Focus on... Kent Jewels: Princess Louise's Emerald Pendant

The emerald and pearl pendant is among the jewels the Kents inherited from Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll.

Princess Michael of Kent wearing the diamond and emerald pendant suspended from a pearl necklace

Like the Daisy Brooches, Princess Louise's emerald pendant was a wedding present, this time from her mother Queen Victoria. Louise wore it on her wedding day suspended from a diamond riviere necklace (also left to the Kents).

The pendant consists of a square-cut emerald set in a diamond frame. A large pearl is suspended from the frame: the pearl is detachable so the emerald and diamond piece can be worn as a separate piece. 

Princess Louise wearing the pendant on her wedding day, suspended  from a diamond riviere

Princess Louise (the second youngest daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert) was particularly close to the Kents and left a number of jewels to them, including all pieces she had worn for her wedding to the Marquess of Lorne (then heir to the Dukedom of Argyll). 

The brooch was left to Princess Marina, the Duchess of Kent who occasionally wore it with and without the detachable pearl. Along with the rest of Argyll jewels, this brooch was left to Prince Michael of Kent in Marina’s will. 

Princess Michael wearing the pendant suspended from a diamond riviere (left), and as a brooch (right)

Princess Michael had the original emerald in the pendant replaced with a larger stone (either emerald, or an imitation), and has worn the pendant on many occasions since, both as a brooch and as a pendant.

When worn as a pendant, Marie Christine usually dons it together with the original diamond riviere – just as Princess Louise did on her wedding day.

The Diamond Riviere of Princess Louise. Princess Marina had several such  necklaces so it's unclear whether the one Princess Michael currently wears is in fact the Duchess of Argyll's wedding necklace. 

If you are interested in Kent Jewels, you are in luck because we have been covering Kent Jewels the whole week. Why not check out the list of Kent Jewels already covered here (scroll to the end of the post)?