacher and five pear-shaped emerald drops. Princess Alice frequently donned this suite for daytime events, including her husband swearing in as Governor-General of Australia and in family portraits. In the 1970s, she passed Queen Mary's smaller necklace to her daughter-in-law, the current Duchess of Gloucester, who continues to wear it, sometimes enhancing its allure by suspending three emerald drops and using the remaining two as earrings. And there you have it, a treasure trove of royal elegance, history and mystery. From dazzling tiaras to rare heirloom gems, the Duchess of Gloucester's collection is a testament to centuries of regal splendour.