Flashback Friday: A Video Treat, Plus a Programming Note

Next week is a holiday week in my part of the world (Happy Thanksgiving, American readers!), and I'm making it a holiday week for the blog too. We'll return the week of the 2nd with our usual shenanigans plus the end to your ultimate tiara collection.

Until then, allow me to leave you with this video treat:

Video, above

This is a documentary on British royal weddings made in the run-up to William and Kate's wedding. There's not much new here, fact-wise, but what makes it fun are the video gems on display - including a rare look at the 1947 wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten in color! Delightful.

Enjoy, and we'll return in a week!

Flashback Friday: Princess Alexandra's Gowns

So many Princess Alexandras out there - today's about the one in Denmark, the one that used to be married to Prince Joachim and is now known not as Princess Alexandra but as the Countess of Frederiksborg. Today's about her princess days, though, specifically those majestic ball gowns she used to trot out. She had the fairytale look down pat, which makes her perfect material for a little Friday dress delight.

She married the second son in the family, but she did so in 1995, nine years before Crown Prince Frederik would marry and provide Denmark with a crown princess. Alexandra, by default, played a big role. She also married into a family headed by the dramatic Queen Margrethe, herself no stranger to a lush fabric and a big skirt. Add those things together, and you begin to see how enormous gowns with major trains came to fit right in.

And oh, did she love a train - and oh, how I love her for that. Several of these memorable frocks came from Jørgen Bender, Danish royal couturier extraordinaire. Bender also designed Alexandra's royal wedding gown. Others came from Henrik Hviid, who would design the dress for her second wedding, plus a selection of additional designers. She paired them with the Alexandrine Drop Tiara, which is her only one (and also a favorite of mine). Do I need to tell you that the purple one is my favorite? I hope not.

Sure, not every one was super successful - is that tartan? - and some are starting to look dated. Those that have followed her after her divorce know that her style is much updated now; in addition to the change in time, there's been a change in partners (both she and Joachim seem happy with their second spouses and on good terms with each other) and a change in status, making it all the more clear that she was dressing distinctly for her princess position. Which incidentally happens to be exactly why I loved her style, as I'll forever appreciate the effort.

Which is your favorite Alexandra look?

Photos: Polfoto/DR/Corbis/Scanpix

Flashback Friday: Máxima at Royal Weddings

Our recent taste of Dutch wedding style coupled with the reappearance of Queen Máxima's wedding tiara (which she wore both at her own wedding and as a guest at a few others) put me right in the mood for a little Máx flashback, in the form of her appearances as a royal wedding guest. It's a plentiful field, actually, thanks to the multitude of weddings in the extended Dutch royal family and the fact that she got an early start as a royal attendee during her engagement. A selection, including a few of the pre-wedding events:

She started slow, attending the first two here before her own wedding. And then she explodes in a riot of color not long after marrying, at Märtha Louise's wedding - but even a lack of color (à la her black and white for Friso and Mabel's celebration) is not lacking for flair. She can work a big hat, yes she can.

Of course, there is such a thing as too much of a big hat thing...ahem, 2005. This would be the one outfit for which I agree that the red should have been left at home - but it's the whole thing that's too too here, not just the color. In a muted color, the large hat makes the outfit for Felipe and Letizia's wedding, and makes it one of my favorite Máxima ensembles.

The pale pink 2004 Spanish outfit might just be my favorite here, but it has seriously steep competition from the pale pink in Britain in 2011. I feel like one of the tiara appearances should be my favorite because, well, I'm me, but in this case I think the hats are taking home the prize.

Which appearance is your favorite?

Photos: RVD/Scanpix/Getty Images/Gamma Rapho/Rex/DutchPhotoPress/PPE/WireImage

Flashback Friday: Guillaume and Stéphanie's Wedding

That's right, it's me, back again with another Friday video post. I'm determined that you shall not have a productive Friday! You will be lured into my world of YouTube-induced procrastination. Step into my web...

Earlier this week, half of you people were all, "Oh no, Stéphanie and Claire's wedding gowns were too similar! Two gorgeous wedding gowns, the horror!" (I kid because I love.) I had no choice but to rewatch Stéphanie's wedding, you see. And now I think you should too; after all, it is nearly their one year anniversary, and a tribute is in order. So here we go, the October 2012 religious wedding of the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy:

 

Video: This is a playlist and should take you directly from one part to the next - you can also click on the video title and go to YouTube instead.

