Fabiola, Queen of Belgium, and Her Legendary Jewelry Collection.

Step into the dazzling world of Queen Fabiola of Belgium, a queen whose elegance, warmth, and grace left an unforgettable mark on everyone she met. Today, December 5th, we remember Queen Fabiola, who passed away in 2014, and we explore her legendary jewelry collection. From majestic tiaras to exquisite bracelets, each piece reflecting her refined taste, her creativity, and timeless style. And even today, her jewels continue to delight us, as many of them were inherited by Queen Mathilde, who proudly wears them and keeps Fabiola's legacy alive. So let's explore Fabiola, Queen of Belgium, and her legendary jewelry collection. Before we start, please support my channel by clicking the like and subscribe buttons. I want to take you into the shimmering world of Queen Fabiola of Belgium, a woman whose elegance and warmth made her jewels shine even brighter. Among all her treasures, one jewel rises above the rest, the magnificent Nine Provinces Tiara. Created in 1926 for Princess Astrid, this tiara is a masterpiece of symbolism and craftsmanship. Its base, a graceful meander, can be worn alone as a sleek diamond bandeau. But above it rise eleven brilliant diamonds, representing the nine Belgian provinces, the former colony, and the royal house. Together, they form a crown that tells the story of a nation. When Fabiola married King Beaudoin in 1960, this historic tiara became hers. In the early years of her reign, she wore it during state visits, royal banquets, and the most solemn moments of her public life. Sometimes, she alternated it with her beloved Spanish wedding tiara, creating a style that was instantly recognizable, regal, yet deeply feminine. In the 1970s, Fabiola often appeared wearing a simplified version, with the large diamonds removed from the arches. This gave the tiara a lighter, almost ethereal elegance that suited her gentle charm. By the late 1980s, she wore it less, but her iconic portraits with the tiara remain some of the most beloved images in Belgian royal history. After King Beaudoin's passing, the tiara moved on to Queen Paola, and today it rests gracefully on the head of Queen Mathilde, continuing the legacy of unity, tradition, and quiet majesty that Queen Fabiola embodied so beautifully. The nine provinces tiara is more than a jewel. It is a symbol of heritage, devotion, and the luminous spirit of Queen Fabiola herself. Among Queen Fabiola's most treasured jewels was the enchanting Spanish wedding gift tiara, a piece that carried both royal splendor and the warmth of her Iberian roots. It was presented by the Spanish state on the occasion of her marriage to King Beaudoin in 1960, not merely a wedding gift but a symbol of love, heritage, and hope. The tiara's delicate diamond base blossomed into eight exquisite acanthus-style motifs, each adorned with pearls and a central gemstone. Its true magic, however, lay in its versatility. The central stones could be changed—rubies for emeralds for depth or aquamarines for serenity—allowing Fabiola to create entirely new looks with a single piece. She wore the tiara in many forms, as a full coronet for grand state occasions, as a softer wreath-style tiara for banquets and galas, or even dismantled into individual flowers that could be worn as pendants or brooches. Each version highlighted her elegance, style, and the quiet grace that became her signature. In her later years, Queen Fabiola favored the gentle glow of aquamarines—soft, serene, and deeply poetic. The last time she appeared wearing the tiara was in 2000 at a gala dinner at Lake and Castle. While it is rarely seen in public today, the Spanish wedding gift tiara remains a shining symbol of her grace, her refined taste, and her unforgettable royal legacy. Among Queen Fabiola's treasures, the waterfall brooch holds a special place. In 1983, King Baldwin bought it at an auction in Geneva as a gift for his wife. It first appeared publicly with Queen Fabiola in 1986, highlighting her elegance and refined style. After the King's passing, the brooch was rarely seen in public, but later it was worn by then-Crown Princess, now Queen Mathilde, during galas and important events. The waterfall brooch remains a symbol of Fabiola's timeless elegance, continuing to shine in the modern royal wardrobe and honoring her legacy. One of Queen Fabiola's most striking jewelry sets was her Tunisian perour, a necklace, earrings, and at least two gold bracelets. The set features diamonds, rubies, and green stones, which may be emeralds, tanzanites, tourmalines, or agates. King Baldwin gifted the perour to Fabiola during a vacation in Tunisia in the late 1960s. She wore it often, sometimes pairing it with other jewels like her Spanish wedding tiara or the Wolfer's tiara necklace. She appeared in the perour at many important occasions, including state visits, royal weddings, and coronations. After King Baldwin's death, Fabiola rarely wore the set in public. Shortly before her own passing, she passed it to her niece by marriage, the current Queen Mathilde, who has since worn the earrings and bracelet at galas and state events. In the early 1970s, King Baldwin gifted Queen Fabiola a set of three diamond daisy brooches, one large and two smaller ones, which could also be worn as earrings. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Fabiola often wore them in her hair, all three together, or used the smaller daisies as earrings, including during a Danish state visit in 1976. Even after becoming a widow, she continued to wear these brooches, with one notable appearance at her great-nephew's wedding gala in 2012. After her passing in 2013, the brooches went to her niece, Princess Margarita of Luxembourg and Lichtenstein. The smaller daisy earrings have since been worn at high-profile events, including weddings in Vienna in 2021 and Belgium in 2022. Queen Fabiola of Belgium had an exquisite collection of aquamarine jewelry, built around the time of her wedding. Among her favorite pieces were two pairs of earrings, one with a round aquamarine set on a long diamond frame, and another with a pear-shaped drop sparkling amidst diamonds. A special highlight was her necklace of five graduated pear-shaped aquamarines hanging from a diamond chain, often paired with the aquamarine version of her Spanish wedding tiara in the 1960s. Her most striking piece was a large pear-shaped aquamarine pendant on an adjustable Art Deco diamond chain, versatile enough to wear long as a sautoir, or shorter depending on the occasion. Over time, these pieces rarely appeared in public, but their beauty and style live on. Some of the stones may have been repurposed in new earrings now worn by Queen Mathilde, continuing the luminous legacy of Queen Fabiola. Queen Fabiola's Art Deco diamond sautoir was one of the most elegant and versatile pieces in her collection. It features rectangular diamond panels connected by delicate chains, and its length could be adjusted to suit different styles. One of her favorite pendants for the sautoir was a large pear-shaped aquamarine, a gift from King Baudouin, which she often attached to create either a short or long look. On creative occasions, she even suspended three strawberry leaf motifs from her Spanish wedding tiara on the sautoir, adding color and flair to her ensemble. She wore the sautoir at many high-profile events, including royal weddings in Greece, the Netherlands, and Denmark. Among Queen Fabiola's most cherished jewels were two remarkable bracelets that captured her elegance and unique style. The first is her ruby and diamond bracelet, a wedding gift from her brother, Prince Albert and Princess Paola in 1960. A row of rectangular rubies, framed by sparkling round diamonds, creates a bold and regal look. Fabiola wore it at her wedding ball and during state visits to Britain and Japan. After her passing, the bracelet was inherited by Queen Mathilde, who has continued to wear it at high-profile events. The second is a gold and diamond cuff bracelet, gifted by the city of Antwerp in 1960. Its central scroll-shaped motif, set with brilliant and baguette-cut diamonds, can detach to become a brooch, with an extra diamond tail to extend it. That's it for today. Thanks for watching. Please do not forget to support my channel by clicking the like and subscribe buttons.