I am back with some updates and a more in-depth look at styles worn for the royal wedding in Jordan ten days ago.
We begin with more information on the earrings given to the Princess of Wales during last Wednesday’s engagement at the Maidenhead Rugby Club. You may recall a coach at the club, Sarah Renton, gifted the Princess a pair of earrings made to honor her daughter, Issy, who died by suicide in April and was just 17 years old. Below, you see the Princess and Ms. Renton.
The earrings were made by Issy’s cousin, Sophie, and earring sales are a fundraiser for Brave Mind, a charity helping rugby clubs and schools improve their approach to supporting mental health. The Issy Star Earrings (£22, about $27 at today’s exchange rates) were sold out at Sophie’s online shop, Earsass, but they are available for preorder now.
The earrings are shaped like stars and are 22K gold-plated. The product description notes, “Stars since ancient times are described as forever, hope, destiny, heaven, and freedom.” Sophie is donating £5 from the sale of each pair to Brave Mind. There is also a lovely note on the product page that reads, “Issy would love these earrings and from all Issy’s family we thank you so much for your support. Issy spent a lot of time with me designing and making earrings back last summer, she was incredible and will always play a massive part in EARSASS and its future.”
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The other update is that King Charles will ride on horseback for this Saturday’s Trooping the Colour. This will be the first time the reigning monarch for the first time has ridden since 1986, the last year Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II rode for the ceremony. Below, you see Prince William, Prince Charles, and Princess Anne at last year’s Trooping the Colour.
On Saturday, the Prince of Wales led the Colonel’s Review ahead of this Saturday’s ceremony.
As the UK Defence Department noted, this will be the first King’s Birthday Parade in 70 years. “There’s an added poignancy in the fact that coincidentally the honor to Troop their Colour on the King’s Birthday Parade falls this year to the Welsh Guards. The King was Colonel of the Welsh Guards for 48 years before he handed responsibility to his son in December 2022, and he held the title of Prince of Wales for 65 years. The Welsh Guards’ final arbiter of excellence on this, their final rehearsal, was The Prince of Wales, who was reviewing his troops for the first time as Regimental Colonel of the Welsh Guards.”
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Now to our closer look at styles worn for the wedding of Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein and his bride, Princess Rajwa Al Hussein. I have been able to license additional photos from the reception, and more photos have been released by Jordan’s Royal Court. Last week, what will surely be an iconic image was released with all the royalty gathered for the event.
I have cropped the image to show some of those in attendance better. In the center grouping (from l to r), King Abdullah II, Princess Rajwa, Crown Prince Hussein, and Queen Rania are seen in the front row. You also see Dr. Jill Biden and Princess Elisabeth of Belgium behind her.
In this image, you see King Philippe of Belgium on the far left in the front row, as well as the Queen (maroon dress), and King of Malaysia, and the Sultan of Brunei (far right). In the back row, Princess Beatrice is 2nd from left; 4th and 5th from the left are the groom’s sister, Princess Salma bint Abdullah, and his brother, Prince Hashem. Royals in the middle row include Norway’s Prince Haakon, as well as Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark.
In this next section, you see Sheikha Moza of Qatar on the far left (chartreuse gown), the bride’s parents, Khaled Al Saif and Azza Al Sudairi, Queen Máxima and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, and from Spain, Queen Sofia and King Juan Carlos. In the middle group, on the far right, Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, Prince Daniel and Crown Princess of Victoria of Sweden, and towards the left, Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan. The back row includes the Prince and Princess of Wales, along with Princess Iman of Jordan, and her husband, Jameel Thermiotis, and Prince Pavlos of Greece.
Now for a closer look at the gowns worn by the wedding party, starting with the bride’s two dresses. Below, the Elie Saab gown worn for the wedding ceremony.
More from this Hello! story.
Rajwa’s dress eschewed any embellishment, the standout detail being the modern sculpted asymmetrical neckline.
The train of the dress featured laser cut flowers, which may have been a tribute to Jordan’s national flower the black iris (aka Iris nigricans.) The symbolic bloom grows mostly south of Amman, between the ancient cities of Karak and Madaba.
