Today marks the 160th Anniversary of the birth of Queen Amélie of Portugal, who born on this day in 1865! The exiled Orléans Princess who married the Portuguese King, witnessed the assassination of her husband and son, and was then exiled for the remaining four decades of her life, today, we are featuring Queen Amélie’s Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch!
Diamond Tiara | Portuguese Emerald Tiara | Diamond Choker Tiara | Portuguese Crown Sapphires | Portuguese Star Tiara | Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch | Portuguese Royal Tiaras
On the occasion of her marriage to Prince Carlos in 1886, the heir of King Luís I and Queen Maria Pia of Portugal, Princess Amélie of Orléans received a magnificent array of wedding gifts from relatives, family friends, and institutions. Among the most notable were an emerald parure from her parents and a diamond tiara from her father-in-law, the King. Adding to this treasure, the Duke and Duchess of Doudeauville presented the Princess with a splendid fleur-de-lys brooch in sapphires and diamonds, cleverly designed to also be worn as an aigrette.
Queen Amélie was photographed wearing the fleur-de-lys brooch as an aigrette shortly after her marriage, pairing it with a splendid diamond and sapphire necklace presented to her by Dom Carlos as a wedding gift. Unfortunately, this necklace has since disappeared from public view.
The fleur-de-lys was again worn as an aigrette for portrait painted by Veloso Salgado in 1901, after Amélie had become Queen Consort.
Most often, however, the fleur-de-lys was worn as a brooch, both during Amélie’s years as Duchess of Braganza and later as Queen Consort. It appears in numerous portraits and even in marble busts representing her. The jewel carried a strong dynastic symbolism: Amélie was simultaneously fille de France, a princess of the House of Orléans, and through her mother, a descendant of the Spanish Borbons. The fleur-de-lys, prominently featured in the heraldic arms of all these royal houses, thus reflected her lineage and identity.
For gala events, Queen Amélie most often paired her fleur-de-lys brooch with the diamond tiara given to her as a wedding gift by her father-in-law. She frequently complemented the ensemble with a diamond and sapphire choker in the Garland Style.
With the fall of the monarchy in 1910, the Royal Family fled the country in haste, leaving behind much of their property. Later, the republican government returned to Queen Amélie her personal possessions, including her jewellery collection. As she herself remarked, “everything was returned, not even a small pin was missing.”
In exile, the Queen still had opportunities to wear her sapphire fleur-de-lys brooch, often pairing it with Dom Luís’ Tiara, which she placed low across her forehead for a series of striking portraits.
When the Queen passed away in 1951, her jewels were inherited by members of her French family, close friends, and personal staff. The principal heirs included her three sisters—he Duchess of Aosta, the Duchess of Guise and Infanta Luisa of Spain,—along with her godson, Duarte of Bragança, and several nieces and nephews. The fleur-de-lys brooch was inherited by the Duchess of Aosta’s family branch and was later worn by Princess Margherita of Savoy-Aosta in a portrait.
Interestingly, Princess Margherita—who became an Archduchess of Austria through marriage—was Queen Amélie’s grandniece twice over. Her paternal grandmother, Hélène, Duchess of Aosta, and her maternal grandmother, Isabelle, Duchess of Guise, were both sisters of Queen Amélie. Unfortunately, the brooch has not been publicly seen in recent years. One can only hope it will make a reappearance in the near future, hopefully on Princess Margherita’s daughter-in-law, Princess Astrid of Belgium.
This article was written by assistant editor, David Rato, who runs the Spanish Royal Jewels account on Instagram!
Diamond Tiara | Portuguese Emerald Tiara | Diamond Choker Tiara | Portuguese Crown Sapphires | Portuguese Star Tiara | Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch | Portuguese Royal Tiaras
