#edinburgh wedding gift bracelet.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

11 Meaningful Pieces In Catherine’s Jewellery Collection That Belonged To Queen Elizabeth II

By Emily Chan

6 December 2023

First worn by the Princess of Wales in June at the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and Princess Rajwa Al Saif in Amman, Jordan, the Greville chandelier earrings were seen on Queen Elizabeth II throughout her reign.

The dazzling diamond earrings made by Cartier were a wedding gift to Her late Majesty from her parents – the Queen Mother had inherited them from Dame Margaret Helen Greville, a British socialite, in 1918.

Catherine was most recently seen wearing the jewels at a Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace.

On Remembrance Sunday this year, Catherine debuted a pair of diamond and pearl leaf earrings that were previously seen on the Queen during a visit to Nigeria back in 2003.

Some experts believe that the earrings may have been detachable pieces from the brooch featuring the same design.

Commissioned by King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II’s Festoon necklace features 105 loose diamonds that her father inherited when he ascended the throne.

Featuring three strands, the monarch wore the piece on numerous occasions throughout her life, from attending state banquets to posing for official portraits.

The Princess of Wales paid tribute to Her late Majesty by wearing the piece for the official Coronation photograph when King Charles III officially assumed the throne on 6 May.

The Princess of Wales wore Queen Elizabeth II’s three-strand pearl necklace – an item Her Majesty was famous for – during a Buckingham Palace lunch for the governors-general of the Commonwealth nations prior to the monarch’s funeral in September 2022.

The then Princess Elizabeth received this jaw-dropping diamond necklace by Cartier from the Nizam of Hyderabad as a wedding gift in 1947.

Featuring a rose motif, the royal picked the necklace herself, along with a matching floral tiara.

The Princess of Wales first wore the statement piece at a gala for the National Portrait Gallery in 2014, before rewearing it at a Buckingham Palace reception for the Diplomatic Corps in 2019.

Queen Elizabeth II was first photographed wearing these diamond and pearl earrings during her Silver Jubilee celebrations – marking 25 years on the throne – in 1977.

Catherine has sported the earrings a number of times in the past, including after Prince Louis’ birth in 2018 and while visiting Commonwealth troops ahead of the Queen’s funeral.

Queen Elizabeth II commissioned royal jeweller Garrard to create this four-strand pearl and diamond choker, using pearls sourced from Japan in the early 1980s.

Princess Diana was loaned the piece for a state banquet in honour of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in 1982, while the current Princess of Wales has worn the necklace on several occasions, including for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s 70th wedding anniversary in 2017 and Her Majesty’s funeral in 2022.

The Princess of Wales debuted Queen Elizabeth II’s emerald and diamond earrings during an evening reception in Jamaica in 2022, along with a matching bracelet.

Both pieces are from Her late Majesty’s emerald tassel suite, which the monarch first wore at a state dinner held for Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates at London’s Claridge’s Hotel in 1989.

First worn by Queen Elizabeth II during the 1990s, the Princess of Wales has borrowed Her late Majesty’s diamond and pearl leaf brooch a number of times over the years, including on a visit commemorating the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium in 2017.

Catherine wore the piece in tribute to the monarch while attending her funeral procession at Westminster Hall in September 2022.

The sapphire and diamond earrings

The Princess of Wales borrowed Queen Elizabeth’s sapphire and diamond earrings for a visit to Edinburgh in 2021.

The sapphire earrings are part of a suite of sapphire and diamond jewellery by Asprey, which Her late Majesty added to her collection during the late 1970s.

The Bahrain pearl drop earrings

Featuring two pearls gifted to Her late Majesty by the Hakim of Bahrain as a wedding present, these diamond and pearl drop earrings were also worn by Princess Diana in the 1980s.

The Princess of Wales was first spotted wearing the earrings at a Remembrance Day service in 2016, before going on to wear them for Trooping the Colour in 2019 and Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022.

[dieserbloghatkeinennamendrei]

from IG theroyalfamily - July 2022

Just days after Her Majesty’s Accession to the throne in February 1952, photographs of the new Queen were taken by the society photographer Dorothy Wilding. These now iconic images were used as the basis of The Queen’s image on stamps, as well as providing the official portrait that was sent to Embassies and Regiments all over the world.

Her Majesty wears a Norman Hartnell satin evening dress with the insignia of the Order of the Garter, the George IV Diamond Diadem and a diamond bracelet that was a wedding gift from The Duke of Edinburgh.

The necklace was given to then Princess Elizabeth as a wedding present in 1947 from the Nizam (ruler) of Hyderabad. The Nizam left instructions with the firm of Cartier in London that Princess Elizabeth should select a wedding gift herself, and this platinum necklace set with approximately 300 diamonds was chosen. Her Majesty has continued to wear the necklace throughout her reign and has also loaned it to The Duchess of Cambridge.

The photograph, and the necklace, form part of the @royalcollectiontrust display at Buckingham Palace. Opening to the public tomorrow, the display features objects relating to The Queen’s Accession to the throne.

Platinum Jubilee: The Queen’s Accession is open from 22 July – 2 October at Buckingham. Tap the link in our bio find out more.

Image 1: © William Hustler and Georgina Hustler

[europesroyalsjewels]

Diamond Wedding Gift Bracelet ♕ Queen Elizabeth II

[greekroyalfamily]

HM Queen Elisabeth I I wedding dress and jewelry .

For her wedding dress, Elizabeth still required ration coupons to buy the material for her gown, designed by Norman Hartnell. The dress was "a duchesse satin bridal gown with motifs of star lilies and orange blossoms." Elizabeth's wedding shoes were made out of satin and were trimmed with silver and seed pearl. Elizabeth did her own makeup for the wedding. Her wedding bouquet was prepared by the florist M. H. Longman, and consisted of "white orchids with a sprig of myrtle". The myrtle was taken from "the bush grown from the original myrtle in Queen Victoria's wedding bouquet". The bouquet was returned to the abbey the day after the service to be laid on the tomb of the Unknown Warrior, following a tradition started by Elizabeth's mother at her wedding in 1923

Prince Philip turned to his mother, Princess Alice of Battenburg, for help when creating the ring. She gave him her royal wedding tiara, The prince used a 3-carat diamond from the storied tiara to create the famous engagement ring for Elizabeth

Other diamonds from Alice’s dismantled tiara were also used to make Philip’s wedding present to his bride , an elaborate diamond and platinum bracelet also made by the jewelers at Philip Antrobus . The tiara had Romanov roots — it was Alice’s wedding gift from Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra of Russia — so both the Queen’s engagement ring and the Edinburgh Wedding Bracelet feature diamonds with Russian imperial heritage and was designed from the Prince himself.Today, the bracelet is worn by the Duchess of Cambridge.

Queen Mary had given the fringe tiara to her daughter-in-law, Queen Elizabeth (better known to us as the Queen Mother), in 1936. The Queen Mum is the one who loaned the tiara to Princess Elizabeth for her wedding in 1947. (Queen Elizabeth II didn’t inherit the tiara until her mother’s death in 2002.) There was a bit of an infamous mishap with the tiara on the wedding day: as the princess was getting ready, the tiara frame suddenly snapped. Garrard was able to repair it, but you can see a gap in the tiara from the quick fix in the portraits from the wedding.

