A tiara originating from Russian Tsar Nicholas II adorned Queen Mary's head for the first time today.
The royal couple hosted a grand dinner at Christiansborg Palace in honor of the Vietnamese presidential couple, who are on a state visit to Denmark.
The tiara was Queen Alexandrine's sapphire jewelry, which she received as a wedding gift from the Tsar at her marriage to the future Christian X in 1898.
The tiara belonged to the Rosenborg family for many years, but the sisters Josephine, Camilla, and Feodora of Rosenborg sold it at auction in 2018 for two million kroner to an unknown buyer.
Queen Mary herself has helped put her stamp on a redesign of the over 100-year-old sapphire tiara from the Russian Tsar. (Photo: © Mads Claus Rasmussen, Ritzau Scanpix) Read also: LIVE The royal couple host the first state visit in nearly two years (https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/live-kongeparret-er-vaerter-foerste-statsbesoeg-i-naesten-aar)
Its current value is unknown, however, so it could be worth more today.
The tiara is now owned by The Royal Danish Collection, which acquired it from a private owner in 2024.
© Ritzau Scanpix
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Invited by the royal couple
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Tô Lâm and his wife, Ngô Phương Ly, are visiting Denmark at the invitation of King Frederik and Queen Mary.
The occasion is the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Denmark and Vietnam, and the program aims, among other things, to strengthen business cooperation between the two countries.
The Vietnamese state visit lasts until Wednesday, when King Frederik and Queen Mary will bid farewell to Tô Lâm and Ngô Phương Ly at Amalienborg.
Source: Ritzau
Queen Mary has been involved in giving the tiara a new design, the Royal House writes on its website.
- A design that respects the jewelry's history and special tradition and makes it usable today, it states.
The piece can now also be used as a necklace or brooch.
Crown Prince Christian's dinner companion was Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (S). (Photo: © Mads Claus Rasmussen, Ritzau Scanpix)
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Crown Prince with the Grand Commander's Cross
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Crown Prince Christian attended the gala dinner this evening.
The 21-year-old heir to the throne wore the Royal Life Guard's red gala uniform and the Grand Commander's Cross, which was awarded to him by his father, King Frederik, last Thursday on the occasion of his birthday.
The decoration is the highest rank of the Order of the Dannebrog and is only awarded to royal persons who are already Knights of the Order of the Elephant.
See a clip from the president's speech:
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President received the Order of the Elephant - but is criticized for his regime
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The Order of the Elephant gained a new knight today, as King Frederik awarded Vietnam's president, Tô Lâm, the prestigious order, which the president had put on for the dinner.
The gala dinner this evening concluded the state visit's first day. Tomorrow there is a business conference at the Confederation of Danish Industry, which King Frederik and President Tô Lâm will attend.
Later, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen will meet the president. On Wednesday, the presidential couple continues on to Brussels.
For Danish top executives, the state visit is also a good opportunity to try to charm the Vietnamese with the aim of increasing sales of Danish products on the Vietnamese market.
Among others, the CEO of the Lego Group Niels Bjørn Christiansen, Carlsberg's top executive, Jacob Aarup-Andersen, and Pandora's CEO, Berta de Pablos-Barbier, therefore also participated in the festivities.
For instance, Pandora opened a large factory in Vietnam last month.
Vietnam's president, Tô Lâm, received the Order of the Elephant today, but is accused of corruption, human rights violations, and suppression of opponents. (Photo: © Mads Claus Rasmussen, Ritzau Scanpix)
The visit is considered controversial by critics, and according to DR's reporter, several Vietnamese exiles gathered in front of the palace in Copenhagen to show their dissatisfaction with the state visit due to the Vietnamese regime's treatment of political opponents, criticism over human rights violations, and surveillance of people.
- I understand everyone's viewpoints, but I will maintain that we, especially in the world we live in now, as Europeans need to build strong alliances around the world. That applies not least in Asia, said Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (S) when she arrived at the gala dinner.
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