Princess Isabella Given Turquoise Daisy Bandeau from Grandmother Queen Margrethe!
But has this decision diluted the Danish tiara collection yet again?
Princess Isabella of Denmark has been given quite the 18th birthday gift, the antique Turquoise Daisy Bandeau! It’s a sweet and appropriate piece for the spare of the Danish Royal Family, which Isabella debuted in a series of beautiful gala portraits! But has this gift once again diluted the family’s tiara collection? Let’s dive into it!
Given that Isabella is the second-born, there was a question about whether or not she would receive a tiara or what tiara would be available to her. Over the years, the Danish collection has been diminished by gifting tiaras to members of the extended family and one divorce. However, I did consider that if any tiara would be made available for Isabella, the Turquoise Daisy Bandeau would be a perfect option.
And I was not disappointed.
According to the Danish Royal Household, the bandeau “is a gift from HM Queen Margrethe on the occasion of Princess Isabella’s 18th birthday on April 21, 2025.” The piece is made up of “gold and adorned with 11 rosettes of daisy-like flowers of decreasing sizes, made of turquoise and diamonds.” According to Heidi Laura, it’s possible that aspects of the whole turquoise collection, which includes a brooch and earrings, could originate from the court of Catherine the Great of Russia.
The piece also has a very sweet history, which makes it the perfect tiara for the oldest daughter of the King.
The tiara’s first owner was Princess Margaret of Connaught, Princess Isabella’s great-great grandmother, who married Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden. A granddaughter of Queen Victoria, she came to Sweden with a bevy of jewels to her name, including this bandeau, which started life as a bracelet. Tragically, she died before her husband could inherit the throne and some of her jewels passed to her only daughter, Princess Ingrid of Sweden, who eventually became Queen Ingrid of Denmark. The Court reports that this was given as a “confirmation gift.”
The future Danish Queen debuted the tiara for the first time while wearing official court dress in Sweden in 1928. After her marriage in Denmark, the tiara eventually passed to her oldest daughter Crown Princess Margrethe! The tiara was extra special for her daugther as Margrethe’s nickname is ‘Daisy.’
The tiara has also been worn by another of Queen Ingrid’s descendants with Princess Theodora of Greece, who wore the tiara for Queen Margrethe’s 40th Jubilee celebrations. Theodora’s mother, Queen Anne Marie of Greece, was born as a Danish Princess. Members of the Swedish Royal Family have also worn the tiara, who are also descendants of Princess Margaret, and other extended family members.
But now the tiara “belongs” to Princess Isabella! It’s a fitting gift, especially as her full name is Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe.
Though an up and coming Princess getting a tiara is always exciting, the big question is how exactly this tiara was given. Was it just given directly to Isabella as her personal property or was it given to the Crown with Isabella getting its exclusive use? This might seem rather odd, but these questions are critical.
One of the challenges of the Danish collection is how it’s been diluted over the years, as Queen Ingrid bequeathed several of her jewels and some of her tiaras to her daughters, which meant that the overall Danish collection shrunk. There’s also the tiara that Queen Margrethe’s former daughter in law, now Countess Alexandra, got to keep after she divorced Prince Joachim.
If the Turquoise Daisy Bandeau was given directly to Isabella, that risks the piece eventually going up for auction. It could be Isabella or her descendants who decide to sell the piece in order to, perhaps, cover inheritance taxes or to alleviate financial issues. Given that Isabella will not be a working royal, it’s questionable how this tiara may be managed in the future.
There is some hope though that while this was a “gift” to Isabella, it’s ownership technically remains the Royal Household’s, as the announcement also states that “like many other pieces of the Royal House’s jewelry, the tiara has multiple functions, as it can be disassembled and used as a bracelet.” Given that wording, I’m hopeful that though this can be considered Princess Isabella’s tiara, its true ownership rests with the Crown. That is simply the best way to keep the tiara available and within the family for future generations.
Either way, so exciting to see a young royal wearing a tiara for the first time! It always seems like something super special and exciting. Hopefully, we shall see Isabella wearing this more in the coming years.
The Princess also wore her Order of the Elephant for the first time! It’s the “oldest and most distinguished Danish order of chivalry and has its roots all the way back to the 15th century.” Isabella and her younger siblings, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, became knights of the order after their father ascended the throne on January 14, 2024. However, she did not officially have an opportunity to wear it until now.
According to the Danish Royal Household:
Since 1693, when the Order of the Elephant received its statutes (regulations), the insignia of the order has consisted of the tower-bearing elephant made of gold covered with white enamel and studded with diamonds, the order chain with towers and elephants, a light blue sash and a breast star. The elephant driver and the tower on the elephant's back characterize the elephant as a war elephant, which as a symbol can be traced back to classical antiquity and has since also been interpreted as a symbol of Christian virtues. The Order of the Elephant is generally worn in the sash, but on certain holidays, including 1 January at the New Year's table, the Order of the Elephant is worn in the characteristic chain.
The Order of the Elephant that Princess Isabella has been awarded has undergone a minor restoration for the occasion, where it has, among other things, been painted with HM the King's monogram, as an Order of the Elephant always bears the monogram of the sitting regent when awarded.
As an elephant knight, Princess Isabella will have her personal coat of arms painted, which, after completion, will be hung in the Knight's Chapel at Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød.
It’s likely that we will see Princess Isabella wear her tiara in public for the first time for the New Year’s Day Gala, though we may see it at a State Visit before then.
No matter when it happens, wishing the Happiest of Birthdays to Princess Isabella!
What a lovely young woman.
I would wear the bandana every single minute of the day, every single day.
Bloody gorgeous!! I’m so envious!
Thanks for the history of this crown!
The photo of her is lovely, the colour of her gown….stunning!