Since 1947, the tiara has been worn by two more British royal brides. The Queen Mum loaned it to Princess Anne for her first wedding in 1973. Earlier this year, the Queen loaned the tiara to Princess Beatrice for her wedding as well

The Queen Anne and Queen Caroline Pearl Necklaces

Pearls are a staple in Queen Elizabeth II’s jewelry wardrobe today, so it’s no surprise that she wore a two-stranded pearl necklace on her wedding day. These pearls, though, are particularly special. They’re actually two separate pearl necklaces, always worn together, that have been in the family for generations. If family tradition is correct, they’re among the oldest pieces of British royal jewelry still worn by the Queen. The smaller strand, made of 46 pearls, is said to have been worn by Queen Anne, the last Stuart monarch. The longer strand, which includes 50 pearls, is attributed to Caroline of Ansbach, the queen consort of George II. Queen Victoria’s jewel inventory of 1896, made by Garrard, notes the pearl necklaces and is the first recorded statement of their Stuart/Hanoverian provenance

The Duchess of Gloucester’s Diamond and Pearl Earrings

Like the rest of the jewels worn by Princess Elizabeth on her wedding day, her diamond and pearl cluster earrings were also family heirlooms. The earrings date to the first half of the nineteenth century; they were originally owned by Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester, one of the daughters of King George III. She bequeathed them to her niece, Princess Mary, Duchess of Teck in 1857; in turn, the Duchess of Teck bequeathed them to her daughter, Queen Mary, in 1897. The earrings originally included detachable diamond and pearl pendants, but those were made into a separate pair of earrings by Queen Mary .

The cluster earrings were relatively new to Princess Elizabeth’s collection. Queen Mary had given them to her granddaughter less than a year earlier, in January 1947, on the day that the royal family left for their tour of South Africa

Νυφικό και κοσμήματα Της ΑΜ Βασίλισσας Ελισαβετ Β’

Για το νυφικό της, η Ελισάβετ χρειαζόταν ακόμα κουπόνια για να αγοράσει το υλικό για το νυφικό της, σχεδιασμένο από τον Norman Hartnell. Το φόρεμα ήταν «ένα σατέν νυφικό με μοτίβα από αστεράκια και άνθη πορτοκαλιάς». Τα νυφικά παπούτσια της Ελισάβετ ήταν φτιαγμένα από σατέν και ήταν διακοσμημένα με ασήμι και μαργαριτάρια. Η Ελισάβετ έκανε το δικό της μακιγιάζ για τον γάμο. Η γαμήλια ανθοδέσμη της ετοίμασε ο ανθοπώλης M. H. Longman, και αποτελούνταν από «λευκές ορχιδέες με ένα κλωνάρι μυρτιάς». Το κλωνάρι μυρτιάς ηταν από την αρχική μυρτιά που φυτεύτηκε για την γαμήλια ανθοδέσμη της Βασίλισσας Βικτώριας». Η ανθοδέσμη επιστράφηκε στο αβαείο την επομένη της λειτουργίας για να κατατεθεί στον τάφο του Άγνωστου Πολεμιστή, σύμφωνα με μια παράδοση που ξεκίνησε η μητέρα της Ελισάβετ στο γάμο της το 1923

Ο πρίγκιπας Φίλιππος στράφηκε στη μητέρα του, την πριγκίπισσα Αλίκη της Ελλάδας Δανίας και Μπατενμπεργκ , για βοήθεια για τη δημιουργία του δαχτυλιδιού. Η Πριγκίπισσα Αλικη Του έδωσε τη βασιλική γαμήλια τιάρα της ως γαμήλιο δώρο και έτσι ο πρίγκιπας χρησιμοποίησε ένα διαμάντι 3 καρατίων από την περίφημη τιάρα για να δημιουργήσει το διάσημο δαχτυλίδι αρραβώνων για την Ελισάβετ

Άλλα διαμάντια από την αποσυναρμολογημένη τιάρα της Αλίκης χρησιμοποιήθηκαν επίσης για να κάνει το γαμήλιο δώρο του Φίλιππου στη νύφη του, ένα περίτεχνο βραχιόλι από διαμάντια και πλατίνα, φτιαγμένο επίσης από τους κοσμηματοπώλες του Philip Antrobus. Η τιάρα είχε ρίζες απο τους Ρομανόφ διότι ήταν το γαμήλιο δώρο στην Αλίκη από τον αυτοκράτορα Νικόλαο Β' και την αυτοκράτειρα Αλεξάνδρα της Ρωσίας - έτσι τόσο το δαχτυλίδι αρραβώνων της Βασίλισσας όσο και το γαμήλιο βραχιόλι του Δούκα του Εδιμβούργου διαθέτουν διαμάντια με ρωσική αυτοκρατορική κληρονομιά και σχεδιάστηκαν από τον ίδιο τον Πρίγκιπα. Σήμερα, το βραχιόλι φοράει και η Δούκισσα του Κέμπριτζ Καθριν .

Η Βασίλισσα Μαίρη είχε δώσει την διαμαντενια τιάρα στη νύφη της, Βασίλισσα Ελισάβετ (γνωστή σε εμάς ως Βασίλισσα Μητέρα), το 1936. Η βασίλισσα μαμά είναι αυτή που δάνεισε την τιάρα στην πριγκίπισσα Ελισάβετ για τον γάμο της το 1947. (Η Βασίλισσα Ελισάβετ II δεν κληρονόμησε την τιάρα μέχρι τον θάνατο της μητέρας της το 2002.) Υπήρξε ένα περιβόητο ατύχημα με την τιάρα την ημέρα του γάμου: καθώς η πριγκίπισσα ετοιμαζόταν, το πλαίσιο της τιάρας έσπασε ξαφνικά. Ο Garrard μπόρεσε να το επισκευάσει, αλλά μπορείτε να δείτε ένα κενό στην τιάρα από τη γρήγορη επιδιόρθωση στα πορτρέτα του γάμου.

Από το 1947, η τιάρα φορέθηκε από δύο ακόμη βρετανικές βασιλικές νύφες. Η βασίλισσα μαμά το δάνεισε στην πριγκίπισσα Άννα για τον πρώτο της γάμο το 1973. Το 2020 η βασίλισσα δάνεισε την τιάρα στην εγγονή της πριγκίπισσα Βεατρίκη και για τον γάμο της

Τα μαργαριταρένια κολιέ της Βασιλισσας Αννας και Βασίλισσας Καρολίνας

Τα μαργαριτάρια είναι βασικό στοιχείο στη γκαρνταρόμπα κοσμημάτων της Βασίλισσας Ελισάβετ Β' σήμερα, επομένως δεν αποτελεί έκπληξη το γεγονός ότι φόρεσε ένα δίκλωνο μαργαριτάρι κολιέ την ημέρα του γάμου της. Αυτά τα μαργαριτάρια, όμως, είναι ιδιαίτερα ξεχωριστά. Στην πραγματικότητα είναι δύο ξεχωριστά μαργαριταρένια κολιέ, που φοριούνται πάντα μαζί, που υπάρχουν στην οικογένεια για γενιές. Αν η οικογενειακή παράδοση είναι σωστή, είναι από τα παλαιότερα βρετανικά βασιλικά κοσμήματα που φορούσε ακόμα η Βασίλισσα. Το μικρότερο κολιέ , φτιαγμένο από 46 μαργαριτάρια, λέγεται ότι φορέθηκε από τη βασίλισσα Άννα, την τελευταία μονάρχη των Στιούαρτ . Το μακρύτερο κολιέ , που περιλαμβάνει 50 μαργαριτάρια, αποδίδεται στην Καρολίνα του Άνσμπαχ, τη βασίλισσα σύζυγο του Γεωργίου Β'. Ο κατάλογος κοσμημάτων της Βασίλισσας Βικτώριας το 1896, που έγινε από τον Garrard, σημειώνει τα μαργαριταρένια περιδέραια και είναι η πρώτη καταγεγραμμένη δήλωση της προέλευσής τους από Stuart/Hanoverian

