Focus on... Kent Jewels: More Random Pieces

It will appear that we have covered most of the important or well-known pieces in the Kent collection. This post is dedicated to some of the jewels that didn't warrant a separate article.

Most jewels belong to Princess Michael of Kent because although it was the Duchess of Kent who inherited the bulk of jewels from Princess Marina's collection, Marie Christine is the only one among Kent ladies who wears her jewels fairly regularly.

Jewellery Sets

Princess Michael has some really interesting sets in her collection. One of them is the beautiful aquamarine set that consists of a necklace of pearls and aquamarines, a pair of earrings and a brooch. Sometimes, the Princess wears the brooch (made of three large square aquamarines) in a necklace setting. 

Princess Michael wearing her Aquamarine Set

Another beauty is a citrine set consisting of a pendant and a pair of earrings. The pendant can be worn with a detachable pearl drop. Marie Cristine often dons it both on its own (as a brooch), or incorporated into a necklace.

Focus on... Kent Jewels: Princess Michael's Cartier Clips

One of my personal favourites among Princess Michael’s jewellery collection is the lovely necklace she sometimes wears on extra-special occasions.

The Pearl and Sapphire Necklace with Cartier Clips at the sides

The necklace consists of seven rows of pearls and sapphire beads, which incorporate two sapphire and diamond clips at the sides. The clips are detachable and can be worn as brooches or hat ornaments.

Focus on... Kent Jewels: Princess Michael's Dress Ornament

One of the more unusual items in Princess Michael's collection is the dress ornament she has worn on several occasions.

Princess Michael's Dress Ornament

Princess Michael has worn this ornament on several occasions. One of them was a re-internment of the remains of Diane de Poitiers, the famous favourite of Henry II and one of Princess Michael's ancestresses (just as a point of interest, Marie Christine is also descended from Henry II's wife, Catherine de Medici).

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).

Focus on... Kent Jewels: The Argyll Daisy Brooch

These lovely daisy brooches come from the collection of Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll.

There are three brooches, one large and two smaller ones. They were made by Garrard and are encrusted by diamonds set in white and yellow gold.

Princess Louise was the second youngest daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The diamond daisy brooches were a present to Princess Louise from three of her siblings – Prince Arthur, Prince Leopold and Princess Beatrice – on the occasion of her marriage to the Marquess of Lorne (then heir to the Dukedom of Argyll).

Focus on... Kent Jewels: Princess Michael's Cherries Brooch

This lovely Cherries Brooch comes from the collection of the Duchess of Windsor.

Princess Michael's Cherries Brooch

In its original form, it was actually a necklace that consisted of two rows of ruby beads with a large gold clasp at the end. From the clasp, two cherry pendants hang from several gold threads. The clasp also contained uncut emeralds and brilliants.

Focus on... Kent Jewels: The Flower Brooch

This lovely flower brooch is worn not by one but three different royal ladies.

Princess Michael's Purple Flower Brooch

The brooch is in form of a flower with five petals, with a diamond cluster in the middle and five pearls between the petals. It may be Kiki McDonough creation, although there is no confirmation.

Focus on... Kent Jewels: Emerald Shamrock Brooch

This brooch is another jewel that originated from Princess Marina’s collection. It is in a form of a shamrock encrusted with diamonds, with three round emeralds set in the middle.

Diamond and Emerald Shamrock Brooch

Although a admirer of more substantial jewels, Marina often donned this small, delicate brooch. Among the notable appearances of this brooch was the interview on the occasion of the engagement announcement of the Duke of Kent and Katherine Worsley.

Focus on... Kent Jewels: Wild Pansy Brooch

On the occasion of Prince Michael’s birth (or Princess Alexandra – there are conflicting reports), the Duke of Kent gave his wife a present of a lovely brooch.

Princess Michael of Kent wearing the Wild Pansy Brooch in a necklace

The Cartier brooch is in the form of wild pansy, or viola tricolour, and is embellished with sapphires, emeralds and black pearls.

Focus on... Kent Jewels: Diamond and Pearl Festoon Tiara

My personal favourite tiara in the Kent collection is the Festoon Tiara. It is also probably the most recognisable one among the Kent jewels.

The Kent Pearl and Diamond Festoon Tiara

The Kent Festoon Tiara was created in 1900s by unidentified jewellers. Although it comes in a Cartier case, no records exist in the firm to confirm the connection. 

It is also not known how the tiara made its way into the Kent collection although in all probability, it was purchased by the Duke of Kent for his wife, Princess Marina.

Focus on... Kent Jewels: The City of London Fringe Tiara

This lovely fringe tiara was one of the many gifts of Russian provenance and/or style that Princess Marina og Greece and Denmark (whose mother was a Grand Duchess of Russia) received on her wedding to the Duke of Kent.

The City of London Fringe Tiara

The tiara was created for Grand Duchess Vladimir around 1870 by unknown craftsman. It is composed of diamonds set in gold and silver fringes, and unlike many tiaras of similar fringe design, cannot be converted into a necklace.

After the Grand Duchess’s death in exile in 1920, her children sold some of her fabulous jewels to maintain their lifestyle.