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thepastisalreadywritten · 11 months

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In London during the late spring of 1953, preparations for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation were reaching their denouement.

Couturier Norman Hartnell was completing a dress to outshine any other.

Tucked away at the back of Hartnell’s lavish Mayfair townhouse, a team of embroiderers were finishing stitching a floral garland on the ivory silk bodice and crinoline.

Pastel thread, jewels, sequins, beads and 10,000 seed pearls were sewn as Commonwealth emblems and British flora around an English Tudor rose scattered with diamond dewdrops.

Six young, aristocratic maids of honour, including 19-year-old Lady Anne Coke – best-selling author Anne Glenconner – were being drilled like guardsmen by The Duke of Norfolk, responsible for organising the coronation, as they rehearsed the walk to the Abbey altar, with his wife, the Duchess, standing in for The Queen.

“If the Bishops don’t learn to walk in step,” he remonstrated, “we’ll be here all night.”

The photographer Cecil Beaton, well-versed in photographing crowned heads and aristocrats in the Vogue studios, was prepping a vantage point in Westminster Abbey, high up by the organ pipes, as the best location from which to capture the ceremony.

It would be a long day; he’d fill his top hat with sandwiches to sustain him.

Nearby, at Garrard, the Crown Jeweller and his team of master craftsmen were hunched over workbenches altering the Imperial State Crown to fit the young Queen’s head.

Garrard had made the Crown in 1937 for King George VI – a replica of the crown designed and crafted for Queen Victoria, which contained virtually all the same stones symbolic of centuries of Royal history, fitted around a purple velvet cap and ermine band.

Clusters of diamond-set crosses and fleurs-de-lis linked by swags of diamonds, supported by sapphires, emeralds and pearls in the form of oak leaves and acorns, dazzled around the massive 317.40 carat Cullinan II diamond, the Second Star of Africa, cut from the largest diamond ever discovered.

Above it sat the Black Prince’s Ruby – in fact, a spinel, worn by Henry V at Agincourt – while the 104 carat oval Stuart sapphire gleamed at the rear of the band, with the cross atop the orb set with the sapphire from Edward the Confessor’s ring.

King George VI requested Garrard create an inner “hammock” style fitting, like a guard’s officer’s bearskin, to distribute the nearly three pounds of weight evenly on his head.

Reshaping the circlet for Queen Elizabeth II involved remounting the stones and motifs of which it is composed, as well as repositioning and lowering the arches, all of which required craftsmanship of the highest skill.

The aim was to improve the strength of the crown with lightness of weight, which isn’t easy with large stones, and those which were cut nearly 300 years ago.

They were working against the clock. The new Queen required time before the ceremony to become accustomed to the crown’s feel and weight.

“There are some disadvantages to crowns, but otherwise they are very important things,” said Her Majesty, recalling its heaviness on the 65th anniversary of the coronation.

“Fortunately, my father and I have roughly the same shaped head, so once you put it on, it stays.”

The media demanded constant updates on Garrard’s work, with the coronation making broadcasting history as the first service to be televised, adding to the sense of pressure.

In addition, two gold Armill bracelets of sincerity and wisdom, symbolic of the monarch’s bond with the people needed to be finished, which were replacing the 17th-century enamel bracelets dating from the coronation of King Charles II.

In previous ceremonies, the Armills had been carried, but these were made for the Queen to wear, decorated with two rows of engraving and Tudor rose clasps with red velvet linings.

Garrard was also inundated with cleaning requests.

“No one had worn their jewellery or tiaras during the war,” explains Lady Anne.

“People were queuing to have their tiaras, which were like great fenders of diamonds, stomachers and necklaces cleaned.”

On the day, 2 June 1953, it poured with rain.

Lady Anne remembers arriving at the Abbey:

“It was pretty dark and cold. Our dresses weren’t lined, there were clothing coupons after the war you see.

A tiny thread of blue cotton had been placed on the floor in the Abbey, so the Queen knew where to stand.

When the procession began, we walked past row upon row of tiaras, as well as people in their National dress.

The Queen walked a bit faster than the Duchess had in rehearsals, so we had to adjust our steps.”

The ceremony ended at 2 o’clock in the afternoon.

Hartnell left after watching his historic dress sweep down the aisle followed by the procession of royal pages, maids of honour, peers and peeresses sparkling with diamonds, looking, he remarked:

“Like a lovely hunk of fruitcake, the damson jam of velvet bordered with clotted cream of ermine and sprinkled with the sugar of diamonds.”

Beaton rushed to Buckingham Palace to photograph the Queen theatrically against a painted backdrop, holding the orb and sceptre and wearing the Imperial State Crown.

The Crown Jeweller Garrard remained until The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had taken lunch in the Abbey annex, in case any last-minute adjustments to the diamond-encrusted Crown were needed.

“Cecil was waiting when we all returned from the Abbey,” Lady Anne continues.

“He had everything set up for the photographs, and that’s when I really noticed the Crown and jewels glittering under the bright lights and took note of it all.