Τα σκουλαρίκια με διαμάντια και μαργαριτάρια της Δούκισσας του Γκλόστερ

Όπως και τα υπόλοιπα κοσμήματα που φορούσε η πριγκίπισσα Ελισάβετ την ημέρα του γάμου της, τα σκουλαρίκια της με διαμάντια και μαργαριτάρια ήταν επίσης οικογενειακά κειμήλια. Τα σκουλαρίκια χρονολογούνται στο πρώτο μισό του δέκατου ένατου αιώνα. ανήκαν αρχικά στην πριγκίπισσα Μαρία, Δούκισσα του Γκλόστερ, μία από τις κόρες του Βασιλιά Γεωργίου Γ'. Τα κληροδότησε στην ανιψιά της, πριγκίπισσα Μαρία, Δούκισσα του Τεκ το 1857. με τη σειρά της, η Δούκισσα του Τεκ τα κληροδότησε στην κόρη της, Βασίλισσα Μαρία, το 1897. Τα σκουλαρίκια αρχικά περιλάμβαναν αποσπώμενα μενταγιόν με διαμάντια και μαργαριτάρια, αλλά αυτά έγιναν ένα ξεχωριστό ζευγάρι σκουλαρίκια από τη Βασίλισσα Μαρία.

Τα σκουλαρίκια ήταν σχετικά νέα στη συλλογή της Πριγκίπισσας Ελισάβετ. Η βασίλισσα Μαρία τα είχε δώσει στην εγγονή της λιγότερο από ένα χρόνο νωρίτερα, τον Ιανουάριο του 1947, την ημέρα που η βασιλική οικογένεια έφυγε για την περιοδεία της στη Νότια Αφρική

[gunmetalgrey-trashpile]

Full name:  Moira Alice Van Dijk  (neé moran) Nickname(s) or Alias: She doesn’t like nicknames, but Alex will refer to her as that bitch. Birthday: 15th November Nationality: British, initially has dual Irish citizenship. Religion: Lapsed Catholic City or town of birth: Southwold, Suffolk Currently lives: Bermondsey, London Languages spoken: Russian, English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Latin. Native language: Russian Height: 6ft Figure/build: Toned but slim, slightly boarder shoulder than the average woman and imposingly tall. Faceclaim: Ludovica Martino, Jessica Chastain. Hair colour: Ginger Eye colour: Blue/grey like Alex’s Tattoos: none Scars/distinguishing marks: in the summer she gets freckles from the sun Preferred style of clothing: Work chic, power suits and dresses with angled shoulders, blazers and pussy bow blouses, heels or well fitting oxfords. Slightly Androgynous. Frequently worn jewellery/accessories: A watch from her father, a bracelet from her mother, her ears pierced twice on each side and usually filled with dainty hoops. Her wedding and engagement ring. Level of education: A level; History, English Lit, Mathematics, Russian, Latin. International relations (BA Hons) at St Andrews, Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), Legal and Constitutional Studies at St. Andrews (MLitt),  Occupation: Volunteer with Free Representation Unit (FRU), Human rights lawyer with Slater & Gordon (eventually QC), Human rights lawyer with Prakken d'Oliveira (European Court of Human Rights), Guest lecturer at UCL (Univesity college London) and (LSE) London School of Economics and Political Science Husband: Ruben Van Dijk (Science fiction and thriller author) Children: Nora Van Dijk, Rosalie Van Dijk and Ivy Van Dijk (last two are twins)

Likes: Being right, arguing with people, red wine, good vodka, sunshine, reading, her daughters. Dislikes: Stupid people, smokers/the smell of smoking, stupid questions, reality tv.

CHILDHOOD Third Moran child and the first daughter, Moira was a funny baby. She was late to smile, late to laugh, but slow to cry. She was fascinated with the world around her, and watching the people that filled it but she struggled to come to an understanding of other peoples emotions. By the time she was around three, she was starting to understand what seemed to be her place. Her mother wanted her to smile, be gentle, be kind. She would do these things when she was in plain sight, she could be ruthless when no one was watching. She would play her brothers off of one another to get what she ultimately wanted. As her younger sister Alex was born, Moira learned what trouble could really look like. By playing along, no one suspected any ulterior motives. Her actions became more careful and considered, never giving away that she could be the smartest person in the room. People don’t like a know it all, and with an eidetic memory, she literally couldn’t forget she was better than them.

TEENAGE YEARS Moira went to a local school in Southwold whilst her brothers studied in London, St Felix. Thomas was happy to pay for her education, and it was even better that she didn’t have to board seeing as it was so local. She was a perfect student, she although she kept to herself. She had a few that she kept the pretence of being friends with, more to seem like a well rounded individual than to actually care about anyone. She remembered their conversations despite turning out very often, focusing more on her own selfish ambitions. The world was lucky, Moira Moran wanted to do what she could to go down in history and it seemed that being moral was just the easier way to get there. With her fathers influence when he was home from the city, she would read the classics as well as some of his legal books. Where her mother loved literature, she would indulge in Leo Tolstoy and Victor Hugo in their original languages. She tried her best to stay neutral, despite how much her and Alex fought constantly. It wasn’t her fault she could be perfect, she just wanted to be.

UNIVERSITY It would have been easier to study law directly, but Moira had bigger ambitions than simply being a barrister. She took international relations knowing it would make her father swell with pride. She started to realise the full gift of her talents at university, playing people for fools. She liked that no one seemed to know where they stood with her, and yet wanted to please her all the same. She would smile prettily, enjoy the attention, play friends as it worked to her advantage. She could mimic what they wanted. The world saw a nice girl, not the cut throat creature that lay just beneath the surface. 

ADULTHOOD After leaving university, Moira volunteered for a year before taking her conversion into law. She met her husband in a bar in Edinburgh. He was ignoring everyone else there, scribbling away in a notebook as if he was possessed. She could tell in that moment he had something bigger on his mind. They started dating, and she felt the fondest for him that she had known to be possible. Maybe it was love. Or what other people called love. Sometimes it was hard to tell. He was patient, and kind, and didn’t mind that her work and drive came above all else in her life. He travelled with his books every now and again, it was enough to give him time in his life without putting stress on their relationship.

Jasper’s death came just after she turned 24, and Moira held it together. She arranged the funeral, she dealt with the legal stuff, she held her mothers hand through the whole thing. She was rock hard in the way she had trained herself to be. It was easier to keep moving, knowing grief would set in later. But it never really did. It wasn’t that she didn’t love her brother, she isn’t know how to express emotion in that way. Her and Ruben moved to London after the service, becoming more distant from the Southwold home and more caught up in her fathers world. She started working for a human rights focused firm in London, making her way steadily up to QC.