Here is another look at the Dolce and Gabbana gown worn for the second reception.
The floral motif was present in this gown as well.
The bride’s tiara and earrings, worn for all three events, are by Fred Jewelry, the same firm that made the tiara worn by Queen Rania for the reception. The bride’s hair was down for the wedding ceremony (below right) and first reception and up for the second reception.
A better view of the tiara and earrings.
Hello! also reported the tiara included the inscription, “Rajwatum min Allah” in Arabic, which means “Hope from God.”
Queen Rania’s gown for the ceremony was by Dior, with thanks to Lara for the ID.
More from Town and Country’s story.
For her son’s big day, Rania selected a black and gold gown from the Dior AW22 Couture Collection that was equal parts glamorous and refined, with a high-necked collar and wide cuffs at the wrist embellished with delicate gold embroidery and a matching back panel.
A closer look shows the details.
The Queen wore an Elie Saab design from the designer’s spring/summer 2023 couture collection for the evening reception. The minaudière she carried is also by Elie Saab.
The Queen wore her Arabic Script Tiara by Fred Jewelry.
More from this post at the Court Jeweller.
One of the most unique tiaras in Queen Rania’s collection is this diamond stunner, made by by Yan Sicard for FRED in 2005. The gorgeous scrolling jewel features Arabic lettering in its design, spelling out the prayer, “Allah is Great.” The tiara was reportedly a gift to Rania from her husband, King Abdullah.
We now look at the Princess of Wale’s Elie Saab design worn to the ceremony.
The couple after King Abdullah and Queen Rania welcomed them.
Here you see the detailed work in the pleating, the applique on the bodice, neck, and sleeves, and the shoulder padding.
And a look at the sleeves.
We have a better look at the skirt inserts of sheer chiffon with tiny dots.
And we could better see the Prada Wavy Strap Sandals the Princess wore.
I was able to license some photos from the reception. Below, Princess Beatrice and her husband as they arrived for the reception.
The Prince and Princess of Wales.
Below, the Princess of Wales with Crown Princess Mary of Denmark. You see a bit of Crown Prince Frederik from Denmark on the left.
Prince William with Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden. In between the two gentlemen, you can see Samantha Cameron, fashion designer and wife of former Prime Minister David Cameron.
Another view of the Princess.
Now for a more detailed look at the Princess of Wales in her Jenny Packham gown.
A closer look at the zippers at the sleeve hems, the waistline embellishment, and the structured shoulder.
Now we have a closer view of the Lover’s Knot Tiara.
And the Greville Chandelier Earrings and the Bentley & Skinner Diamond Brooch used to pin her sash to her gown.
We also have better images of her Royal Family Order and her Royal Victorian Order.
The Princess wore her Rania Pumps ($2495) by Gianvito Rossi in silver, crafted of organza silk with suede trim, and embellished with 4500 crystals.
The style is also available in gold, as well as praline pink, and white.
The other British royal in attendance was Princess Beatrice. She is seen here with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, as the King and Queen greeted them.
She was in the ‘Celia’ dress by British retailer Needle and Thread.
And as she arrived for the reception, wearing Lebanese designer Reem Acra’s Embellished Ruffled Satin-Piqué Gown.
She also wore the York Diamond Tiara, a gift to the Duchess of York from the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Made by Garrard, the tiara was given to the Duchess on the occasion of her wedding to Prince Andrew. The Order of Splendour describes it as “….leafy diamond scrolls and diamond collets mounted in platinum.”
I spoke in previous posts about the UK’s relationship with Jordan. The morning after the wedding, the UK Embassy in Jordan shared the following message on social media.
Coverage of some of the other royals in attendance includes additional photos of Princess Catharina-Amalia, the Princess of Orange, Queen Máxima, and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
The Princess was in a gown by a Dutch designer her mother favors, Jan Taminiau. The Queen wore a dress by Pakistani designer Mahpara Khan.
In an Instagram post, the designer wrote, “I had the privilege of designing a custom-crafted formal for Her Majesty Queen Maxima of the Netherlands. The design features Mughal patterns fused with traditional dapka, naqshi, resham, and gota work.”