The Queen looked so young, beautiful and vulnerable, so the contrast of seeing her crowned with all the regalia was extraordinary.

She was weighted down a bit, but I remember thinking it was terribly poignant.”

A tense moment followed.

“The Duke of Edinburgh was fussing around, and Cecil got irritated, put his camera down and said, ‘Oh Sir, would you prefer to take the photographs?’” Lady Anne laughs.

“The Queen looked a bit horrified, and The Duke wandered off. You see, The Duke would have liked the photographer Baron, but it was The Queen Mother who adored Cecil.”

Later, it was still rainy and dark outside.

When the gleaming, crowned figure of The Queen appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony, she shone with a sense of tradition and permanence.

With the Imperial State Crown, she wore the Coronation necklace and earrings, made in 1858 by Garrard and worn by Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary, including 25 brilliants suspending the Lahore diamond drop.

Time will tell if the Armills will return to being carried at the Coronation of HRH The Prince of Wales, and if he has inherited the Windsor head shape, but should substantial adjustments be required, the crown will appear once more unchanged.

The historical continuity of the regalia, and the fact the crown is still in constant use, makes these jewels created in the Garrard workshop the most potent in the world.

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ladykinrannoch · 1 year

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According to Lady C’s latest she said invitations have not been issued yet for the coronation. So there’s that. I believe her 50%. I think she said the same thing about the jubilee. At this rate olive branches are becoming extinct. Anyhoo whatever happens, Charles should be very concerned and shut down the Harkles as soon as he can after the memoir release. He need not invite the traitors. His idiot son has been holding the suicide card over his head since Diana died, and it’s worked a charm every time since. It’s time they told him to piss or get off the pot, cruel I know, I would feel different if it was my son. But I mean they have access to the best doctors and they couldn’t have dealt with this dimwit effectively sometime in the past 25 years? It’s pure negligence on their part. Charles was too busy tamponing to care, I suppose.

I think they will be invited. However, they have proven without a doubt that everything they do is mean-spirited and selfish. The BRF has figured out that it does not need to do anything but Carry On. If the Harkles behave badly they will be criticised for it, and then they will do an interview and fling more mud. Rinse and repeat. So far, no mud has stuck and all they have done with their lies and changing stories is totally discredit themselves. People see them for what they are.

If I were you @anonymousretired I wouldn't stress about whether there is an invitation or not, or whether they come or not. If they do come, they won't be sitting together, the peeresses sit in one transept and the peers in the other. So M will be a fish out of water with no H to hang onto. H will no doubt be flanked by senior Dukes from the peerage and lets hope they have formidable wives/duchesses to manage M.

M won't have a role. H will have to swear fealty on his knees to his papa and step-mother, what a schweet moment! While Catherine and children will sit in the royal box above the high altar with the working royals like Sophie and Anne. It will all be very neatly managed. Tiara's will likely be limited to the box.

Since there were no non-working royals at QEll coronation that I am aware of, the Tindalls and Philips are likely to be seated in the choir stalls with heads of state. Lord Louis Mounbatten did however sit in the royal box with the Queen Mother and Charles and Anne. So I am certain there will be a neat way to arrange the seating.

Here is some information about the ceremonial wear for peerage.

coronet, in Great Britain, ceremonial headdress of a peer or peeress, still worn with robes at a coronation and adorned along its rim with ornaments varying with the rank of the wearer: 8 strawberry leaves for a duke; 4 leaves and 4 silver balls for a marquess; 8 balls on tall points with strawberry leaves between for an earl; 16 small, close-set balls for a viscount; and 6 larger balls, more widely spaced, for a baron. The coronet is silver gilt and has an inner cap of crimson velvet with a gilt tassel and a narrow border of ermine.

The prince of Wales (heir apparent) has a special coronet, or demi-crown, of gold crossed by a single arch from front to back, and the coronets of other near relatives of the sovereign bear alternate crosses and fleurs-de-lis. At a coronation the coronets are carried by pages and are put on at the moment when St. Edward’s Crown is set on the head of the sovereign; when there is a queen consort, the peeresses wait for the moment of her coronation before doing the same. The word coronet signifies a small or lesser crown.

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warwickroyals · 6 months

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asking royal simblr: show us your favorite IRL tiara and then your favorite *sims* tiara!!!

Letizia clears everyone and everything around her whenever she's wearing the Fleur-de-Lis Tiara. As for The Sims, I think my favourite (that you've SEEN) would be the Coronation Park.

#warwick.answers #funkyllama #a have a lot of favourite tiaras so this was hard #i also have lots of tiaras that i find hideous abominations that should me melted down

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diamondcrownacademy · 6 months

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DCA Info Part 1: Early Concept

The Original Logo

The original logo appeared to have a pink fleur-de-lis in the center. On the top of the heart rests a golden crown with heart and swirl detailing on it. On both sides of logo are a pair of feathered wings, with the left side being purple and the right side being an off-white color.

Character Designs: Evonie and Ella

Evonie's original design didn't appear to change much from her current design. There were a few differences.