MOTHERHOOD Her first daughter wasn’t planned, but they had been together for years. The knew this is where their relationship was headed. Moira never knew she could love something as much as Nora with her little strawberry blonde girls and dirty old man laugh. She was perfect, and not in all the ways Moira made herself be. Ruben stayed home to take care of the first one, and Moira threw herself back into work taking barely any maternity leave. He would bring Nora to meet her mother for lunches and dinners in the city, they were trying to make it work for now. Nothing, not even motherhood would dampen Moira’s aspirations. The wedding was a couple years later, and the twins a couple years after that when Moira finally made QC. One of the youngest Queens Council on record, with an amazing track record behind her and a family she adored. When she was offered the chance to move to Holland whilst her daughters were still young to work on the  European Court of Human Rights, she leapt at the chance. 

She’s had a few magazine spreads written about her and her perfect life. Her house is spotless, her kids are photogenic and friendly, her husband is doting and besotted with her. It’s gotten easier to pretend, throwing all of her cold and ambitious side into work. Now she can relax a little more when she gets home in the evening, knowing there is another case she can win on the horizon. Her husband RUben has recently been working on a hit adaptation of his book series by HBO called the church experiment.

AUS:

HAPPYVERSE: All is the same except Japser doesn’t die, so the Morans are all still in contact.

[citydanceparties]

The perfect guide on how to strut your stuff with a 90s hen party that will leave everyone in fits of laughter

Hen and stag parties are those once-off, wow events that focus on the bride and her last night of ultimate independence. Nowadays, one has to work quite hard to arrange a fun and affordable occasion and it is definitely a fine art to distinguish between “special” and “totally and utterly going overboard.”

Unfortunately, not everyone is a world-class party organizer, but when it comes to your best friend or someone close to your heart, you may have to dig deep and find some fantastic ways to make her hen party memorable.

Planning, working out a budget, booking the event and arranging the entertainment for the evening can all be quite overwhelming, especially if the excited bride-to-be does not know the exact details of what type of party is being planned for her.

First and foremost, you should start by deciding on a theme for the party. This could be anything, but if the party is going to involve a lot of dancing, you should think about fun and entertaining themes like a 90s hen party. Once you settled on the theme, you can move on to finding a suitable location and deciding what the hen party will entail.

Brides-to-be love dancing and one of the best ways kickstart the celebrations, is for the entire hen party to join a dance workshop aimed specifically at 90s hen party activities, at any leading dance party company in the UK. This usually includes a dance instructor and private workshop or venue where everyone can spontaneously let their hair down and be transported back to the 20th century with a unique 90s dance class hen party.

Thousands of hen parties join dance workshops across the UK every year where they learn the moves to some 90s jam, amongst many other dancing styles. The 90’s theme is especially popular because it is open to interpretation. This means dress-up can include anything from stonewashed to coloured jeans, denim button-down Western shirts, coloured tights, metallic spandex leggings, black leather jackets with shoulder pads, bike shorts or baby-doll and skater dresses.

And never underestimate the power of accessories to spice up the 90s hen party by adding pins, wearing jelly shoes, overalls, bandanas, huge bright and colourful bracelets, hair scrunchies, Baby Gs and the ever-so-popular Walkman, playing your favourite tape mix.

What dancing concerns, when you join a dance party company everyone in the group pulls together all the moves in a choreographed routine to 90’s music. Step-by-step, they are guided through all the moves by a trained instructor or choreographer in a private room that allows for everyone to just relax and enjoy every second of the experience. Some leading dance party companies in the UK also offer special hen party packages, that include a gift and a bottle of bubbly for the bride-to-be.

During the 90s hen party dance routines, everyone in the group will have a chance to strut their stuff individually, but in the end, the ultimate goal is to perform a spectacular, choreographed group dance.  

90s Hen party dance routines are unique and fun-filled and they guarantee to have everyone in fits of laughter while dancing to the tunes of The Backstreet Boys, MC Hammer, Britney Spears’ ‘Baby one more time’, or the Spice Girls’ ‘Wannabe’.

There is no better way of creating fun-filled memories than a 90s hen party dance class. Some of UK’s leading dance party companies operate across the nation in cities including London, Liverpool, Cardiff, Bristol, Bath, Bristol, Brighton, Durham, Manchester, Leeds, York and Newcastle. They recently added cities like Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Chester and Nottingham.

The best way to find a suitable dance party company that will guarantee an unforgettable 90’s hen party, is by using the internet and to refine your search to include words like ‘award-winning UK dance party company’.

City Dance Parties is a leading dance party company that is based in the United Kingdom.  If you are planning an event and looking for an activity to keep your party entertained, we have years of experience in our field of expertise.  We offer clientele with an extensive selection of fun-filled dance classes that will make any party or event a truly unforgettable experience. We pride ourselves in being awarded Winners of the 2019 British Wedding Award for ‘Best Hen and Stag Provider’. Moreover, the company has also been nominated for ‘Best Hen and Stag Activity’ during the 2020 National Wedding Awards.  To find out more about us visit https://citydanceparties.co.uk

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[divorceyourring]

Meghan and Harry’s Modern Take on Wedding Bands

Image Source: SCP

After much speculation on the royal wedding rings, May 19th’s historic wedding between Prince Harry of Wales and Miss Meghan Markle finally put the question of ‘would he or wouldn’t he’ to rest. Unlike many of his upper-crust contemporaries, Harry opted to follow modern custom and wear a wedding band.

It’s not so unusual for the masses, but interestingly, men in higher echelons of society are less inclined to wear jewelry of any kind. And this was just one of the ways Harry & Meghan made their wedding uniquely their own.

Old Meets New

Those who roused themselves early (or just stayed up) to watch the splendid event were treated to a wonderful melding of the past and future that so often occurs when English pomp meets American modernism.

After a beautiful service from the Dean of Windsor, a reading from the Song of Solomon by Lady Jane Fellowes, and a stirring address from the Most Reverend Michael Curry, the couple recited their vows (which notably omitted the promise to obey) with the Archbishop of Canterbury.

And like the decidedly modern tone of their wedding, Harry and Meghan chose to exchange rings made from unique metals – platinum for him, and yellow gold for her. A nod to each of their individual styles, this was a fresh departure from the traditional practice of matching wedding bands.

On Meghan’s ring finger, Harry placed a slim, plain band made from the brick of Welsh gold which has adorned the fingers of generations of Mountbattens and Windsors. Trust the American to bring a contemporary edge to the occasion with that platinum wedding band for the prince.

This lovely fusion of old and new was a small but meaningful way to celebrate the happy occasion while launching a new era for the British royal family.

British Royals And Their Wedding Bands

When Prince William married Kate Middleton in 2011, palace officials announced that he wouldn’t be wearing a wedding ring at all. His father and uncles do, but they do so in a very understated way – on the pinky, tucked under a signet ring.

The palace issued a statement that wearing a wedding ring is a “personal preference” and that William simply “isn’t one for jewelry.” Rather understandable, since William doesn’t even wear that signet ring that is so common amongst his aristocratic contemporaries.

Interestingly, being part of the upper-class social strata in the UK seems to dictate that “the less stuff you wear the better,” according to Peter York, coauthor of The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook. In fact, Debrett’s (the authority on all things related to the peerage) declared as lately as 1996, “It is customary for the bride alone to sport a wedding ring, and although some brides have adopted the Continental habit of presenting the groom with his own band during vows, this remains not quite comme il faut.”

But Harry, ever the rebel, has decided to wear a wedding band – and on his ring finger no less.

