Crown Princess Margareta’s Egyptian Necklace

Today marks the 110th Anniversary of the Birth of Princess Lilian of Sweden, who was born on this day in 1915! The Welsh Actress who waited 30 years to marry her Swedish Prince and became a beloved member of the Swedish Royal Family, Princess Lilian possessed a spectacular collection of jewels, which included this striking Egyptian Scarab Necklace!

Laurel Wreath Tiara | Queen Sofia’s Nine Prong Tiara | Baden Fringe Tiara | Napoleonic Cut Steel Tiara | Pearl Brooch | Diamond Stomacher Necklace | Egyptian Necklace | Amethyst and Pearl Necklace | Turquoise Necklace

When Princess Margaret of Connaught married the future King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden in 1907, she received this striking ‘Egyptian’ Scarab Necklace made by Koch in Frankfurt from Crown Prince Gustav and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, the parents of the groom. Composed of five rows of pearls with emerald, ruby, and sapphire cabochon scarabs each topped by a diamond ‘m‘, which marked the couple’s engagement in Egypt.

Crown Princess Margareta most notably wore the Egyptian Necklace for a portrait with her two elder children, Prince Gustaf Adolf and Prince Sigvard, around 1910, and after her premature death in 1920, it was among the jewels inherited by her third son, Prince Bertil.

While the future Princess Lilian wore Crown Princess Margretha’s Laurel Wreath Tiara while she was Prince Bertil’s partner for over 30 years, she only began wearing the Egyptian Necklace after her wedding in 1976, usually pairing it with the Laurel Wreath Tiara and also the Baden Fringe Tiara.

While Princess Lilian wore several other Necklace from the massive Swedish Royal Collection, Crown Princess Margareta’s Egyptian Necklace remained a favourite over the years, being worn for countless State Banquets, Nobel Prize Ceremonies, and Representation Dinners.

After Prince Bertil’s death in 1997, Princess Lilian remained an active member of the Royal Family and continued to wear the Egyptian Necklace for State Banquets, like the Jordanian State Visit to Swede in 2003, and the annual Nobel Prize Ceremony, which Princess Lilian continued to attend until she decided she was too old in 2006, and her health began to fail.

After Princess Lilian’s death in 2013, Crown Princess Margretha’s Egyptian Necklace, valued at 600 000 SEK, was inherited by Queen Silvia, though she has yet to publicly wear it. Let’s hope we see this unique and beautiful heirloom sometime soon!

Laurel Wreath Tiara | Queen Sofia’s Nine Prong Tiara | Baden Fringe Tiara | Napoleonic Cut Steel Tiara | Pearl Brooch | Diamond Stomacher Necklace | Egyptian Necklace | Amethyst and Pearl Necklace | Turquoise Necklace

Laurel Wreath Tiara

Baden Fringe Tiara

Queen Sofia’s Nine Prong Tiara

 Napoleonic Cut Steel Tiara

Egyptian Necklace

Turquoise Necklace

 Pearl Brooch

Diamond Stomacher Necklace

Bernadotte Emerald Parure

Processional Necklace

 Amethyst and Pearl Necklace

Karl Johan Earrings

The Braganza Tiara