On Thursday, June 28, 2012, a press preview provided the first entrance to 'Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration,' an exhibition which forms part of the summer opening of Buckingham Palace. This exhibition, part of the Diamond Jubilee celebration of Queen Elizabeth II, displays over 10,000 diamonds set in works that were commissioned and acquired by six monarchs over three centuries.
The items are from the Queen's personal collection and the Royal Collection. Pieces such as the Delhi Durbar Tiara (shown in slideshow) are being displayed to the public for the first time. The tiara, which King George V fondly referred to as "May’s best tiara," was made in 1911 for Queen Mary to wear to the Durbar, a ceremonial gathering in Delhi which marked the succession of King George as King Emperor.
The Diamond Diadem, despite its feminine associations, was commissioned for George IV at his coronation in 1821. Queen Elizabeth II is shown wearing it on British and Commonwealth stamps, as well as on some coins and bank notes. It contains 1,333 brilliant-cut diamonds, including a four-carat pale yellow brilliant diamond.
The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara (see slideshow) was a present to Princess Victoria Mary of Teck from the ‘Girls of Great Britain and Ireland’ on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of York, later King George V, in 1893.
As if anyone needs a reminder of the glory of royalty, these beautiful gems show how monarchs over the centuries have used diamonds as a display of power, might and magnificence.
The exhibition opens on Saturday, June 30, 2012 and runs through July 8. The exhibition is closed through July, then opens again from July 31 to October 7, 2012.
- www.examiner.com
No comments:
Post a Comment