While the men of the monarchy are not expected to wear wedding rings, it seems the women are. In fact, all the married women of the British royal family do wear them. And most of them wear simple, plain bands made from rare Welsh gold, a tradition started by the Queen Mother and carried on by Queen Elizabeth who was gifted a brick of the stuff by Clogau on her 60th birthday.

Here’s a breakdown of British royals and their wedding rings.

Which British Royals Wear Wedding Rings?

RoyalWedding BandDetailsQueen MotherYesWelsh gold, worn on ring finger, from brick gifted from Clogau mineQueen Elizabeth IIYesWelsh gold, worn on ring fingerPrince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh (Queen’s husband)NoPrince Charles (1st son of QE2)YesWelsh gold, worn on pinky fingerDiana, Princess of Wales (Ex-wife of Prince Charles)YesWelsh gold, worn on ring finger, from QE2’s brickCamilla, Duchess of Cornwall (2nd wife of Prince Charles)YesWelsh gold, worn on ring fingerPrince William (1st Son of Charles & Diana)NoKate, Duchess of Cambridge (William’s wife)YesWelsh gold, worn on ring finger, from QE2’s brickPrince Harry (2nd son of Charles & Diana)YesWelsh gold, worn on ring finger, from QE2’s brickMeghan, Duchess of Sussex (Wife of Harry)YesWelsh gold, worn on ring finger, from QE2’s brickPrincess Margaret (queen’s sister)YesWelsh gold, worn on ring fingerPrincess Anne (queen’s daughter)YesWelsh gold, worn on ring fingerPrince Edward (3rd son of QE2)YesWelsh gold worn on pinky fingerPrince Andrew, Duke of York (2nd son of QE2)YesWhen married to Fergie – yes, pinky fingerSarah, Duchess of York (ex-wife of Prince Andrew)YesWelsh gold, worn on ring finger, from QE2’s brickPrince Michael of Kent (The Queen’s First Cousin)YesRing fingerPeter Phillips (Princess Margaret’s son)YesRing fingerLord Frederick Windsor (Prince Michael’s son)YesRing fingerZara Tindall (Princess Anne’s daughter)YesRing finger

 Prince Harry’s decision to wear a wedding band on his ring finger is just a small demonstration of his modern and unconventional way of thinking. He’s also one of the few male royals that has been seen wearing other types of jewelry. Even as the couple drove away from the Chapel to their reception, Harry was seen wearing a gold bangle bracelet on his right wrist.

And that’s not the only time the prince has been seeing wearing jewelry.

Image source: US Navy

Actually, Harry is probably the most bedecked male royal in the United Kingdom, often sporting rustic, beaded, and leather bracelets. Watches and even necklaces have also graced his royal person over the years.

We must say, we love that Harry isn’t afraid of a little man bling. In fact, Ritani has a full line of men’s jewelry perfect for the prince in your life.

SHOP MENS JEWELRY SHOP WEDDING BANDS

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Media captionThe King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery fire a gun salute in Green Park

A 41-gun salute has been fired in London’s Green Park to mark the Queen’s 65 years on the throne.

Gun salutes also took place in Cardiff, Edinburgh and York.

The Queen has become the first British monarch to reach a sapphire jubilee, after becoming the UK’s longest-reigning monarch in 2015, aged 89.

A portrait of the Queen by British photographer David Bailey has been reissued for the anniversary.

In the photo, the Queen wears sapphire jewellery given to her by King George VI as a wedding gift in 1947.

The portrait was among a series taken by Bailey in 2014, with one released for the Queen’s 88th birthday that year.

Image copyright David Bailey 2017

Image caption The Queen has become the first British monarch to reach their Sapphire Jubilee

In the portrait, the Queen, who is now 90, wears a necklace made of 16 large, oblong sapphires surrounded by diamonds, with a matching pair of drop earrings.

Over the years, she has added to the gifts from her father with a tiara and a bracelet to complement the original jewellery.

The world’s longest-reigning monarchs

It is tradition for the Queen to spend the Accession Day – as the anniversary of the day she became monarch is officially known – in private at her Sandringham Estate, in Norfolk, and return to Buckingham Palace a few days later.

Other monarchs to pass the sapphire milestone:

King Sobhuza II of Swaziland reigned for 82 years – the longest verifiable reign of any monarch in recorded history. He led Swaziland through independence until his death in 1982.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand had ruled for 70 years when he died last October. He began his reign aged just 18 years old.

Franz Joseph I was Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, Croatia and Bohemia for 67 years until his death in 1916. His nephew was Archduke Franz Ferdinand, who was assassinated in 1914.

King Louis XIV of France reigned for 72 years before his death in 1715. He became king, aged four, after his father’s death.

Prime Minister Theresa May offered her congratulations, hailing the Queen as “truly an inspiration to all of us”.

The prime minister said: “I know the nation will join with me today in celebrating and giving thanks for the lifetime of service Her Majesty the Queen has given to our country and to the Commonwealth.”

Mrs May said it was “a testament to her selfless devotion to the nation” that the Queen had made clear she did not want official celebrations to mark the historic milestone.

Another first for Queen Elizabeth II

Image copyright PA

Image caption The monarch, pictured in 1953, leaving Westminster Abbey after the Coronation

By Peter Hunt, BBC diplomatic and royal correspondent

Longevity for a hereditary head of state has brought many milestones.

She is Britain’s longest reigning monarch, having overtaken her great great grandmother, Victoria, in 2015.

Today, after 23,742 days on the throne, it’s the start of the first sapphire jubilee in British history.

For the Queen, it’s a moment for contemplation rather than celebration – as it is also the anniversary of her father’s death.

In the coming months and years, she will, inevitably, do less and other royals will take on more – most notably Prince William, once he finishes his job as an air ambulance pilot in the summer.

The 90-year-old working monarch has another significant moment on the horizon.

In November, she and Prince Philip will mark 70 years of marriage.

Read more from Peter Hunt here

In London, royal gun salutes commemorated the occasion across the capital.

A 41-gun salute was fired by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery in Green Park at midday and a 62-gun salute by the Honourable Artillery Company was fired at the Tower of London at 13:00 GMT.

Larger-scale jubilee celebrations are expected to be reserved for the Platinum Jubilee in 2022, when the monarch will mark 70 years.

Image copyright PA

Image caption Members of the 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery fire a 21-gun salute at Edinburgh Castle

Image copyright PA

Image caption A 21-gun salute was fired in the grounds of Cardiff Castle

Image copyright PA

Image caption In York, a 21-gun salute was fired in Museum Gardens

Related Topics

Royal Family

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[akissatmidnight]

The UK already had their Mother’s Day, so now it’s America’s turn! Since I’m a mom, and I love Outlander, I thought I’d make up a handy little list for you own shopping needs! So here are some cards and that will brighten up the day of your Sassenach mama for sure! Let’s start with some cards…

Mum, yer’ pure dead brilliant!

Show your mom you think she’s the bloody best with this cheeky card. Grad one HERE!

You Kilt It

Tell your mom who really ‘kilt’ it at being the best mom ever. Order yours HERE before it’s too late!

You’re Pure Brilliant

This card is pretty self explanatory. They’re available HERE!

