We're picking up where we left off last week with tiara event #3 of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Mary Donaldson's wedding festivities: the wedding itself, held on May 14, 2004. As in Sweden and Norway, Denmark's royals go for an afternoon wedding followed by a reception into the night - necessitating a white tie and tiara dress code. (Bless.)
We've already chatted about the bride's wedding ensemble, and you can relive that right here. But now to some of her many sparkling guests:
Best in Pink
Princess Máxima
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| Left to Right: Princess Alexandra of Denmark, Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, Princess Miriam of Bulgaria, Princess Máxima of the Netherlands, the Duchess of Braganza, Princess Madeleine of Sweden |
The number of pink ladies at this wedding is astonishing. Did they send out a memo or something? "Hey, everyone, match the bridesmaids!" Good thing pink can look good on just about anyone - provided you pick the right shade (not too Barbie, Alexandra, and not too light when you're tanned up all orange, Madeleine). As much as I adore the other Alexandra (of S-W-B)'s coat and the beautiful pale combo of Miriam's dress and necklace, I have to give this one to my Máx, for a simple and classic dress.
Tiara roundup (click here for better views): Alexandra - Alexandrine Drop Tiara, Alexandra S-W-B - star and pearl spikes from her mother Benedikte, Miriam - a small diamond tiara, Máxima - her wedding tiara, Duchess of Braganza - a small bandeau from the Braganza vaults, Madeleine - her aquamarine tiara on her head and the modern fringe around her neck.
Tiara roundup (click here for better views): Alexandra - Alexandrine Drop Tiara, Alexandra S-W-B - star and pearl spikes from her mother Benedikte, Miriam - a small diamond tiara, Máxima - her wedding tiara, Duchess of Braganza - a small bandeau from the Braganza vaults, Madeleine - her aquamarine tiara on her head and the modern fringe around her neck.
Best in Easter Egg
Queen Silvia
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| L to R: Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Queen Silvia of Sweden, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway |
Pastels make sense for a May wedding, pink girls included. Victoria's almost acid green, Mette-Marit's simple blue, and Beatrix's typical Bea wear are no match for Silvia and her wonderful skirt here. This is my favorite appearance of this dress from her so far.
Tiaras (click here for better views): Victoria - the four button thing, Silvia - Queen Josephine's Amethyst Tiara, Beatrix - the Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara, Mette-Marit - the Diamond Daisy Tiara.
Tiaras (click here for better views): Victoria - the four button thing, Silvia - Queen Josephine's Amethyst Tiara, Beatrix - the Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara, Mette-Marit - the Diamond Daisy Tiara.
Best in Opposites
Infanta Cristina
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| L to R: Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Infanta Cristina of Spain, Princess Alexia of Greece, Princess Claire of Belgium, Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia |
Some strayed into a more vibrant palette, while some played it even safer than pastels. Though I'm liking what Claire's attempting there, and have to say Katherine's never looked better, my vote goes to their polar opposite on the color scale - Cristina and her slightly Christmas tree inspired gown. The red is just picture perfect. (Also: is it me, or is Anne-Marie's color combo instantly dated?)
Tiaras (click here for better views): Anne-Marie - the Greek Emerald Parure, Cristina - the Mellerio Floral, Alexia - her own diamond tiara, Claire - her wedding tiara, Katherine - looks like none.
Best in Dark
Queen Sofia
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| L to R: Princess Caroline of Monaco, Queen Sofia of Spain, the Duchess of Castro, the Princess of Naples |
And then some just went the other way entirely, color-wise. I vote for Sofia here: she's very typical, but she's not wearing anything that could double as lingerie (my fear with Caroline), and she's not wearing shades with her tiara. I'm all for fabulous statements and...uh...eye protection, I guess - but no.