Below, closeups of the gown shared by the designer, who told Images magazine, “The challenge was in making the dress light enough to wear while still making it ornate and intricate.”
Queen Máxima’s jewelry included “one of the smaller settings of the Stuart Tiara for the banquet…a diamond rivière, plus two pieces of jewelry from Queen Wilhelmina’s collection: her diamond pendant earrings and her diamond scroll brooch…” per The Court Jeweller.
The Court Jeweller also has all the details on the Princess’s jewelry.
Princess Amalia went for diamonds and rubies, making her first appearance in pieces from both of the family’s ruby parures. She wore the Ruby Peacock Tiara, made by Schürmann in 1897 using rubies that had belonged to Queen Sophie (1818-1877), the first wife of King Willem III. Her earrings and brooch come from the family’s other ruby set: the Mellerio Ruby Parure, which was commissioned by King Willem III in 1888 as a Christmas gift for his second wife, Queen Emma. Amalia finished off the look with one more piece from Queen Emma’s ruby suite: the diamond and ruby bracelet from the set, worn on her right wrist
Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden. The Princess is wearing Safiyaa’s ‘Ginkgo’ Cape Gown, and the Laurel Wreath Tiara by Boucheron, with earrings and a brooch from the Bernadotte Emerald Suite.
Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark. The Princess is in an upcycled gown by Jesper Høvring, a Danish designer. Royal reporter Natalie H. Oliveri noted in an Instagram post, “First worn in Sweden in 2010 with lace, then again in Australia in 2011 without, the gown once again looks completely new but isn’t. Very clever.” You can see the other times it was worn in Ms. Oliveri’s post.
From Belgium, King Phillipe and Princess Elisabeth, the Duchess of Brabant, in an Armani Privé gown, with thanks to Benjamin Vaesen for the ID. She carried an Armani clutch and wore the Diamond Festoon Tiara and a brooch belonging to her mother, Queen Mathilde.
Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan.
Thanks to The Court Jeweller, Royal Fashion Police, Laura, and Polka Popp, for many of the IDs shown in the post. Please let me know if you made an ID and haven’t been included; I would love to add you to the post.
L.A. Fan
Tuesday 20th of June 2023
Love this post and all the detail you've shared about the spectactular gowns and jewels worn at this wedding! That group photo, too, is something else. The Princess of Wales always stands out, though. She nails it every time!
Zell
Thursday 15th of June 2023
Princess Catherine's Elie Saab gown is more beautiful than ever for me!!! I really Love seeing the sheer skirt insets of chiffon with delicate, tiny dots - So Beautiful! - which were not visible in the original post. I have never seen Princess Catherine in a gown quite as wonderful as this one - I think it is far and away the most Gorgeous gown, of any other gown, seen at the Jordanian Wedding - including the minimalist bridal gown, which is definitely not my cup of tea. (With a top cut on the diagonal and draped like it is, I think that a full, dreamy tulle skirt would have worked much better than a form-fitting one). Ironically, both gowns are by Elie Saab, but Princess Catherine takes the honors, in my view, with her utterly elegant, gown of delicious peachy pink. (Her hair, shoes, clutch - and those Amazing earrings! - are also Perfect) This gown is beyond elegant, and Princess Catherine is beyond beautiful in it. She looks like a dream or a poem of Beauty as she walks through those dreamlike gardens in this gown. However, the pink(ish) Jenny Packham gown that the princess wore, I am now less enchanted with than previously. It looks a tad too severe to my eyes, and a bit too predictable, perhaps. It is in the mode of what I call the Beautifully Severe look that Princess Catherine will sometimes employ - which I often Love - but this gown may be a bit Too strict in form, line and structure, for my taste. Of course, the dazzling glitter of sequins, in that unusual shade of rose, add a bit of softness. If I could change anything, I would make the skirt of the gown more flowy, drapey, and less form-fitting. That said, Princess Catherine still creates a breathtaking look. It is just not quite as scrumptious to me as I previously thought, whereas the peach Elie Saab is even More So. Her Majesty Queen Maxima of the Netherlands is just...Amazing. Her look, and Princess Catherine in the Elie Saab, are, hands down, my Favorites, with a shout out for Princess Beatrice's gorgeous and floaty soft blue and silver gown (the black silk belt drags it down, just a wee bit, but I love the color combo of midnight black with baby blue - so I would have narrowed the belt some) - and also a shout out for Princess Rajwa's *Second* wedding dress - the delightfully fluffy, whipped-cream confection. It is poufy, frou frou, romantic and, to me, Everything a wedding gown should be: romantic, elegant, with a hint of allure thrown in, for good measure.
