21 February 2017
Jewel History: Almost Outshone Queen (1909)
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| King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra at the Opening of Parliament, ca. 1910 |
"Almost Outshone Queen"
(originally appeared in the Washington Post on 21 Feb 1909)
The American Countess Granard [1] made her debut publicly at the opening
of parliament on Tuesday. All the peeresses who were present in the
gilded chamber of the House of Lords were eager to see her. She shared
the peeresses' attention with the Queen, and was thoroughly stared at by
the wives and daughters of the various lords.
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| Queen Alexandra wears the Cullinan I and II Diamonds at the State Opening of Parliament in 1910 |
who wore the crown jewels, no woman in the chamber wore so many splendid
gems as the new American countess, and if the Queen had not worn the
Cullinan diamonds [3] for the first time, the American countess would
have outshone Her Majesty.
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| Beatrice Forbes, Countess of Granard, ca. 1909 (Wikimedia Commons) |
her bodice was fairly covered with diamonds. The ornaments in her hair
were the three white ostrich feathers which are worn by all the
peeresses of her rank.
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| Alexandra wears the Cullinans to Parliament in the following year, 1910 |
occasion, she wore a diamond necklace. Her corsage was covered with
diamond ornaments, and from her necklace depended two splendid fragments
of the great Cullinan diamond. They dazzled the envious peeresses with
their extraordinary brilliance.
NOTES
1. Beatrice Forbes, Countess of Granard (1883-1972), nee Beatrice Mills.
She was a daughter of the American financier Ogden Mills; the family
was very involved in the world of Thoroughbred racing. Beatrice married
Bernard Forbes, 8th Earl of Granard in January 1909. Lord Granard was
Master of the Horse in 1909, which means that he was a key part of the
ceremonies for the State Opening of Parliament.
2. Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom (1844-1925), born Princess
Alexandra of Denmark. She was the wife and queen consort of King Edward
VII.
3. Read more about the magnificent Cullinan Diamond over here.
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