Tiaras (click here for better views): Actually, the real stories in this category are probably on the wearer's heads. Caroline revived a long unseen tiara from her husband's Hanover family, the Brunswick Diamond Tiara. Sofia wore the Cartier Diamond and Pearl Tiara. Camilla (the Duchess of Castro) wore the Ancona Tiara, an old tiara from a different branch of her husband's Bourbon-Two Sicilies family that was sold - it was a huge surprise to see that it made its way to the Duchess' head! And Marina (the Princess of Naples) wore Queen Margherita's massive Musy Tiara, though she tilted it so far back it's hard to appreciate the volume.
Worst in Wraps
Queen Paola
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| L to R: Princess Benedikte of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, Queen Sonja of Norway, Queen Paola of the Belgians, Princess Theodora of Greece, Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece |
It must be hard to plan an outfit for a white tie wedding - I mean, you need a mean dress for shaking it at the reception, but you also have to be properly covered for the church. You don't want your wrap to fuss with your dress - which, when you already have a fussy neckline like Sonja, turns out looking like your dress is trying to strangle you. Nor do you want to be eaten alive by your cover-up, like young Theodora. And too much poof and frill, like Benedikte and Marie-Chantal, won't do either...and it really won't do when it adds 5 sizes on to you. Poor Paola.
Tiaras (click here for better views): Benedikte - Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Fringe, Sonja - Empress Joséphine's Emerald Tiara, Paola - Queen Elisabeth's Bandeau on her head and a choker from the Nine Provinces Tiara on her neck, Theodora - the Antique Corsage Tiara, and Marie-Chantal - a loaner tiara never seen again.
Tiaras (click here for better views): Benedikte - Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Fringe, Sonja - Empress Joséphine's Emerald Tiara, Paola - Queen Elisabeth's Bandeau on her head and a choker from the Nine Provinces Tiara on her neck, Theodora - the Antique Corsage Tiara, and Marie-Chantal - a loaner tiara never seen again.
Worst Dressed
Princess Laurentien
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| L to R: Archduchess Francesca of Austria, Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, Infanta Elena of Spain, Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, Princess Astrid of Belgium |
It's rare that I find this many candidates for worst dressed. It's rare to have enough for a Worst Stripes category. It's rare to have too many prints - be they loud with strange wraps or set on a nude overlay so they look like body paint. It's rare to have an eye-searing technicolor kimono (perhaps we've found the cause of Marina's shades-n'-tiara getup?). And it's even more rare that they'd all be overshadowed by one disastrous case of chest weaponry. Every time I see this, I gotta wonder if this is the way it looked the last time she looked in a mirror.
Tiaras (click here for better views): Francesca - emerald and diamond wreath, Nathalie - Benedikte's floral tiara, Elena - her meander tiara from her (now ex-) husband's family, Laurentien - the pearl setting of the family's emerald tiara, Märtha Louise - King Olav's Gift Tiara, Maria Teresa - her aquamarine bandeau, Astrid - the Savoy-Aosta Tiara from her husband's family.
Best Dressed
Letizia Ortiz
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| L to R: the Countess of Wessex, Queen Margrethe of Denmark, Letizia Ortiz, Princess Mathilde of Belgium, Empress Farah Pahlavi of Iran |
In fairness to these lovely ladies, it's also very rare that I have this many contenders for the best dressed list. We've got one of my favorite Sophie appearances up against one of my favorite Margrethe appearances and one of my favorite Mathilde appearances, all competing with the unstoppable elegance of Farah. But it had to be my very favorite ever Letizia appearance for the win - perfect color for her, fancy hair, even a little jewel flair. What more could you want? (Well, a tiara, that's what. But she wouldn't be married for a few more days, and she didn't get the luck Mary did on that account.)
Tiaras (click here for better views): Sophie - her wedding tiara, Margrethe - the Floral Aigrette Tiara, Letizia - nada, Mathilde - her laurel wreath, Farah - none.
Photos: Zimbio/Getty Images/IBL/Gammarpho
Tiaras (click here for better views): Sophie - her wedding tiara, Margrethe - the Floral Aigrette Tiara, Letizia - nada, Mathilde - her laurel wreath, Farah - none.
Who makes your best and worst dressed lists?
Photos: Zimbio/Getty Images/IBL/Gammarpho