🍎 Evonie's Early Design

- Evonie's hair was more black without the royal blue tint and appeared to be less wavy.

- The sleeves are a bit less transparent and feature golden swirls, although the floral pattern reminds.

- The bottom of her top appeared to have triangular hems on each side.

Much like Evonie, Ella's original design didn't appear to change much from her current design either. But much like Evonie, there are a few differences.

👠 Ella's Early Design

- Ella's hair appeared to be more of a dusty off-red color and her hair originally reached to her upper shoulders.

- The jewel on both her tiara and brooch are purple in color. This was because Phoenix didn't think much about what to do with the gems until she decided to change them to accommodate to the original princess (In this case, Cinderella).

- Ella's skirt, despite having the same argyle patterning as her current skirt appears to be a ruffled one.

Character Designs: Allison and Briar

Allison's original design appeared to be very different from her current design.

🐰 Allison's Early Design

- Much like Ella, Allison's hair in her original design appeared to be an off-red color, before it was changed to be reddish-pink.

- Allison's original outfit was very different from her current one. Her sailor top was blue in color, with the center part having an argyle pattern, with hearts, spades, clovers and diamonds. The shirt also has red jewel buttons on it. The collar also has the same pattern, with the addition of a dark teal outline. The collar flap appears to be made of lace, with heart detailing at the edge. The scarf tied to the sailor top is black in color.

- The two layered skirt is somewhat similar to the current design, with the exception of the color palette. The top layer is a solid black while the bottom layer is navy blue with a line pattern.

- Allison's original headband is very different from the current one. The headband is black in color with a crown in the center. On the side of the headband are four gold bows, each with a card suit charm decorated onto it. The charms are in this order from top to bottom: red heart, blue spade, green clover and yellow diamond.

- Allison's collar, while the same as the current design was black in the original design.

Briar's original design while similar to her current one, the original design did have some differences.

🌹 Briar's Early Design

- The rose hair accessory appeared to have more of a pastel color palette.

- The blue gem on Briar's tiara looked darker.

- Her turtleneck sweater remains pink, but the collar part in the original design was light blue with a rose pattern.

- The rose in the center of the golden ribbon on Briar's left shoulder was red in the original design, instead of fuchsia.

- The jewel buttons were pink instead of light blue.

- Her original skirt was light blue in color and had the same rose pattern as the collar section of her turtleneck sweater.

- Briar additionally had red rose earrings in her original design. But they were removed because according to Phoenix, the rose earrings would take too long to draw each time Briar would have to be illustrated and they were cut to minimize Briar's drawing time.

Early Bios and Original Dorm Crests

(Note: The katakana for Evonie's given name is incorrectly spelled as "Evonia")

The original Pommeneige dorm crest featured a golden mirror with golden swirls. The interior of the mirror features colors that make it resemble a stained glass window and in the center of the mirror is a red apple.

In her original profile, Evonie is described as a woman who's willing to help others and is known for her vocal range and charisma. She is described as liking apple based desserts and clean environments, though she dislikes messy places and tricks (likely pranks).

(Note: Ella's tiara and brooch gems were still purple in the original profile, this was before they were changed to be white)

The original Glastanzerin dorm crest originally depicted a glass slipper on a purple flower shaped pedestal.

In her original profile, Ella is described as an airheaded crybaby who's excels at dancing and is popular with students for her tailoring skills. She is described as liking pumpkin based recipes, sewing and miniature figurines, though she dislikes rabid animals and doing too much housework.

(Note: Futterwacken's original dorm crest was recycled for the current crest, the only difference is the color palettes)

The original Futterwacken dorm crest was depicted as being a clock with a golden outline with Roman numerals and the inter part of the clock featured two shades of green. Probably the most notable part of the crest is the rabbit head in the center.

In her original profile, Allison is described as a girl who enjoys throwing parties and is very curious about everything. She wishes to explore anything that catches her interest. Allison is described as liking parties, mysteries and rabbits while having a disliking for being chased, sharp objects and being late.

The original Rosadormienti dorm crest had three roses (blue on the left, red in the middle and green on the right) above what appeared to be Princess Aurora's crown.

In her original profile, Briar is described having powerful magic that tries her out if she uses it to often, she is also described as being able to sleep on any surface no matter how hard or soft it is. Briar is described as liking plushies, sleeping and fairies while having a disliking for sharp objects, lizards and isolation.

#DCA info #general information #diamond crown academy

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europesroyals · 1 month

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18/03 - Tiara you most want to see Princess Leonor wear

Ansorena Fleur-de-Lis "La Buena" Tiara

#royaltiarachallenge24 #spanish royal family #spain

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emblematicemblazer · 8 months

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World building and theories of Engage

Queen Eve

Her name is a reference to Saint Eve. The symbolic relevance of being named after Saint Eve is that she is mother of all the living and Queen Eve is a mother to her children and her kingdom. Saint Eve is more than the wife of Adam and the beguiler of men. She is her own woman, intelligent, brave, rational and caring. Queen Eve demonstrates similar bravery when she is held hostage by Zephia's minion. Her rational and intelligent nature is implied by her ability to convince King Morion to sign a nonaggression pact. Saint Eve's main flaw was her vanity, perhaps this symbolises Firene's flaw, a country focused on aesthetical beauty rather than practical things.

