When the Cambridge Emeralds, which were won at a charity raffle by her grandmother Princess Augusta, ended up in the hands of her brother's mistress, Mary promptly intervened and retrieved them. She received fabulous gifts, too, like the colossal 158-carat Cullinan III & IV diamond brooch-which the current monarch lovingly refers to as "Granny's Chips." And she kept a firm grip on her family's jewelry legacy. She had an impeccable eye for Russian bijoux and loved an estate sale, which is how she got her hands on Grand Duchess Vladimir's eponymous tiara, and pretty much the entire sapphire collection of Empress Marie Feodorovna. Mary commissioned some of the royal family's most iconic assets, from the Diamond Fringe Tiara worn by three generations of Windsor women on their wedding days, to the emerald choker so beloved by Princess Diana. On her they become only a part of her personality." "I think she could cover herself from head to foot with them and yet never look over laden as other women would do. "No one can wear jewels as she can," wrote Prince Christopher of Greece in his 1938 memoirs. She was also one hell of a jewelry collector. When he died in 1936, Mary remained a loyal protector of the monarchy for the rest of her life, serving as Queen Mother to King George VI until his own untimely death in 1952, and living long enough to witness her granddaughter Elizabeth's accession to the throne (Mary died in March 1953, just ten weeks before the coronation). As consort to King George V, she helped him lead Britain through World War I and its aftermath, and was an invaluable aide and adviser to her husband throughout his 26-year reign. Queen Mary was a formidable woman in many respects. In light of this news, we are resurfacing this compilation, from 2021, of Mary's most iconic tiara moments. Given Queen Camilla's own well-documented embrace of showstopping jewelry moments, this is a nice homage to Queen Mary, arguably one of the most legendary jewelry collectors in royal history. Avoiding the controversy that surrounds the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which currently shines center stage on this piece, may have been a strong factor in the decision. Given the times we are in now, with the spending habits of the monarchy more scrutinized than ever before, it's not surprising Camilla chose to dip into the archives for her ceremonial jewel, though many expected her to wear the Queen Mother's 1937 crown. Update, February 14, 2023: Buckingham Palace announced this morning that Queen Consort Camilla will wear Queen Mary's crown, set with the Cullinan diamonds, for her upcoming coronation in May, marking the first time since the 18th century that a consort is recycling a crown worn by a predecessor rather than commissioning her own.
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