Antique, Vintage and Estate Fine Jewelry
Well, I’ve avoided the obvious for a while now, but I guess it’s time to go ahead and talk about the rings that everyone has talked about already. Who do I mean? Well, I guess it’s time we talk abut Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank and the padparadscha sapphire engagement ring.
When you think of trend setters and fashion plates, I’m guessing the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth’s mum, known also as Elizabeth I, doesn’t come to mind. But it seems, in her own right, she was. At least when it comes to engagement rings.
Since we were already on the subject of Dutch Royalty just yesterday, I thought we’d just stay right on track and discuss the gorgeous engagement ring that belongs t Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.
Oh to be young, famous and in love. So maybe were the thoughts of the likes of Clementine Hozier and Winston Churchill. While I could find no photos of the future Prime Minister’s beloved wearing her engagement ring, it is well documented that it actually belonged to another Mrs. Churchill (better known as Lady Jennie Churchill) before it was gifted to Clementine.
When you think of a fairytale romance, who comes to mind? For me, the first to pop in my head is Princess Grace of Monaco. The Philadelphia born actress was in Cannes for the film festival in 1955 and was invited to the royal palace in Monaco for a photo shoot. Things got off to a rocky start (no power in the hotel, only one dress to wear that didn’t need to be ironed, running late….) but the event took place and Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier were introduced. The actress was dating someone else, but as the story goes, the Prince was smitten and wouldn’t’ take no for an answer. Given that she ended up with not one but two engagement rings not long after, I’d say that there’s a good chance it was love at first sight.
When you’re marrying a future Queen, all eyes are going to be on the engagement ring with which one proposes. So when Daniel Westling proposed to Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, the glitter crowd was watching.
When you’re a princess’ princess, your engagement ring matters. Especially when you’re a British Royal Princess. Well, maybe only to those of us that follow these things. Even when it’s Zara Phillips and Mike Tinsdale.
I thought I’d mix it up for #WeddingWednesday and for the next several weeks, we’ll focus on royal engagement and wedding rings. We’ll look at royals from all of the world – current and historic – and the engagement rings they received. Rather than starting with the obvious (I’m never that easy), I thought we’d reach out and start with a royal that may be a little lesser known: Princess Tatiana Blatnik of Greece.
They say you don’t get to choose love. It chooses you. And apparently, one doesn’t have much choice on where it strikes either. I guess rehab is as good a place as anywhere else. I bet if you were able to ask Elizabeth Taylor and Larry Fortensky they’d agree.
“Liz Taylor settles for a simpler life with the county farmer.” So read the headlines (or something similar) in December of 1976 when Elizabeth Taylor and John Warner tied the knot.
It was a love for the ages. Or so it seemed for a while. It was definitely one for the history books! When Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton got together, both were married to others. Liz to Eddie Fisher and Richard to Sybil Williams. But apparently theirs was a love not to be denied. And thank goodness because just wait until you see the jewelry.
It’s slightly scandalous to be married four times. But when your fourth husband is your now deceased third husband’s best friend, who was married at the time you started your relationship with him….. well THAT’S scandalous. And so goes the marriage of Elizabeth Taylor and Eddie Fisher.
The third time is a charm. That’s what they say, right? For Elizabeth Taylor, she thought she’d found true love with husband number three, Mike Todd. Fresh from marriage number two, she fell hard for the 47 year old Todd (she was only 24). He was also twice divorced. What drew Elizabeth Taylor and Mike Todd together? Maybe it was the engagement ring that won her over. Maybe it was him. Sadly, we’ll never know.
Love will find a way, as the saying goes. Even when that love is 20 years your senior. Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Wilding married at Caxton Hall in London on February 21, 1952. No matter that she had been divorced barely a year at that point. No matter that he was also 20 years her senior. When it’s love, it’s love. Or so they say.
Every wild story has a beginning. And an end. The history of Elizabeth Taylor’s husbands, all seven of them, is truly a wild story. One that started when she was merely 18 years old with a hotel financier (and Paris Hilton’s great uncle) named Conrad “Nicky” Hilton. Here’s their story.
It’s not often that we see romance last for long in Hollywood beyond the silver screen. But Angela Lansbury and Peter Shaw were the exaction to that rule. Married in 1949 (his first and her second) they were married 54 years before Peter died of heart failure in 2003.
They say the third time’s a charm. But that’s not always the case. Actually, in the case of Rita Hayworth, it appears not the third, fourth nor fifth time sealed the deal. But we find it interesting that she was married to four of her five husbands for five years each. The one exception: Dick Haymes, to whom she was only married for two. And now we know why. Here’s the story of Rita Hayworth and Dick Haymes.
She was the woman who on May 1, 1967, married the world’s most eligible bachelor. Unless you’re under the age of ten or have lived in a cave the last 50 years, you know who I’m talking about. The groom maybe more so than bride but she’s still alive and kicking…. and he isn’t. What famous couple could this bet? Elvis Presley and Priscilla Beaulieu, of course.
Did she break up the band or didn’t she? That’s been the big question for nearly five decades. John Lennon and Yoko Ono met in November of 1966 at an art gallery opening in London where Ono’s work was soon to be on exhibit. Was it love at first sight? Who’s to say. But it was certainly a whirlwind and sometimes controversial relationship.
* If you’re a follower of our #TiaraTuesday posts, then then woman in these photos should look familiar. It’s the current Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret and her husband Antony Armstrong-Jones. To say they had quite a marriage would be an understatement. Let’s take a quick peek at just what it reportedly looked like. #WeddingWednesday #RoyalWedding