Contrary to belief there isn’t a written rule that royals must wear pearls to a funeral. Yes, Queen Victoria wore them during her long mourning for Prince Albert. Queen Elizabeth II wore them when she buried Prince Philip in 2021. However, at yesterday’s (September 9th) funeral procession for King Harald V in Oslo, Norway almost every Queen and Crown Princess in the procession wore pearls.
For more Royal jewellery: The Princess of Wales wore a £144 Laura Lombardi brass chain for Prince George’s first day at Eton
Harald’s coffin was draped in the Norweigan Royal Standard together with the Crown of Norway, made from 20-carat gold and set with pearls, amethysts, chrysoprases, topaz and a large green tourmaline. It was made in 1818 and has been worn by every King of Norway since and placed on the coffin of every Norwegian monarch since 1844.
Nearly every European royal house was represented. Family members from the Royal houses of Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Monaco, Liechtenstein as well as Jordan and Japan were there. It was the largest gathering of crowned heads since Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral four years ago. And they were all wearing their royal jewels.
Pearls have become synonymous with funerals because they can be worn without looking showy or ostentatious. They were also been closely associated with tears, a concept that took hold during the Victorian era. But in Oslo it wasn’t just about pearls, the pieces worn with the pearls are arguably far more interesting.
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden read a prayer during the service. King Harald was her godfather. Together with her pearl earrings and necklace, Victoria wore an antique heart-shaped mourning brooch given to her by Harald himself. It was an act of personal remembrance from her, wearing a gift from the man she’d come to bury.
Norway’s own royal women wore King Harald’s portrait. Queen Sonja pinned her late husband’s Royal Family Order to her black dress. Queen Mette-Marit wore the same order with pearl and diamond cluster earrings and a three-row pearl necklace. Princess Märtha Louise wore her father’s portrait with a five-row pearl choker fastened by an antique diamond and pearl clasp.
Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, who became heir when her father succeeded as King Haakon VIII on 28 August, wore her grandfather’s Royal Family Order with a single row of pearls and a diamond heart pendant set with a central ruby. The red and white stones represented Norway’s national colours. She’s received the pendant as a christening present from her mother in 2004.
Princess Astrid, the last surviving member of Harald’s generation, wore three Royal Family Orders: those of her brother Harald, her father Olav V and her grandfather Haakon VII. One hundred years of Norwegian kings sat discreetly on her lapel.
The Queens of other countries attending also brought their own personal memories. Queen Mary of Denmark wore pearl and diamond earrings with a pearl and diamond cluster brooch that had belonged to Queen Lovisa of Denmark, King Harald’s great-grandmother. This wasn’t purely a diplomatic gesture, she was bringing the family jewels home.
Queen Letizia of Spain wore diamond and pearl earrings by Ansorena together with one of the most important necklaces in the Spanish royal collection. The strand of thirty seven Russian pearls originally belonged to Queen Mercedes, who received it from Alfonso XII in 1878. It later passed to Queen Victoria Eugenia and became part of the joyas de pasar: the jewels reserved for the use of successive queens of Spain.
Queen Máxima of the Netherlands wore pearl earrings and a nineteenth-century pearl and diamond brooch from the Dutch royal collection. She wore the same brooch for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
Queen Mathilde of Belgium also wore the same jewellery from Westminster Abbey four years ago. Queen Fabiola’s pearl drop earrings, a pearl choker and her diamond butterfly brooch.
Queen Silvia of Sweden wore pearls with an antique diamond bow brooch. Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein chose a two-row pearl necklace and the diamond ribbon brooch she also wore for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
Princess Anne of Britain was there together with the Prince of Wales representing King Charles III. Anne is King Haakon’s godmother and wore a gold and diamond ribbon brooch.
Princess Charlene of Monaco was more understated combining simple pearl studs with her diamond engagement ring and no other visible jewellery. Crown Princess Kiko of Japan followed Japanese court mourning tradition in black earrings, beads and a dark bow brooch. Queen Rania of Jordan, who is traditionally understated wore almost nothing that could be clearly identified.
The jewellery on display in Oslo was picked because it works. They were not worn to be impressive or magnificent. They were worn because they’d done the job before or there was some personal connection to the late King. Victoria’s brooch came from Harald. Ingrid Alexandra’s necklace came from Sonja. Mary’s brooch belonged to Harald’s great-grandmother. Letizia’s pearls have been passed down to successive Spanish queens for generations.
Royal jewellery isn’t just decoration, each piece has significance. At King Harald’s funeral every piece told a particular story.
Like this? Read about The Princess of Wales’ best jewellery moments
For the latest jewellery news Sign up to our newsletter
