The Tiaras of Greece's Queens: Where Are They Now?

Greece hasn't had a monarchy since the 1970s, but members of the former royal family still own many of the tiaras worn by former Queens of the Hellenes

Queen Anne-Marie, wife of the last King of Greece and aunt of the Kings of Denmark and Spain, celebrated her birthday yesterday. In her honor, today’s discussion post is devoted to some of the tiaras still worn by the descendants of the last Greek royals, including pieces that adorn the heads of royal women in Denmark and Spain.

From the 1830s until the 1970s, the nation of Greece was led by a monarch as head of state. For the first thirty years of that era, a Bavarian prince reigned as King Otto of Greece. After he was deposed, a new monarch was elected: Prince Wilhelm of Denmark, who reigned as King George I of the Hellenes until his death in 1913. His descendants were on the throne (and off the throne, and on it again) throughout the 20th century, until a referendum finally ended the monarchy for good in 1974.

Over the course of a century, five women held the title of Queen of the Hellenes. These consorts–Grand Duchess Constantinovna of Russia, Princess Sophie of Prussia, Princess Elisabeth of Romania, Princess Friederike of Hanover, and Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark–each wore the grand jewels of the family collection, including suites set with diamonds, emeralds, and rubies. Today, I’ve got a look at some of the tiaras worn by the Queens of the Hellenes, as well as a glimpse of where the jewels ended up after the monarchy was abolished.

The Greek royal emeralds, worn by Queen Olga and Queen Anne-Marie (Wikimedia Commons, Patrick van Katwijk/DPA Picture Alliance/Alamy)

Queen Olga’s Emeralds

Queen Olga, the wife of King George I of the Hellenes, was a Russian grand duchess. When she moved to Athens to marry the monarch, she brought along a cache of remarkable cabochon emeralds, including both round and teardrop-shaped stones. Eventually, the emeralds were set in a traditional tiara by her grandson’s wife, Queen Elisabeth. (Note the shape of the letter E incorporated into the tiara’s design.) Later worn by both Queen Friederike and Queen Anne-Marie, the emeralds remain in Anne-Marie’s jewelry box today, and she still wears them for high-profile gala events, especially in her native Denmark.