Today marks the 5th Anniversary of the Death of Lady Elizabeth Anson, the Royal Party Planner who was the daughter of a Princess Anne of Denmark, sister of the late Lord Lichfield and the late Queen’s cousin! The late Lady Elizabeth had inherited this striking Diamond Scroll Tiara from her step-great-aunt, the American-born Princess Viggo of Denmark!
Composed of diamonds set in a series of ornate diamond scrolls, the Tiara originally belonged to Princess Viggo of Denmark, a wealthy American Heiress for whom Prince Viggo of Denmark gave up his place in the line of succession. After her marriage, Princess Viggo acquired several antique Tiaras and accumulated a sizeable jewellery collection.
Due to her massive jewellery collection, Princess Viggo was only pictured wearing the Diamond Scroll Tiara on a handful of occasions during the 1950s and the 1960s, including the Wedding Ball of King Constantine II of Greece and Princess Anne Marie of Denmark at the Royal Palace of Athens in 1964.
After the childless Princess Viggo’s death in 1966, her Jewels were divided between family members. Her Garnet Kokoshnik Tiara and Moonstone Tiara went to her nephew, Count Flemming of Rosenborg to be worn by his wife Countess Ruth, while this Diamond Scroll Tiara was inherited by his brother, Prince George. A Diamond Spike Tiara was inherited by another nephew, Count Christian of Rosenborg, while a Sapphire Parure was left to another niece, Queen Anne of Romania.
A few years later, Prince George’s stepdaughter, Lady Elizabeth Anson, notably wore Princess Viggo’s Diamond Scroll Tiara for her wedding to Sir Geoffrey Shakerley, 6th Bt, at Westminster Abbey in 1972.
Over a decade later, Princess Viggo’s Diamond Scroll Tiara was worn by Lady Elizabeth for the Return Banquet hosted by King Olav for the British Royal Family at the end of the Norwegian State Visit to Britain in 1988.
Princess Viggo’s Diamond Scroll Tiara was also worn by Lady Elizabeth’s only daughter, Fiona Shakerley, for her Wedding to Edward Brocas Burrows at Lichfield Cathedral in 2004.
Lady Elizabeth was close to many royal families around Europe, and notably wore Princess Viggo’s Diamond Scroll Tiara, including King Harald’s 70th Birthday at the Royal Palace of Oslo in 2007.
A decade later, Lady Elizabeth wore Princess Viggo’s Diamond Scroll Tiara again for King Harald and Queen Sonja’s 80th Birthday Banquet at the Royal Palace of Oslo in 2017.
Lady Elizabeth last wore Princess Viggo’s Diamond Scroll Tiara for the Dutch State Banquet at Buckingham Palace in 2018, which was the last time the Tiara was publicly seen. The Tiara has now been inherited by Lady Elizabeth’s only daughter, and lets hope we get to see this Royal Heirloom worn again someday soon!
An identical paste version of the Diamond Scroll Tiara was also inherited by Count Christian of Rosenborg, and has more recently been worn by his daughter, Countess Marina.