Now, onto the meat…

The WeeBox

Now, Sarah and I both received and reviewed the WeeBox, which you can read and watch HERE, and I think it deserves a place on our list. It’s a carefully cultivated subscription box filled with authentic Scottish goodies, straight from the source! Now, Mother’s Day is only one day a year, but why not show your mom you care every month by setting her up with a subscription? Every month she could get a little something Scottish to make her smile, and you get to be the favorite kid with no more effort than plugging in your credit card info. Talk about a win! PS. The kind people at WeeBox have scheduled their Outlander box for September, so if you want a special delivery of Outlander items from Jamie’s homeland, plan your subscription accordingly!

Check out their website HERE and see if the WeeBox is right for your mom…or you!

A .Malcolm Mug

Waiting for season three is a killer, even for us book lovers! What better way to classically may homage to Jamie and his new life in Edinburgh, then with this mug that looks straight out of 1700s Scotland? Grab yours HERE and end each day with a sip of tea as you wait for September.

Claire’s Medicinal Tea

I found a shop that caters to the White Witch in all of us called Megan’s Marvelous Medicinals. Using Outlander as an inspiration at times, she’s created some organic, natural tea blends to sooth coughs, cures what ails you, and helps you fall asleep easily. Grab some bags here and pack it up with some a lovely mug for mom! Take a look at her blends HERE and see what might work for you.

Everyday Regalia

A store so nice, I’ve shopped there twice! We’ve done a product review for this Etsy shop in the past, which you can see HERE, but I’ve recently taken advantage of her ability to rapidly create custom pieces to have bracelets made to commemorate my historical book series (which I’ll obvi share pics of when I get them). The shop’s owner is very fast and willing to work with you to create exactly what you have in mind, so if there’s a particular quote or picture you, or your mom, favors, then just let her know and she can make something awesome! You can even have pics put in. For example, if you don’t know what your mom would like for Mother’s Day and you have kids, make her a “grandma bracelet”! Always a winner.

So if you’re looking at some quality jewelry that cane be made to your absolute liking, is cost effective, and durable, look no further than Everyday Regalia! Check out her shop HERE!

This Lovely Sassenach Shirt

I always find that this style of shirt is always flattering. I think half the shirts in my closet have type of neckline. This particular shirt from Esoteric Rhythms comes in 17 different colors from black to hot pink to a lovely plum. And at $24 it’s a total steal for something so cute. Grab one for the Sassenach in your life HERE…and one for yourself because matching is always adorable.

Outlander Apron

Is your mom head cook of your household? Give her something to protect her clothes that also stakes her claim to the kitchen! Grab an apron HERE and give her some more joy in the kitchen for next year’s holiday season.

Claire’s Ring (Show Version)

Always a classic Sassenach gift, Claire’s wedding ring is a tasteful way to show your Outlander pride without wearing a shirt with Jamie’s face on it (not that there’s anything wrong with that! This Italian Etsy shop offers just the item to add to your jewelry box! Grab one HERE for dear old mom.

Claire’s Ring (Book Version)

Is mom a traditionalist who favors the book? Don’t worry, Author’s Corner has the perfect ring to reflect the one Diana envisioned when she wrote the series. It even has “Da Mi Basia Mille” engraved inside to finish it off. Order yours HERE now!

Outlander Tank Tops

You know what they say about summer; “sun’s out, guns out”! Add some of these shirts from Glamorously Geeky to your mama’s summer wardrobe. Starting at $15, it’s really a great price for nice shirts you can get in a variety of colors. Order one (or more) HERE!

Lallybroch Teapot

Is there a tea drinking lady in your life that you’d like to spoil? Make her think of her literary home every time she makes a cup! Order one HERE and prepare a cup of something special.

Dixie Sisters

This shop has quite a few Outlander items that are suuuper cheap. You can get the notebook for $7.50 and the coasters for $6! You could basically make up a whole gift basket in a cost effective manner. Check out the Outlander line HERE.

A Druid Lantern

Get mom in touch with her druid side with an Outlander inspired lantern to lead the way. Fitted with a flame-less candle, it’s a great little piece to have to brighten up a room (literally), up your Halloween game, or make a power outage a little more fun. Order one HERE!

See the rest of our gift guides, lists, quizzes, and Outlander posts HERE!

Sarah and I both have books out now, so if you like our posts, you’ll probably love our books! First Semester is a thrilling college romance that you can get HERE. Queen of Emeralds is a historic romance set in the highlands that you can get HERE. Both of them come in paperback, ebook, and Kindle Unlimited.

Outlandish Mother’s Day Gift Guide The UK already had their Mother's Day, so now it's America's turn! Since I'm a mom, and I love Outlander, I thought I'd make up a handy little list for you own shopping needs!

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Gorgeous elegant INFINITY/Bow ANKLET with DIAMANTES, STERLING SILVER Ankle bracelet will include pretty gift box

Length 28cm (Fits all) Silver Fabulous Quality Ankle Chain CZ Very studded Infinity/ Symbol “8”Charm 925 StampedSpring ring clasp Lucky Infinity diamante pendant calculating 1.7cm’s width 1mm thick, Total Length: 11 inches/28cm Weight: 2 Grams

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✔DESIGN: Infinity charm with AAAAA Cz gemstones. 28cm chain lenght with 3cm adjustable extender.

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✔PRESENTATION : This item has a Complimentary Branded Gift box. This is an excellent gift for wedding anniversaries, graduations, birthdays, or simply like a surprise to a person you care

[offpier33]

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Simple Love Knot Dainty Bracelet for Women, Sterling Silver Jewellery. Classic Design for Women,Teen Girls,Lady. Arrives in a Pretty Gift Box. (Sterling Silver Rhodium Plated)

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Simple Droplet AAAAA Cubic Zirconia Dainty Bracelet for Women, STERLING SILVER Jewellery. Classic design for Women,Teen Girls,Lady. Arrives in a pretty gift box.

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[offpier33]

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Elegant ANKLET With AAA Cubic Zircon, STERLING SILVER Anklet/Ankle Chain/Ankle Bracelet & Infinity Symbol Figure"8" Toe Ring jewellery set - with Gift Box(Adjustable)

The right addition for any special occasion, this gorgeous Infinity-style anklet will prove to add the right finish to the look & the dainty little Foot ring to include the additional style to accomplish the appearance. The solid silver construction is Rhodium finished to some high polish and safeguards having a spring ring clasp for any secure fit. Chain Length 28cm (Fits all) Silver Fabulous Quality Ankle Chain Infinity /Love Symbol Foot/Knuckle ring 925 StampedSpring ring clasp Sexy diamante pendant calculating 17mm 1 mm thick Chain Weight: 3.2 Grams

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[harryandmeghan0-blog]

Meghan Markle's outfits cost eye-watering £700k - more than any other European royal - Mirror Online

New Post has been published on https://harryandmeghan.xyz/meghan-markles-outfits-cost-eye-watering-700k-more-than-any-other-european-royal-mirror-online/

Meghan Markle's outfits cost eye-watering £700k - more than any other European royal - Mirror Online

The Duchess of Sussex’s style has wowed the nation but looking so good comes with a hefty price tag.

Meghan, 37, wore outfits worth £406,662 last year, plus her Givenchy wedding gown, said to cost £387,000.

This week the pregnant royal, wearing a £2,600 Oscar de la Renta coat, turned stylist at a West London charity by helping job seekers choose clothes for interviews.

Meg’s wardrobe cost over five times more than sister-in-law Kate’s, according to royal style site UFO No More.

It also dwarfed those of other royals in Europe.