Saint Eve is the patron saint of tailors and gardeners which fits in nicely with Queen Eve being the ruler of 'flower land'.

Saint Eve is blamed for the downfall of man, making him experience pain and mortality. In Engage the two Queens survive while King Morion and King Hyacinth meet their end. I wonder if her name is a cheeky hint at the fall of the two kings.

The dress of the Firenze royal is inspired by French Rococo, a style without any rules. The characteristics of rococo are pastel tone silks, heavily layered skirts, ornate decorative elements such as jewels, ribbons, ruffles and flowers, excessive flamboyance and asymmetric details.

The shade of blue of Queen Eve's dress reminds me of Marie Antoinette, whose favourite colour was light blue. The green ribbon of Queen Eve's dress could be the colour of royalty. When Marie Antoinette wore green it was to impose her regel status.

When I first looked at Queen Eve I was reminded of the infamous painting of Marie Antoinette in the Chemise Dress, holding a rose. In 1783, portrait artist, Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun painted a portrait in what was called robe de gaulle. The dress was sheer, loose, and white with a cinched waist. Technically she was wearing undergarments and this caused a scandal so the painting was redone with her in a pale blue dress. I wonder if Queen Eve caused a similar scandal with her clothing. The flamboyant clothing of Queen Eve is a way of showing wealth and status. Peasants prefered simpler, practical designs.

In the bible green means fertility and fruitfulness which is abundant in Firene. Queen Eve's green ribbon symbolises the fertility of her kingdom and her royal status.

The specific shade of blue symbolises the blue angel light. In the bible Michael is the archangel who commands this light. The light represents bravery, safety, immortality and faith that good would triumph over evil. The white in her dress symbolises purity.

The Crown of Firene is inspired by The fleur de lis diamond royal crown tiara created for Charles X, King of France and worn by Marie Antoinette. It is green to represent royalty, nature and fertility and decorated with white flowers. Rococo ladies often wore flowers in their hair. The fleur de lis shade in front is also a symbol of royalty. At the back of the crown is a variant of the Cross of Lorraine, in freemasonry it is a symbol of religion, hope and faith.

#fire emblem engage #fe engage #queen eve #firene

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lis-likes-fics · 2 years

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Yes, Sir | Chapter 10

You woke up early on Saturday, Lexi was sleeping in for most of the day. Against what was necessary, you tried to help Klaus and Caroline with the last minute preparations with the ball just to give yourself something to do. Caroline was helping a little as Klaus' assistant, she was a project manager, after all.

Later on in the day, you got a knock at your door. As soon as you opened the door, Catalina paraded into your home with one of her younger daughters, Adella, following behind, carrying two boxes in her hands. You moved to the side to allow room, entirely used to her antics. She set the things down carefully and you tried to peak at the dress, but Catalina was quick to smack your hand away. Adella set the boxes next to the hangers and stood by her mother, waving at you eagerly. You smiled and waved back, "Hey, Adella, how are you?"

"I'm good!" she responded.

Catalina had a big smile on her face, "You're going to love what I've done with this dress. You and your boss have treated us like royal workers, so I'm dressing you like royalty."

You narrowed your eyes a little at her. She shrugged, "I may have gone a little overboard, but you'll love it!" She held her hand out and Adella put a cloth in it, which Catalina then used to tie around your head. She did go overboard sometimes, but it was always worth it.

At some point, you heard Lexi walk into the room, almost surprised to see Catalina there guiding you blindfolded into a dress. She stayed to watch, admiring the outfit you had yet to see. It had been a while since she first blindfolded you and dressed you like a doll. She did your hair carefully, very specifically for the dress you were wearing.

When she finished, she took a step back to admire her work, her hands on her sides with a pleased smile. Lexi also gave an approving smile as she nodded, "You look amazing. You are so talented, Catalina."

"I know," she sighed.

Adella's excited voice came next, "She looks like a princess!"

"Well that's no good," Catalina told her, "She's supposed to look like a queen. Ah, I have to restart now."

Lexi laughed, "No, she definitely looks like a queen."

"Oh, I don't know anymore," she muttered, "I think I should have made the train a little longer. Or maybe I should done a complementing color... fancier trim? I don't know..."

"She looks like royalty," Adella said, doing a little spin. Catalina tapped her chin and opened one of the boxes, pulling out one of the finishing pieces and placing it carefully on your head, securing it with your painstakingly done hair. She smiled again, "Now it's perfect."

Perfect, good. Elijah deserved perfect.

"Well, can I see it now? Or is the blindfold part of the costume?" you asked, raising a brow under the cloth.

"Oh, right," she muttered, walking over and finally letting you see as she removed the blindfold. Lexi brought a mirror over and let you look yourself over. When you saw your reflection, your breath was knocked from your lungs as you saw just what she meant by royalty.