 

Flashback Friday: Andrew and Sarah's Wedding

The religious marriage of the second son of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg is this weekend (Félix and Claire already tied the civil knot earlier this week). Seems as good of an excuse as any to rewatch another second son's wedding, right? Sure, why not. Fridays weren't made for productivity anyway. (As for the Luxembourg wedding - a much lower key affair than the one we're seeing today - we'll have a look next week.)

It's 1986, it's Westminster Abbey, and it's the wedding of Prince Andrew, Duke of York and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, to Miss Sarah Ferguson. Enjoy!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

 

Flashback Friday: Máxima at Prinsjesdag

It's nearly time for one of my favorite annual royal events: Prinsjesdag! The Dutch sovereign gives the Speech from the Throne in front of a joint session of parliament, but more importantly (for us in our frivolous mode, at least) there is the fashion. Prinsjesdag still follows an old dress code that used to be quite popular at royal events: long day dresses with orders and hats for the ladies, plus uniform or morning dress for the gents. Today, a look at what Máxima wore to the event during her princess years, with her years as Queen Máx still to come.

The ubiquitous Belgian house of Natan is very popular, as it always is, but since Prinsjesdag often requires some bespoke work, I think the results are greatly improved. Recent years have seen the creeping in of Dutch design, including a one-off appearance in purple Herbert Rouwers (not a typical choice of designer for her) and a run of Jan Taminiau. There's even a shout out to Máxima's home country in the form of 2004's outfit by Argentine designer Benito Fernandez.

The brighter colors draw me in (2007, you look so sadly tame and out of place) - 2003's maternity turn will always be a favorite - but still 2006's crisp white jacket and full black skirt are winning everything here for me. A dress code like this means a lot of look no matter what you throw on, so clean lines make such a world of difference and their absence sticks out in other years (2008, hello - how much do I want to love the purple year, and yet I can't!).

Which outfit is your favorite?

Photos: ANP/Belga/Getty Images/DutchPhotoPress/PPE/Reuters

Flashback Friday: Dolce Paola

This post really serves no purpose except to offer you a Friday dose of pretty and glam. Just so you know.

This is Dolce Paola...Queen Paola, that is. My favorite Paola is the young Paola of the 1960s, just after her marriage to Albert, the Prince of Liège. She was really almost shockingly beautiful, and the match of that beauty and the elegance of the 1960s fashions made for a royal picture not easily forgotten.

Born to an Italian princely family, Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria married the future King of the Belgians in 1959. She was just 21 at the time, and had met Albert less than a year earlier.

Double the beauty: Paola with Princess Grace

The young Princess of Liège was an instant sensation. She and Albert were followed everywhere by cameras, and her face was splashed across numerous magazine covers. Paola became a style icon. Her beauty even inspired a song: Salvatore Adamo's "Dolce Paola" ("Sweet Paola").

The life and marriage behind the stylish front might not have been so easy, but it's still easy to get lost in the glamour of it all, this level of chic that sometimes seems so lacking in today's fashions. A nice bit of fluff for a Friday daydream, at least.

Psst...: Here's a link for abdication times, which will says it will offer streaming for Sunday's festivities. Again, there won't be foreign royal guests, and it seems they're aiming for a normal National Day with just a few extras. We will not be hosting an open post for live viewing, but tune in next week for a look at the big day.

Photos: Corbis/Paris Match/TimeLife

Flashback Friday: Máxima in Jan Taminiau

As we all know, Princess Máxima is capable of both sartorial disaster and sartorial excellence, and I'm sure we're all counting on the better end of the spectrum come April 30th. The question - well, one of the questions - is: who will she be wearing? My guess from the start has been Jan Taminiau, because there's never a better time to fly the flag for Dutch design. Today, a look at some of the outfits she's already worn from the designer...just in case.

One of her well-known Taminiau outfits is the first on the left above, from a collection that reused old Dutch postal bags to put a patriotic flair on a standard jacket.

If it's a bit of sparkle she's looking for, she can surely get that here. Though I do think we could do without any more togas, thanks.

If there's not at least a touch of drama, we might not recognize Máx. She can get both glitter and swish from this designer, no problem.

