- In 2012, Queen Mary of Denmark bought a stunning necklace that converted into a tiara at auction
- The royal paid around $9,600 USD for the Edwardian set, which featured the necklace and a pair of matching earrings, studded with diamonds and rubies
- She first wore it as a tiara in 2016, and it quickly became a favorite of her royal collection
As the wife of King Frederik, Queen Mary of Denmark has access to plenty of royal jewels, including an impressive set of tiaras. However, she’s also put her own spin on the royal collection after obtaining a piece in a unique way.
In 2012, the then-Princess Mary purchased a striking Edwardian collection of jewelry from the Bruun Rasmussen auction house. Per the Crown Jeweller, it was described as a “diamond jewelry set comprising a necklace and a pair of later ear screws set with numerous rose and old mine-cut diamonds, circular-cut rubies and spinels, mounted in 14k gold and silver.”
Queen Mary reportedly paid around $9,600 for the set, which was said to be made circa 1900-1910.
The necklace was unique in that it was convertible — it could be mounted on a frame and worn as a tiara. That is exactly what Queen Mary did eventually; the set needed a bit of refurbishment first, as the auction listing also mentioned that it was missing a stone.
She first debuted it as a necklace three years later, at Queen Margrethe’s birthday party at the Concert Hall Aarhus in April 2015.
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark attends a gala to celebrate the 75th Birthday of Queen Margrethe on April 8, 2015.
Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty
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In March 2016, Queen Mary first wore the piece as a tiara for a gala at Christiansborg Palace celebrating Danish arts and culture. It quickly became a favorite — she donned it again for a Mexican state visit to Denmark the following month, and again when she and King Frederik were photographed for the August 2016 issue of Vogue Australia.
She even had a new pair of earrings made to match the tiara, retiring the diamond drop pair that were purchased with the set. Queen Mary debuted the stunning new combo at a gala dinner for the President of Iceland at Amalienborg Castle in January 2017.
Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik at a Gala Dinner for Iceland’s President at Amalienbog Castle on Jan. 24, 2017.
SISSE STROYER/Scanpix Denmark/AFP via Getty
Queen Mary has continued to create innovative and stunning new tiara looks ever since. In 2024, she and experts from the Danish Royal Collection designed a new bandeau tiara by pulling impressive rose-cut diamonds from a medieval-inspired belt made by goldsmith Carl Martin Weisshaupt in 1840, according to The Crown Jeweller.
The designers removed the largest diamonds from the belt setting, but left spacers so that they can be replaced if desired.
The Queen most recently wore the tiara on Jan. 1 for a New Year’s Reception and Banquet at Amalienborg Palace.
Queen Mary and King Frederik attend the New Year’s Reception and Banquet at Amalienborg Palace on Jan. 1, 2026.
Keld Navntoft / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP via Getty
She and King Frederik also both donned the unique and ornate collars that denote them as members of the Order of the Elephant, a Danish order of chivalry and Denmark’s highest-ranked honor. New Year’s Day is one of the few collar days for the order.