The dress was magnificent. The black dress hugged your body and accentuated your curves. he golden embroidery was done in an elegant and graceful style that was so intricate, you wondered how she did it in less than a week. The train was quite long and held even more of that golden pattern. You almost expected it to be a bit more puffy, but the dress was slim fitting. The detail was immaculate and it looked absolutely incredible. It looked like it was made specifically for you--because it was.

You took a closer look at the tiara that she had set atop your head so very carefully. The jewels placed inside the taira were in the shape vaguely of butterflies, and there sat a Fleur-de-Lis in the center. It matched some of the patterns in the dress and made you smile wide.

"Catalina, this is... This is beautiful. How did you do this?" you asked her.

"A lot of help from my kids," she answered, swiping at her forehead and pulling her daughter into her side.

"It was very fun," Little Adella said. She then looked up at her mother and tugged at her sleeve. Catalina leaned down so Adella could whisper something in her ear. "Oh, right!" she said, grabbing the smaller box from the table. She positioned it in front of you and said, "Mr. Mikaelson asked me to give this to you as well. He's said it was just a special gift for you."

She opened the box to reveal a bedazzled choker necklace. It was completely covered in diamond jewels that shone as it reflected light off of it. There was a note on the inside, a letter he'd put in the box.

"My dearest, Y/N, Here are some beautiful diamonds for a beautiful woman. Although the diamonds aren't nearly as beautiful as you. -E.M."

"This is beautiful," you whispered as you looked over it.

"I know, right?" she said as she looked down at it, shaking her head, "If I had jewels like this on me, I would have put them in the dress. Believe me." She started muttering something under her breath in Spanish. She then carefully took the necklace out and put it on you, clasping it around your neck securely.

She then stepped back to examine you again, wiping away a tear at seeing her good work on you, "You look amazing." She clapped her hands and pulled up a chair, "Now sit. I need to do your makeup." You obeyed excitedly, the dress was making you feel very beautiful. She started to apply your makeup--although, she did not apply much of it. "We want the dress to steal the show, not the makeup," she said.

After a while, you were finished and very happy with the results. Lexi made you strike a small pose for her so she could take a picture of your outfit. "I'm going to send this to your sister and the girls because girl, you look amazing."

You smiled and asked, "What does Elijah's look like?" You could just imagine it now. The intricate detail, the regal of the ensemble. She shook her head, "No, you must wait to find out. You'll love it, I promise."

She looked at the time and you look down at your own watch you asked to keep on, "Alright, you have fun with your girls and your man. Say goodbye, Adella."

"Bye, Y/N!" she waved with a large smile. Catalina took her hand and waved goodbye as well before you thanked her again and gave them each a hug before they left. Lexi smiled, "Catalina really is the best."

"Yes, she is," you nodded. Your phone buzzed on the table and you grabbed it too see Josh's contact. /So who do I pick up first? The boss or the girl?/

You smiled as you texted him back. /Always pick up the boss first./

/Gotcha. Thanks. :)/

You almost snorted at the smiley face he sent and set your phone back down. "Let's get you food before you go," Lexi told you as she dragged you to the kitchen.

A little while later, the limo pulled into your driveway. You waved at Lexi as you left and she promised you to see you tomorrow morning when she got off work. You grabbed your clutch and phone and left the house. Josh got out of the car and opened your door, his eyes widening with a smile at your dress. "You look absolutely amazing," he confessed.

"Thanks," you replied. He gestured for you to get in and you paused, "Where's Elijah?"

Josh shrugged, "Boss said to always get the queen first, so I got you first." You smiled with a roll of your eyes before noticing his gloves, tie, and pocket square. "I don't remember picking gold."

Josh scratched the back of his neck, "Catalina is very generous. She almost invited me and my boyfriend over to eat dinner with her family to 'welcome me to the family'."

You covered your mouth as you chuckled with a nod, "Yes, she did the same thing when I first hired her as our personal tailor. She agreed that she liked me and made Elijah and I come over for dinner. She'll make you come one way or another."

You both shared a laugh before you finally got in the car. He smiled at you, even did a little bow, before getting back in the car. He drove off in the direction of Elijah's place. You almost tapped your foot impatiently, you were really eager to see him. You continuously checked your watch, not for fear of being late, but to see how much time had passed.

When you finally rolled into Elijah's driveway, he came out in no time at all, checking his own watch for the time with squinted eyes. Your breath stopped once again when you saw his ensemble. It was just as magnificent as yours.

He wore golden shoulder pads with tassels that hung from them. The embroidery on his suit was elegant like yours, but I was also thicker. The color of the jacket was decorated with more golden stitching, the trims lined with more golden pattern. The patterns was also at the cuffs of his sleeves and the buttons of the top were gold. The crown that sat atop his head was decorated with a few of gems. It was amazing, he truly looked like a king. To throw it all together, he had a robe draped over his shoulder, for when he actually got ready to put it on. Josh got out of the car and opened the door for Elijah, letting him inside after giving and getting compliments.