Prinsjesdag outfits might be the best indicator of what's to come for the big event, and she's commissioned a few from Taminiau. They've all been repeated at tiara occasions, a reference point I hope will come in handy. It's really the Prinsjesdag stuff that moves me to guess Jan Taminiau in the first place, actually - like these or not, we know the brand can do an outfit with a certain kind of stately gravitas.

No matter who she picks for the actual inauguration and the events surrounding, she'll have plenty of opportunities to get loads of designers in - it's going to be a busy year, with multiple reintroduction visits on the schedule. Here's hoping it's all A-game, all the way.

Which is your favorite Jan Taminiau outfit?

UPDATE: And Taminiau was indeed the man for the job! He designed both her stunning blue outfit for the inauguration and the purple lace she wore in the evening.

Photos: DutchPhotoPress/ANP/PPE/Jan Taminiau/Abaca/Getty Images

Flashback Friday: Beatrix's Style

You don't have to know much about Queen Beatrix to know her style. That hair, those hats - you'd recognize them anywhere. The Beatrix Style we know today is one that has evolved over the years, of course; born in 1938, the monarch's fashion history includes exactly what you'd expect from most decades, becoming more and more unique until eventually she was left with something that was solely her own.

The young Princess

In her younger years, Beatrix wore what you'd expect from a young woman at the time, though she struggled, at times, to find a good match for her own looks and shape. It wasn't until the 1960s, I'd say, that she really hit her stride. The stride came along when a few key people entered the Princess' life. Of course there was Claus von Amsberg, who she married in 1966 - there's a certain confidence and a happy glow that came along with marriage and motherhood. But there are also meetings in this decade that changed Beatrix's style on a more superficial level.

As a fiancée, a bride, and a new mother. The wedding gown is by Caroline Bergé-Farwick. The engagement dress was later worn by Princess Mabel.

First came the hair. Beatrix called on Alexandre of Paris, the man responsible for many notable coiffures of the time, including memorable gravity-defying updos seen on the likes of Princess Grace. For the future Queen of the Netherlands, the famous hairstylist prescribed a short and strategically voluminous 'do which balanced out the shape of her face. It was a true 1960s style, but Beatrix has kept very close to that initial creation ever since. All other headgear (hats, tiaras) must conform to the 'do, not the other way around. Perhaps she's kept it all these years because it is the only thing she's comfortable with, or perhaps she keeps it because it is an integral part of her public face, an instantly recognizable trademark.

Queen Juliana's abdication and Queen Beatrix's inauguration, 1980. Beatrix's outfits are from Theresia Vreugdenhil, who also restored the ermine robe.

The 1960s also brought the woman that was to have a great hand in shaping the sartorial side of Beatrix's look. In 1965, Princess Beatrix met Dutch couturier Theresia Vreugdenhil. For the next four decades, Vreugdenhil would be a primary dressmaker for the Queen. She led a team including milliners such as Harry Scheltens to create the Beatrix style we know today, and was responsible for such memorable outfits as those worn for Queen Beatrix's inauguration. Vreugdenhil stopped working for the Queen in 2007 and passed away in 2012. Sheila de Vries and others are now responsible for the Queen's clothes.

Prinsjesdag outfits

But Beatrix's style is not entirely the creation of dressmakers and milliners and so on. If you recall, this is a woman that provided the design ideas for her own wedding gown, so her interest in her own style has been keen all along. And you can tell when you look at the clothes - these are clearly designed specfically for the Queen and her own comfort and confidence level.

Eveningwear through the years

The chief Beatrix Look starts at the top: if not the hair (which is a hat on its own), then a hat or tiara. She experimented with different shapes of hats initially, but settled on a wider model - wide enough to encompass That Hair - often with a flat top, and perhaps some ornamentation stuck on for good measure. They are Beatrix Hats, a uniquely identifiable variety of millinery. Her tiaras are nestled into The 'Do, even if that means only a small piece of the tiara can be seen over the hair.

Hats and hats and hats

The outfits of the Beatrix Look often feature a neckline with some sort of intricate design detail: ruffles, folds, even feathers. The waistline is usually either above or below the waist when it is defined, though it often isn't. She prefers a wrap, perhaps fur-trimmed, to guard against the cold. The sleeves are usually three-quarter length and are big - this is not a queen afraid of some pouf. The skirt length for day wear is below the knee, nearing the too long point. And all the same features apply for gowns, substituting a floor length skirt. The fabrics are rather lush, some collected over the years by the Queen.