Hannah
Thursday 15th of June 2023
I couldn't wait for this wedding! I think Rajwa is so classically (understated) beautiful. I feel that Queen Rania really wants to have a more modern Jordanian royal family. I love how the children of the Jordanian royal family look happy and like they get along. It is sweet and a product of a loving family life. Rajwa's wedding dress was so elegant. Her second dress surprised me and looked at bit Disney. She rocked both looks. I love that Princess Elizabeth of Belgium looks like she is having so much fun and Princess Amalia is a bit more reserved. They both were beautiful. My favorite royal at any royal occasion is (someone not mentioned) Sheika Moza bint Nasser. She is beautiful and definitely proves that you can dress conservatively and make the whole room look at you. I could revisit these looks all day. Thank you for this extended post.
Gayle
Thursday 15th of June 2023
@Hannah, Moza is always stunning!
Sue V
Thursday 15th of June 2023
Seeing the close ups of Catherine’s I like it marginally better than I did originally. However I still dislike that ‘skirt’ at the end of the fitted sleeve part - and it is too long.
Still love the bride’s ceremony dress. Somewhere I saw a back view of it which showcased the lasered flowers, the effect was stunning. I am sorry to say that these extra photos do not improve the look of the reception dress in my eyes, those tissue swirls look worse than ever to me. Rawja’s tiara is beautiful though and the earrings are to die for, they are gorgeous.
Seeing all the other tiaras, especially the other European Royal houses, I always feel our UK Royals drew the short straw when it comes to tiaras. I find so many of them clunky, not particularly elegant (there are a few exceptions) and wish someone would take a leaf out of Queen Mary’s book and remodel some. I imagine the throwing up of hands in shock and outrage, but I think that would be more because her late Majesty wore them for so long! QM had no scruples about it. I wonder if Prince Philip ever suggested it - he had a good eye for design - but that would have been swatted away. I am sure.
Sue V
Sunday 18th of June 2023
@Caroline A., I have always had a hankering for Catherine to wear the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara. It would be be so suitable for her to do so - wearing ‘Grannie’s diamonds/tiara’!!
Berenike
Friday 16th of June 2023
@Caroline A., Thank you for the links. I prefer it without the pearls, it looks "cleaner" somehow with only diamonds.
Caroline A.
Friday 16th of June 2023
@Berenike, I’m with you regarding the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara!
https://www.rct.uk/collection/themes/exhibitions/diamonds-a-jubilee-celebration/buckingham-palace/queen-marys-girls-of-great-britain-and-ireland-tiara
I like it much better without the pearls it used to have though. Interestingly, the pearls were removed and incorporated into the Lover’s Knot Tiara.
https://www.thecourtjeweller.com/2018/04/the-girls-of-great-britain-and-ireland.html
https://www.thecourtjeweller.com/2019/02/queen-marys-lovers-knot-tiara.html
Berenike
Thursday 15th of June 2023
@Sue V, I see what you mean, might there be some tiaras in the vault that we haven never seen?
Memo to Charles: Remember to dust off the tiaras!
Maybe my taste is too simple, but of all the tiaras I have ever seen the "Daughters of Great Britain and Ireland, that the Queen wore so often, is my absolute favorite. I would wear it even to the dentist!
Patty
Thursday 15th of June 2023
No one stole the bride's thunder, not even (as lovely as she looked) the Princess of Wales. The bride's actual wedding dress (the day dress) is the most beautiful of all the gowns, hands down, in my humble opinion.