When Elijah saw you, his jaw almost dropped and his breath was stolen. You were a queen--a goddess, even. You looked absolutely magnificent and more. He couldn't believe his eyes or his fortune for having a wonderful woman like you. You blushed under his adoring gaze and he took your hand gently in his, "You look so beautiful." He kissed your knuckles gingerly, licking his bottom lip into his mouth as he whispered another compliment to you.

Josh was now driving down the street as he neared the party which had started a little over ten minutes ago. You were being fashionably late--even if you were used to being early.

Elijah's hand wrapped in yours and you gave him a smile. He returned it, his eyes glued to you as he tried to come up with a word--any word--to express just how beautiful you were. But there were none that came to his mind, none that he could use to really capture your beauty enough.

So he set his finger under your chin and brought you into a kiss, a slow kiss that left your lips tingling and your body buzzing. With that small kiss, he had lit your body on fire and filled you with more desire than you thought it would. When he pulled away from you, he whispered to you, "You are truly magnificent."

Your blush deepened as you looked down at your lap. He tilted your chin up to look back at him, smiling at your bashfulness. When your eyes turned to the rear-view mirror, you saw Josh glance at the two of you with a small smirk on his face. You rolled your eyes with a chuckle and turned back to Elijah and his deep brown eyes that shone with something deeper.

When the road passed and finally brought you to the Mikaelson's estate, there were plenty of cars already parked and a few still coming in. The place was decorated expertly to fit the Halloween theme, while also keeping a very classy ball feel to it.

Josh slowed to a stop in front of the place, getting out of the car to open the door for you and Elijah. Elijah was the first to step out, instantly turning heads as he straightened up his outfit and placed his robe on his shoulders. The people walking inside were already staring at him and his ensemble.

There was a small smirk playing on his lips at the attention, he couldn't wait to turn it to you and show you off to the other guests. He held his hand out for you and gave a sweet smile. You grabbed it gently, letting out a calming breath and stepping out of the car. Everyone who turned their heads stopped quickly as they saw you dressed in your royal outfit.

Josh smiled, bowing at you before leaving at your nod and silent thank you. He got in the car and drove off, ready to come and pick you up at any time. Elijah turned his gaze back to you, "Shall we?"

You smiled and nodded, "We shall." You both started walking inside where the room was lit by the grand chandelier, candles both real and fake scattered around the house. There were also pumpkins, both carved and uncarved as some illuminated the room and others just looked pretty. The room really did look like a very classy Halloween ball.

The party, which was in full swing, had stopped abruptly when you and Elijah walked into the room together, arm in arm as royalty. You were the king and queen of the ball. The guests gasped and stared, both jealous and adoring at the amazing outfits. You gripped Elijah a little tighter, not exactly used to the type of attention you were currently getting.

The ballroom was warm and vast, filled with many couples and a staff dressed as waiters as they carried around trays of drinks. The host of the ball himself was standing up at the top of the stairs. He wore a deep red suit and a pair or horns on his head. You rolled your eyes. He was supposed to be a handsome devil.

You gripped Elijah's arm tightly, taking a couple of breaths to calm yourself. He bent down to your ear and whispered to you gently, "You look amazing. Don't worry, I'm here." You smiled up at him and whispered a thanks. A couple of waiters came by you and Elijah and offered you drinks, which you both gratefully accepted with thanks.

You heard your name from somewhere in the ball room, followed by Caroline, Elena, and Bonnie walking over with their dates. You smiled at them, waving as they came over to you. "You all look amazing," you told them.

Bonnie's outfit gave very witch-y vibes. Of course, the witch hat that sat on her head was a quick giveaway. Elena was a nurse--although, she was a nurse anyway. Caroline was dressed as an angel, of course to complement Klaus' devil outfit. Damon had a dramatic robe on and he flashed you a grin, wiggling his brows as he showed off his fake fangs. Stefan had dressed as a doctor to match Elena's nurse costume.

"Look who showed up," Klaus pointed out with a smirk, "It must be visiting royalty." He did a dramatic bow, gently grasping your hand and placing a kiss to your knuckles. Elijah rolled his eyes at his brother's antics.

"I mean, you look like it," Caroline stated obviously, "And you look absolutely amazing. Oh my God! We have to take a group pic." You laughed at her giddiness.

"And we will but, I'm sure it can wait," Stefan chuckled, "For now, why don't we just go hang out?"

"And offer dances to the lovely ladies," Damon said, lifting a brow and flashing his fangs again.

You rolled your eyes again, wrapping your arm tighter around Elijah's. "Thank you, but I've already got my dancing partner."

Elijah's small smirk at your answer made your heart flutter. Damon shrugged, "Suit yourself." He gave a cocky little smirk, saluting you with two fingers as he and Bonnie left. She gave you a wave before leaving. Elena and Stefan left next, waving goodbye.

"I must say," Klaus smiled, "It is very nice to see the two of you together."

