Queen Mary sparks delight in 165-year-old jewels

Queen Mary of Denmark is one of the most contemporary royal dressers out there.

The 53-year-old is known for her modern fashion choices, comprising skyscraper leopard print heels, shimmering skirts and bold blouses, so it was a departure from her usual style on Thursday, when she wore a 165-year-old pair of earrings.

The jewellery in question comprised pearls, amethysts and topaz, set in gold metal. They featured intricate lead detailing and a pretty drop stone.

While unlike her usual jewellery, the beautiful statement earrings were a nod to the Danish royal family’s history, as they were owned by 18th-century royal, Countess Danner.

Queen Mary was opening an exhibition dedicated to the Countess, entitled ‘Danner of Denmark’, so wearing her royal predecessor’s earrings was a beautiful way to pay homage to the Countess – and it’s not the first time she has borrowed from her collection.

She also borrowed from Countess Danner’s archive in November 2024, and again during a couple’s state visit to Finland in March of this year.

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When the Queen is not wearing the historic pieces, they can be found at Rosenborg Castle.

On loan

The remarkable earrings were on loan from the castle, who commented on their joy at the outing: “It was a great pleasure for us to see the Queen honouring Countess Danner by actually wearing Countess Danner’s earrings to the opening,£ they wrote on Instagram.

Sharing the history of the jewels, the museum continued: £The exceptional set is more than 165 years old and was a gift from the then Frederik 7 to his much-loved wife, Lensgrevinde Louise Danner – or Grevinde Danner, as most of us Danes know her.£

The earrings have a dramatic backstory – Countess Danner was born civil and had a child out of wedlock, which meant she could not become Queen, or wear the crown jewels, so instead she built up a private collection – including the earrings worn by Queen Mary.

Old vs new

While Queen Mary’s earrings have years of history behind them, the outfit she paired them with was pure contemporary class.

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The royal donned a cobalt blue silk blouse with a black skirt complete with a daring leg split. She added dainty sling-back heels with cut-out detailing.