Yesterday marked the Anniversary of the Death of the late Diana, Princess of Wales! The Earl’s daughter who became the Princess of Wales and one of the most iconic (and tragic) women of the last century, the Princess possessed a spectacular jewellery collection, which was highlighted by her Saudi Sapphire Suite!
When the Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, the bride received this striking Sapphire and Diamond Suite as a wedding present from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, which was described by Leslie Field in The Queen’s Jewels as:
Made by Asprey, it consists of an enormous Burmese sapphire pendant set in a jagged sunray fringe of baguette diamonds and hung on a thin diamond necklace; a matching pair of earrings and ring; a two-row bracelet of brilliant-cut diamonds with a smaller version of the sapphire pendant as a centrepiece; and a wristwatch, the face set in the same diamond sunray fringe and the strap consisting of seven oval sapphires set in clusters of diamonds….”
The Princess of Wales was not the only royal to receive a gift from jewellery from members of the Saudi Royal Family, as the Queen received many splendid diamond necklaces, the Duchess of York got a Ruby Suite, as did Princess Anne, and most recently, the Duchess of Sussex was given a pair of earrings from the Saudi Crown Prince.
The Princess of Wales debuted the Saudi Sapphire at the National Film Institute Dinner at the Royal Festival Hall in December 1981.
The Princess wore the Saudi Sapphire Suite frequently on royal tours, including with the Spencer Tiara for a State Dinner at Government House in Canberra and a Reception at the Crest International Hotel in Brisbane during a Tour of Australia in 1983.
The Princess of Wales wore the Saudi Sapphire Earrings with her modern Sapphire Choker for the final of the Newport International Competition for Young Pianists in Newport in October 1985 and also for a Gala Dinner at Government House in Melbourne, during a Tour of Australia the following month.
The Saudi Sapphire Suite was worn by the Princess of Wales for the World Festival Of Arts Opera Performance in Vancouver in 1986, as well as the Queen’s 60th Birthday Concert in London that year.
The final (known) appearance of the Saudi Sapphire Suite was in 1987, when Princess of Wales wore it to dance with the Prince after dinner at the Hotel Hyatt in Melbourne.
More frequently, the Princess of Wales wore the Diamond Tennis Necklace with the heirloom Prince of Wales Feathers Pendant on several occasions over the decades.
By the 1990s, the ring from the Saudi Sapphire Suite had been used to create another version of the modern Sapphire Choker, which was worn by Diana, Princess of Wales for ‘A Concert of Hope’ at the Cardiff International Arena in 1995. Following the Princess’ death in 1997, the Saudi Sapphire Suite was among the jewels inherited by Prince William and Prince Harry, but has lain in the vaults, having not been worn by either the Princess of Wales or the Duchess of Sussex.