"We're always together, Nik," you pointed out with a smirk. He raised his brow and rolled his eyes, "You know what I mean."

"Yes, I do. And these decorations, they're beautiful. I'm going to be honest, I expected a haunted house vibe," you told him, "But this is just... it's so great."

They both smiled. "I do enjoy them," Klaus said plainly.

Elijah nodded, "Yes, the endless supply of party ideas in your arsenal says that for you." You all shared a scattered laugh. Caroline gestured to you, "Well, you did help with this. You knocked out champagne choices--which affected everything--and I needed your opinion with the pumpkins. You picked the Baby Boos instead of Luminas to go with the Fairytale pumpkins and it looks so much better!"

"I think we can all agree that her skills are quite...magnificent," Elijah said. He then took a breath, "I think we should go greet the others guests."

"Yes, of course," Klaus agreed.

Caroline whispered to you, "I'm so happy for you, leaping over and hugging you. She pulled back, her hands still on your shoulders, "And you really do look like a queen."

"Thank you, Caroline. You look like an angel," you responded.

"Well, duh," she giggled, "I'll see you later. Don't forget to take a picture with me!"

"I won't," you laughed.

Klaus patted his brother's shoulder, leaning over in his ear, "Congratulations, brother. I'm happy for you."

Elijah smiled a little at his brother's sentiment, "Thank you, Niklaus." Klaus patted his shoulder once more before whisking Caroline away with his arm around her waist. She waved excitedly at you as she left.

Elijah turned to face you, your hooked arms adjusting so his hands resting on your hips, "Are you enjoying yourself?"

You breathed a laugh, taking a sip from your tall glass, "I am, and I'm glad I get to attend as you date... You don't realize how much I've wanted to do stuff like this with you..." While it was true that your feelings for Elijah in the past weren't as strong or compelling as they were now, there had always been a part of you who had wanted this. You wanted wonderful dates, moments of happiness and joy with a partner, moments where you laughed, moments where you cried. You want to be saved by your hero, to be loved by him, and to have amazing, mind blowing sex with him. There was an even deeper part of you--a part of you that was terrified to come out, a part of you buried so deep, you forgot it existed--that wanted all of those things with Elijah. Of course, it was only the sex at first, but five years could definitely change the wants and needs of a person.

His smile was soft and his eyes were softer as he stared deeply into your eyes, "Believe me, I feel the same." Your eyes lingered on his, darting between them and his lips as a growing need filled you, threatening to consume you and swallow you whole. Before you could let it, you shook your head a little and sighed, "Well, here we are. Let's make the most of it, yeah?"

He nodded, his eyes grazing over your body, "Yeah..." He offered his arm to you once more, and you took it graciously as he swept you away to go mingle with the other guests. You had fun as you spent the night by Elijah's side. You stopped by Cami to talk with her as she served drinks at the open bar. Since she was technically part of the staff, she was also dressed as a waitress like the others. She seemed to be enjoying herself, so you were happy.

You talked with Marcel and Rebekah, and you hung out with Kol and Davina. Everyone was having a good night. Elijah had his eyes on you most of it, they were filled with wonder and adoration. He was so entranced by you, and his lingering gaze had your body in constant awareness. You could feel his eyes roaming over your body when they were only barely fixated on the guests you spoke with.

He would watch the way you bit your lip, or smoothed a hand over your dress. He watched the way your hands grazed over the tiara atop your head whenever anyone mentioned it, felt the way your hand would smooth against his chest and over his heart at random intervals. There were times you'd be glancing around the party, your lip pulled between your teeth and your hand brushing your throat, or times you'd set your head on his shoulder and rub the small of his back under his suit. He absolutely loved the way you were always touching him one way or another, it brought him comfort he could hardly understand.

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charlotte-of-wales · 11 months

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The royal wedding of Felipe, the Prince of Asturias and Letizia Ortiz ♡

The wedding of Prince Felipe and Letizia Ortiz was held on May 22nd 2004, in the Santa María la Real de La Almudena Cathedral at the Royal Palace of Madrid, Spain. The couple’s engagement was announced on November 1st, 2003.

The wedding was the first state wedding in Spain for more than 50 years, and the first royal wedding in almost a century to be held in the Spanish capital. More than 1200 guests attended the wedding, including from 36 royal houses and almost every head of state from Latin America.

Letizia wore the Prussian Tiara, also worn by Queen Sofia at her wedding. The wedding dress, designed by Manuel Pertegaz, was white, tight around the waist, with long sleeves, a neckline in the shape of a corolla, a wide skirt and a 4.5-meter long train embroidered with heraldic motifs. The bride's gown was woven with Valencia silk and embroidered with silver and gold threads. The nuptial veil was a gift from the Prince to Letizia; with a triangular shape, three meters long by two wide, of natural silk tulle in ivory white with scrolls and hand-embroidered wreaths, which mixed the fleur-de-lis and the spike. The shoes were made by the illicitana designer Pura López. Felipe wore the Great Tag suit of the Army.