Here’s a quick peek at these top families’ fashion sense…

(Image: Getty Images)

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex

£406,662

Meghan is a designer’s dream. Whatever she gives the royal seal of approval sells out quickly. On a trip to Edinburgh in February, she wore a £1,995 Black Watch Burberry design coat. Hours later identical numbers were selling on eBay for almost £3,000.

A version of the Stella McCartney halter-neck gown she wore for her wedding reception was quickly snapped up at £4,500 after the designer released a near identical number. Meghan’s £400k price tag includes a Cartier reflection bracelet and matching earrings, but the £185,000 set may have been a gift from Prince Charles.

In Britain, female royals can request to borrow garments from the likes of Chanel, Alexander McQueen and Kate’s favourite, Catherine Walker, but protocol dictates they must be returned.

Wardrobe staples are funded mostly from family money through Prince Charles’s vast estate. And Meghan has £5million from her career as an actress.

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark (Image: Getty Images)

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark

£92,539

A fan of couture, the Crown Princess is a style icon. But looking good does not come cheap.

The 46-year-old mixes up her wardrobe with local and international designers.

She wowed in a Jesper Hovring velvet gown at Prince Charles’s 70th at Buckingham Palace. This year, she rocked up to a New Year reception in a dove grey dress – which she wore to the same do in 2016.

Countess of Wessex (Image: UK Press via Getty Images)

Countess of Wessex

£77,998

Even a visit to a dairy farm is an opportunity for Sophie to shine.

The mum-of-two was in Cornwall last months in a blue coat, matching jumper dress and fab boots. It is statement coats like this that keep the 53-year-old countess bang on trend. But she says: “My track record in fashion has not always been as good as it is today but we learn in time.”

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (Image: SWNS.com)

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

£72,251

Kate is known for her love of the High Street – and wearing outfits again and again. But the price tag is still eyewatering.

In 2017 she wore £119,000 of new clobber but maternity leave with Prince Louis may explain this lower figure.

She owns Topshop and Reiss dresses and was spotted last year in a £220 crimson Boden coat at Great Ormond Street Hospital. And Kate, 37, put on a £225 Lacorine hat for church in Sandringham.

Supporting British designers, Kate, is a big fan of Catherine Walker.

Princess Charlene of Monaco (Image: AFP/Getty Images)

Princess Charlene of Monaco

£55,252

The epitome of style, Princess Charlene is a former Olympic swimmer whose physique suits just about everything she wears.

In July she graced a Red Cross Gala in a chainmail Versace gown, right, worth around £4,500.

Charlene, 40, favours Swiss brand Akris. She wore their white winter coat and jersey dress to present her twins Jacques and Gabriella to the world in 2015.

Queen Maxima (Image: Getty Images)

Queen Maxima

£51,122

The Queen of the Netherlands is bold in her outfit choices – with bright colours, funky florals and big hats.

But Maxima, 47, brought a touch of regal glamour to a Buckingham Palace banquet in October, in a long blue gown with sheer sleeves, left.

And her tiara, once owned by Queen Mary II of England, made a real statement – it includes a massive diamond, 39.75 carats.

Princess Beatrice (Image: Getty Images)

Princess Beatrice

£50,818

Not known as a fashion icon, Beatrice, 30, is a new entry on the list.

Haunted by her 2011 headwear at William and Kate’s wedding, last year she surprised with outfits such as her purple number for the Met Gala, rock chic at the Serpentine Gallery and beaded teal dress for Harry and Meghan’s wedding.

Princess Marie of Denmark (Image: Getty Images)

Princess Marie of Denmark

£44,496

This princess loves to rock a diamond or two – priciest so far was a selection of jewels from muchloved designer Christine Hvelplund.

The two bracelets and earrings she wore for Crown Prince Frederik’s 50th birthday, left, cost a cool £20,000.

Yet despite the love of expensive jewellery, her highly accessible style is much more relaxed than most royals.

Marie, 42, is not averse to slipping on jeans, and is often seen in simple skirt suits at formal events.

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden (Image: IBL/REX/Shutterstock)

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden

£39,751

The Swedish Royal family champion Scandinavian designers. UFO No More said 70 per cent of their pieces are Nordic creations.

Victoria even wore black dress from Sweden’s H&M when it collaborated with Erdem on a wardrobe that started at £50.

In December she attended the Nobel Prize Ceremony in a vintage Nina Ricci gown which her mother Queen Silvia wore to the ceremony in 1995.

Queen Letizia (Image: Getty Images)

Queen Letizia

£38,272

Spain fashi wom roya SPAIN’S most fashionable woman is another royal who spends her cash on the High Street.

She has been pictured in a £49.99 Zara dress and sporting a £75 ASOS frock.

Last week she turned on the glamour in a floor-length navy skirt and tweed jacket for the Epiphany Day celebrations in Madrid.

Off duty, Letizia, 46, opts for Mango, Zara and Uterque outfits.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway (Image: Getty Images)

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway

£36,992

Princess Mette-Marit, 45, has developed her fashion sense over the years.

The princess, who spent a lot of last year on leave after being diagnosed with lung disease, is perhaps taking tips from her son Marius, 21, said to be working as a style editor at a London mag.

Mette-Marit, voted Hello! magazine’s worst dressed young Royal in 2015, wore a floral gown after announcing her illness in October.

Source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/meghan-markles-outfits-cost-eye-13849672

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How Meghan Markle's unofficial royal endorsement is helping a Canadian company

New Post has been published on https://harryandmeghan.xyz/how-meghan-markles-unofficial-royal-endorsement-is-helping-a-canadian-company/

How Meghan Markle's unofficial royal endorsement is helping a Canadian company

For the past year, Birks Inc., a 139-year-old Montreal-based jewellery company, has found itself in the middle of a modern mercantile fairy tale with an unknown ending. It began in August 2017, when Meghan Markle, now Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wore Maison Birks jewellery in her first public outing with Prince Harry at the Invictus Games in Toronto. Since then, she has consistently modelled Birks’s tasteful, royal-family-appropriate items—at her engagement announcement in November 2017, at Christmas lunch with the Queen, then on a string of public appearances. Such was her brand loyalty that Hello! Canada magazine asked, “Will Meghan Markle wear Birks on her wedding day?”—another free plug. She didn’t. But her mother, Doria Ragland, and Jessica Mulroney, the Toronto-based stylist now famous as Markle’s “BFF,” both wore Birks pieces not available to the public until this coming fall. All were heavily promoted on Birks social media platforms and treated as news by mainstream media, garnering global advertising for Birks.

READ: The lowdown on Meghan Markle’s Canadian best friend and ‘secret wedding planner’

It’s a tale that also reflects the moment in marketing, one in which “influencers”—celebrities and social-media stars—have replaced advertising to the point of influencer gridlock. Products are promoted in “news” stories and gossip items, as seen in the New York Post’s May account, “Meghan Markle wears $10K earrings to royal wedding rehearsal,” which shared details of a private event that earned Birks another shout-out. In such a landscape, adjacency to the British royal family is marketing gold, publicity that money can’t buy. “They’re the biggest brand in the world,” says veteran royal watcher Patricia Treble of Write-Royalty.com. Birks saw an increase in website hits after Markle wore the brand at the Invictus Games, but the deluge began with the news she’d be joining the House of Windsor, says Eva Hartling, chief marketing officer and vice president for the Maison Birks line. The company saw a 400 per cent spike in online sales and views that day; the $995 earrings Markle wore sold out. It’s a happy coincidence that Birks jewellery became available in the U.K. a month before the engagement was announced.

