in retrospect, “norwegian november” and “danish december” would have had a better ring

November is quickly turning into a theme month showcasing the tiaras of Denmark. It wasn’t intentional. Our dear Perseverance at the Lady and the Rose mentioned the Danes to be one of her favorite royal families. Your Blog Hostess checked the Bling Index, found the roster only two diadems deep in the Danish category and decided to remedy the situation. So happy November, ma cherie!

Meet the Alexandrine Drop Tiara. We’ve got the feeling its stye will provoke disparate opinions and we always want to know, love it or hate it? [So comment at the end!] Its unique looping gold arches have small, poiré diamonds set en tremblant so they quiver and dance in the light. From a distance, the golden supports disappear and the glistening brilliants appear to float on their own making the wearer appear a celestial being. The Alexandrine Drop Tiara has been quoted as delivering the most sparkle you can cram onto one noble melon.

In order to see the tiara sparkle, forward to minute 6 and watch from there. Your Blog Hostess thought she just NAILED video editing but it turns out that was wasted time. [Up yours iPhoto!] For some more sparkle in action, forward to minute 1:20 below. [Hey, you can watch the whole thing if you like, but we’re just getting you to the Alexandrine Drop faster.]

With this brilliant characteristic, the Alexandrine Drop Tiara is the front-running candidate for the Tiaras and Trianon mascot. [We’ll vote on it later.]

True to its name, the tiara was made for Alexandrine, Queen-Consort of King Christian X. The tiara was made in Paris in 1915. Alexandrine the Tiara Queen [we’re never getting sick of that] passed on, she left the tiara to her son Frederik IX. [When one leaves a tiara to a male monarch, does that mean it is immediately absorbed into the Royal Collection and becomes state property?] Frederik gave the Alexandrine Drop Tiara to his eldest daughter Margrethe for her 18th birthday.

It’s quite grand compared to some of the other “starter tiaras” we’ve seen out there: the Princess Madeleine of Sweden’s Aquamarine Bandeau or the Cartier Halo Scroll Tiara. [The Cartier Halo Scroll wasn’t just a starter for Kate Middleton but young Princesses Margaret and Anne as well.]  Just like Princess Margaret and Princess Anne, Margrethe wore the Alexandrine Drop less and less as time went by.

the tiara of contention?

A little family drama–especially how the Queen of the Any House treats her daughters-in-law–Is incredibly thematic for this time of year. Oh don’t pretend your family’s perfect! Reunion leads to frazzled nerves, a glass of wine to soothe them, impaired-judgement snippy bickering escalates to a promise to never return to the Hudson River Valley again. Next year, we’ll be in Lanai! Errr—these are all hypotheticals, of course!

1995 Wedding of Prince Joachim and Alexandra née Manley. Didn’t recall a poof that huge making it past 1991 in style.

Even if your family is perfect [up yours if it is] at least the rest of us miserable bastards can relate to the tiara gift-versus-loan situation that went on in Denmark between 1995 and 2008.  Sure, there aren’t tiaras involved in most family strife, but if you’ve even been judged by your in-laws especially before they’ve even met you, then your heart strings will wail for Princess Marie. *ahem. ahem. never happened to your Blog Hostess. never.*

Prince Joachim and Alexandra Christine Manley had a whirlwind courtship and quick engagement that certainly took the Royal family by surprise. The couple wed in November 1995, the Queen and Prince Henrik gave the Alexandrine Drop Tiara to the future Princess of Denmark, probably finding the name a fitting gift plus it wasn’t like Daisy was using it. Starter tiara. Alexandra wore it on her wedding day and every tiara event after, hence there’s no shortage of pictures.

When Prince Joachim and Princess Alexandra’s marriage was finalized, she was given the honorific Countess of Frederiksborg and she took the Alexandrine Drop Tiara with her, as it is was a gift. The Alexandrine Drop will forever be the one that got away for Margrethe…and it was generally believed that we’d never see it again. And how wrong we were! We poke fun at Queen Margrethe for not sharing her jewels [probably because we have none ourselves] but she and the rest of the clan aren’t that caddy. For there at the Crown Princely Wedding, just months after her divorce, was the new Countess of Frederiksborg–still allowed the prefix ‘princess’ as the time–in a lovely pink dress and the Alexandrine Drop! (right)

The Countess, who was allowed to retain her title even after remarriage, must be on cordial terms with the family still for the Alexandrine Drop Tiara reappeared in 2012! Lady Alexandra was invited to a gala concert performance, part of the Ruby Jubilee Hullabaloo for the Queen of Denmark. A classy move on both the House of Glücksburg and Countess’s sides, she looked resplendent in red and we all gurgled at the return of the dancing diamonds of the Alexandrine. (left.)

Like Princess Marie with the Dagmar Floral Tiara, it was the only one to which Princess Alexandra was allowed access, the glaring distinction being the Alexandrine Drop Tiara belongs to Alexandra and is probably specifically the reason why the Dagmar is strictly a loaner for Princess Marie.  A press release on the day of Prince Joachim’s second wedding practically delineated this fact in legalese. This harrowing incident effected Margrethe’s handling of diadems and daughter-in-laws markedly. A dinky tiara free of sentimental value was purchased for Crown Princess Mary for her wedding day but Daisy the Gatekeeper decided Joachim’s second wife wasn’t even worth the purchase of a David’s Bridal-esque tiara. Ouch! It has been determined that Princess Marie will be allowed a single loaner. Clearly, the Queen’s opinion of Prince Joachim’s choice in women had already been tainted by his divorce, even though during her tenure as princess, Countess Alexandra was extremely popular and got along well with the family. Is this a case of “Daisy Got Duped?”

What do you think?

• Is it out of pure reticence to ever lose another tiara or does Queen Margrethe have little faith in her younger son’s ability to have a successful marriage?
• Would you like to see the Alexandrine Drop Tiara purchased back? Do you think it will make its way back to the family on its own? After all, Alexandra’s children by Joachim can use it.
• Or will they? Do the children from the first marriage lose royal rank due to divorce? They’re not heirs to the throne, would it be an issue?