Upon the wedding, Letizia received all constitutional titles recognized to the Prince as heir to the Spanish throne, such as: The Prince and Princess of Asturias, the title of the heir of the Crown of Castile; The Prince and Princess of Gerona, the title of the heir of the Crown of Aragón; The Prince and Princess of Viana, the title of the heir of the Kingdom of Navarre; The Duke and Duchess of Montblanch; The Count and Countess of Cervera; The Lord and Lady of Balaguer.

The royal wedding was broadcast by Spanish public television, reaching a national record as the most-watched television program ever with 25.1 million viewers in Spain alone. Approximately 5,600 media outlets from around the world covered the wedding with a potential audience of between 1.2 and 2 billion.

#king felipe #queen letizia #royal weddings #srf

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royalpain16 · 2 years

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QUEEN MARY’S COUNTY OF SURREY TIARA

05.15.2022 by THECOURTJEWELLER

Our May survey on the jewels that belonged to May of Teck—better known to history as Queen Mary—continues today with another wedding gift that was dismantled to make two spectacular royal tiaras.

When Princess Victoria Mary of Teck married Prince George, Duke of York in July 1893, she received a haul of wedding gift jewelry that was certainly fit for a future queen consort. Among the gifts displayed at White Lodge, her parents’ home in Richmond, was this stylized diamond floral fringe tiara. On Monday, July 3, the Earl and Countess of Lovelace had presented the tiara to Princess May and her parents at a garden party held at White Lodge. Lord Lovelace was the Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey, and the gift was offered on behalf of the people of the county (and notably, he was also the widower of Ada Lovelace, the famous computer programmer and daughter of Lord Byron).

During the presentation, the Evening Standard reported that the Duke of Teck told Lord Lovelace that the gift was “an additional testimony to the good feeling shown by the people of Surrey to members of his family.” The Duchess of Teck added that “she hoped she might add her thanks to the people of Surrey on behalf of her daughter, who would still often be seen among them.” (I find it interesting that the Duchess spoke on May’s behalf when May was standing right beside them, holding the new diamond tiara in her hands.)

Funds for the tiara (pictured above as part of an illustrated list of the wedding presents) had been collected from Surrey residents by subscription, with Lovelace’s second wife, Jane, helping to organize the effort. Contemporary newspaper reports described the tiara as designed “in the Empire style. The centre is formed of a tapering upright, two and three-quarter inches in length, with scroll sides, holding large single diamonds, and supported by a fleur-de-lis base surmounting a band of single diamonds. On each side of the centre there is an upright ray, with three important single brilliant. The same design is repeated in gradations throughout, and has an unusually graceful effort, whether worn as a tiara or as a necklace. The gift, which cost £1,200, contains over 300 brilliants, many of large size.”

Mary wore the tiara setting of the piece for a famous series of portraits taken in London by W. & D. Downey in March 1901. The photographs were taken ahead of Mary and George’s eight-month tour of the Empire, visiting all corners of the globe following the accession of King Edward VII. In the images, May still wears a dark dress and gloves, as the court was still in mourning for Queen Victoria. Indeed, an entire wardrobe of black clothing was made for her to wear on the tour.

Here’s one more photograph from the March 1901 session, showing off the design details of May’s gown quite nicely. You’ll also spot a diamond leaf brooch pinned to her bodice, and a diamond floral bracelet on her right wrist. I believe the diamond flower was later reset as part of a new pearl bracelet, now worn by the Queen.

With the dark ensemble, she wore diamonds and pearls, including the County of Surrey Tiara. Other jewels worn in this portrait session include her eleven-row pearl choker necklace, with its distinctive diamond spacer sections, and the Kapurthala Stomacher, a grand diamond ornament given to her as a wedding present by the Maharajah of Karpurthala. The choker necklace is now worn by the Duchess of Gloucester, while the stomacher was redesigned and now belongs to the Queen.

After Queen Victoria’s death in 1901, George and May had held the rather clunky title of Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York. At the end of their imperial tour in November 1901, King Edward VII offered his thanks by upgrading them to the title of Prince and Princess of Wales. The new Princess of Wales wore the necklace setting of the Surrey Tiara a few months later during her father-in-law’s 1902 coronation festivities.

In this portrait from the time of the coronation, she pairs the Surrey Necklace with two new-to-her jewels: the Love Trophy Collar (made by Garrard in 1901) and the Boucheron Loop Tiara (made in 1902 using diamonds that had been given to her by De Beers during the imperial tour). The Love Trophy Collar is still in the Buckingham Palace Vaults today, but the Boucheron Loop Tiara was later broken up (to make the Delhi Durbar Tiara).

Eventually, May decided to have the County of Surrey Tiara dismantled as well. In 1913, the piece was broken apart, and the diamonds were used to construct and improve other jewels. Thirteen of the largest diamonds from the Surrey Tiara, for example, were used to replace the upright pearls which had once sat atop the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara (worn here by the Queen in 2004).

#tiaras #queen mary #queen elizabeth ii #county of surrey tiara #boucheron loop tiara #girls if great britian and Ireland tiara

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