The fairy godmother in this particular fairy tale is Jessica Mulroney, a well-connected fashion consultant known for styling Markle and, unofficially, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau. Birks hired her in 2011 as its “jewellery style expert” to share “tips with Birks clients as well as the press.” Birks no longer has a “formal relationship” with Mulroney, Hartling says, but they work on projects together. (Mulroney’s five-year-old daughter, a bridesmaid in the royal wedding, has appeared in Birks ads.) Mulroney introduced Markle to Birks, says Hartling, who adds the company never had a commercial relationship with the actress: “Meghan liked the line and purchased pieces,” she says. Markle’s “entourage” requested jewellery for her mother for the wedding, which was purchased, she says.

Such distinctions matter. The royal family’s brand equity entails distancing itself from commercial taint. (Sarah Ferguson was vilified for her money-making ventures and for trying to sell access to her ex-husband, Prince Andrew.) They live in a freebie-free zone; transactional relationships are verboten. One minor exception is the “royal warrant of appointment,” a mark of recognition conferred on those who have supplied goods or services to the households of the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh or the Prince of Wales. Anyone receiving one has to follow strict rules, says Treble: “You can put the royal coat of arms on product, but you can’t reference the royal family in any commercial activity or you’ll have the royal warrant stripped. It has happened.”

Discretion is vital. An unofficial endorsement in the form of a royal wearing a brand can be worth millions: “The Kate effect” describes how items worn by the former Kate Middleton sell out in minutes. In April 2018, Women’s Wear Daily pegged the total “Markle effect” so far at US$212.1 million.

MORE: Meghan Markle’s bridal fashion: elegant, simple and perfect

Markle’s new life is at a 180-degree remove from the one she left behind, society writer Shinan Govani observes: “Any instincts you have as an actress or influencer or someone in the world of fashion would have to be unlearned if you’re joining the Firm.” Early in her career, Markle visited “gifting suites,” where celebrities are photographed with free product; she’s been pictured with a homeopathic flu remedy, sports gear and bourbon. As her fame increased via her role on Suits, Markle positioned herself in the “lifestyle” realm with her popular blog The Tig and an Instagram presence with close to two million followers. She was named “brand ambassador” to clothing chain Reitmans, for which she designed a capsule collection. Brands gave her clothing, among them the Canadian company Line the Label, which Markle came across while shopping years before Harry entered the picture. “After Jessica started styling her, she contacted us to send images of the collections,” says Natasha Koifman, president of NKPR, a Toronto PR agency that represents Line. Markle was a great fit with the brand, says John Muscat, president of Line: “We’re careful about who we work with,” he tells Maclean’s. “Meghan always looks so well put together.” The $799 white coat Markle famously wore for the engagement announcement, renamed “the Meghan,” was a “gift” to Mulroney, Muscat says, part of a wardrobe put together for Markle’s move to Britain. Mulroney called the morning of the engagement to say the coat had been chosen, Koifman recalls. Within an hour and a half, more than 300 orders poured in.

Unlike some celebrities, Markle pays for items, Koifman says, recounting how the actress called her a year ago, before her engagement. She was having trouble finding a specific bracelet made by a brand NKPR represents. “She wanted to buy it for Harry for Christmas,” Koifman says: “We found it, and she paid for it.” The story of a future princess buying a gift for her prince is destined to drive sales more than any ad if that brand is named—so here Maclean’s has chosen not to identify it, even if Koifman did.

Anyone dealing with the royal family must be discreet and follow protocol, says Treble: “People who don’t deal with royals can get verbose,” she says. “If they talk too much, they’ll get dropped.” (Mulroney declined Maclean’s interview request.) Birks was called out for overstepping in 2015 when it issued a press release after Grégoire Trudeau wore a Birks diamond brooch to meet Queen Elizabeth II: “Sophie Grégoire Trudeau . . . dazzled in Birks jewellery,” it read. Outrage over the brooch’s $7,125 price forced the PMO to issue a statement explaining the jewellery was on loan from Birks, who hadn’t informed them they planned to turn it into an ad. Eyebrows were also raised hours after the wedding when People.com ran a gushy story about Mulroney, calling her the “unofficial maid of honour” and referring to Birks as “Meghan’s go-to jeweller.” Hartling was the only one quoted in the story, which listed the Birks pieces worn by Mulroney to the wedding and evening party. On Twitter, Govani criticized the publicity as “ill-advised,” comparing it to “day-after-the-Met-Gala ‘day trading’ and branding tic-tac-toe,” a reference to the annual Metropolitan Museum of Art Gala, a blatant billboard for fashion houses and brands. Overt commercialism clashes with the royal brand, says Govani, noting “honorary maid of honour” is a term neither Markle nor the palace used: “To translate common celebrity vernacular and put it in context of the royal wedding shows that someone isn’t thinking. That’s my charitable take on it.”

At a time of what Hartling calls “influencer fatigue,” an unofficial royal endorsement has rising value. Unilever, whose brands include Dove and Axe, recently announced it won’t work with influencers who buy social-media followers. “Consumers see through mechanisms that don’t feel authentic,” Koifman says.

Hartling says Birks has been careful. It doesn’t use Markle’s image on social media, only from media coverage, which can amount to the same thing. A “royal wedding jewellery inspiration” page on its website includes items worn by Markle, Mulroney and Ragland; visitors can “swipe through to see the Birks jewels the Duchess has worn.” Birks’s current print ad campaign features Canadian actor Amanda Brugel, who bears a decided resemblance to Markle.

As history has shown, royal anointment can be a mixed blessing. The brand Issa exploded after Kate Middleton wore one of its dresses for her engagement; the company eventually shuttered operations after the founder, Daniella Helayel, sold a controlling stake in the company to finance its expansion. Whether royal fairy dust settles on Birks remains to be seen. The latest six-month results, ending Sept. 23, 2017, don’t seem to include any “Markle effect”: sales were down $5.1 million to $49.8 million from the year earlier. The stock price has been volatile, rising from 24 cents in January 2016 to $3.04 in July 2016, the month Markle and the prince are said to have met. It fell to $1.06, then spiked at $2.69 in November 2017, two weeks before the engagement announcement. In late June, it was trading under $1.50.

Hartling sees the duchess’s connection to Birks as “positive” and “slightly negative” for the company: “On one hand, the exposure is a textbook example of what organic PR should be: a consumer who fell in love with the brand becomes the best-known person on the planet.” The free press also aids the company’s stated goal to become a “global luxury brand.” Discussing the “slightly negative,” Hartling is cautious: “Obviously we’re not complaining,” she says. “But all messaging pertaining to Birks right now has to do with the duchess wearing our pieces. We’re launching new collections in the fall, but nobody cares unless the duchess decides to buy a piece and wear it.” (That said, both Ragland and Mulroney showcased the wares before an audience estimated at up to two billion around the world.) The duchess could stop wearing Birks, Hartling says: “What does that mean for us?” That hasn’t happened, with post-wedding images of the duchess wearing Birks plastered on the company’s Instagram. “Royalty is looking good on her!” read one caption. Hartling remains hopeful, noting Birks had a royal warrant in the ’30s, when it supplied silverware to the royal family: “Maybe we’ll get another one.” Maybe. That could be one way this fairy tale ends.

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