As royal jewels go, few sets have become more recognisable in the Nordic countries than Queen Mary of Denmark’s rubies. Here, Danish jewellery expert Nina Hald speaks on the set that HRM Queen Mary of Denmark chose to wear to the proclamation – divulging the history behind these sparkling red gems
Royal jewellery chests have always been cause for curiosity across the world, weighed down by massive gemstones and precious metals few people are privy to see. Some of these pieces have even become emblematic of certain royals: The Queen Mary Fringe Tiara that both Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne wore to their respective weddings, Princess Diana’s sapphire engagement ring, and Queen Silvia of Sweden’s Braganza Parure, to name a few.
One such set that has become prolific for a particular royal is the ruby parure for the new Queen Mary of Denmark – an ornate set of tiara, necklace, earrings, brooches and hair clips which she has worn on high rotation for many years. The set even became the topic for Danish jewellery expert Nina Hald’s book Royal Rubies (2018), in which Hald comprehensively examines the pieces. As such, it came as little surprise to those in the know that these scarlet stones adorned Queen Mary on the proclamation day, paired with a snow-white dress by Danish designer Søren Le Schmidt to echo the country’s colours. “Queen Ingrid of Denmark [King Frederik X’s grandmother who bestowed the set onto Queen Mary] wore the royal ruby set as Crown Princess, as Queen and as Dowager Queen; Queen Mary appears to be following in her footsteps,” notes Hald.
Queen Mary of Denmark wearing the royal ruby set during the proclamation. Photo: Getty