A standard Beatrix run of outfits - from the 2011 state visit to Germany (click to enlarge)

Is she fashionable? Maybe not, but that's not the point. This goes beyond the outfits that get splattered on the front page. It is uniquely Beatrix, an instantly recognizable silhouette which is comforting in its familiarity. It's a part of her show, just as the neatly matched day outfits of Elizabeth II or the sweeping theatrical evening outfits of Margrethe II are a part of their own images. Who else could pull off a big hat, big sleeve, frilly neckline and maybe even a flared skirt all at once, and do it successfully?

What part of Beatrix's style do you find most memorable? 

Photos: ANP/PPE/Corbis/Getty Images/gahetNA

Flashback Friday: A Few More Engagement Rings

Today we have the last entry in our mini-series on royal engagement rings! This is just a random handful of rings, really. We haven't covered every ring, obviously, but I think we've hit most of the ones that we can get good looks at.

Clotilde, Princess of Venice and Piedmont

Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy gave his French actress fiancée a ring designed by his friend Fawaz Gruosi of Maison de Grisogono. It includes a central ruby with 14 white diamonds, all in heart shapes.

Queen Soraya of Iran

The young second wife of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran received a massive 22.37 carat diamond when she married - it's a lot like a super-sized version of Princess Grace's ring. They divorced and she took the title of princess instead of queen; when she died, the ring was included in the auction of her possessions.

Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

Perhaps the most petite ring in this series is the one Alexander Johannsmann gave Princess Nathalie. But one expects that with Nathalie's lifestyle - she competes in dressage and breeds horses - it was a perfect fit.

Victoria, Countess Spencer

A bit on the fringe of what we normally cover here, but this is an interesting one: Earl Spencer gave this dual ruby and diamond ring topped with a crown to his first wife, Victoria Lockwood. Queen Victoria received a similar one as a wedding present from her half-sister.

Sophie, Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein

Prince Alois gave his bride a classic e-ring, easily mistaken for others we've seen here: a single sapphire with a diamond on either side.

Empress Joséphine of France

And finally, the oldest engagement ring we've featured: the one Napoléon Bonaparte reportedly offered to Joséphine in 1796. It is, like others we've seen, a "toi et moi" (you and me) ring featuring two stones - one a pear-shaped diamond, the other a pear-shaped sapphire, both set on a simple gold band. It's just come up for auction.

And that's it! Here are the previous entries:

British, Part 1

British, Part 2

Mediterranean

Scandinavian

Benelux

We've seen different traditions and different ways of looking at engagement rings as we've gone through the series. Some of these ladies wear their engagement rings permanently, while a good percentage switch things up or go without. (And part of the point of this is to say: no, it often doesn't mean that anything is wrong with a marriage just because the ring is gone.) We've also seen a lot of different designs, from small to huge and basic to complicated, and now I'm curious to know:

What's your all-time favorite royal engagement ring?

Photos: Maison de Grisogono/Corbis/BilledBladet/ANP

Flashback Friday: Benelux Engagement Rings

This week, we return to our series on royal engagement rings and it's time to head to the Benelux countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

Queen Paola of the Belgians

Paola's ring from Albert is a large rectangular diamond - it rivals that of Princess Grace, I think, but without the side baguette diamonds.

Princess Mathilde of Belgium, Duchess of Brabant

When Mathilde became engaged to Prince Philippe, she received a ring with a central oval ruby in an intricate diamond band from Belgian jeweler Wolfers. These days, she alternates between the ruby ring and a sapphire version (an oval sapphire with diamonds to the side) which has appeared in these later years of her marriage.

Princess Astrid of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este

Astrid, the daughter of King Albert and Queen Paola, was given a sapphire and diamond ring by her husband Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este.

Princess Claire of Belgium

 

Claire's e-ring from Prince Laurent, son of Albert and Paola, seems to be a single diamond on a simple band, though at least one report from the time of the engagement stated that Laurent had chosen a Cartier Trinity ring set with a solitaire diamond.

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands

Claus von Amsberg gave Princess Beatrix a single round diamond surrounded by two concentric rings of diamonds - an interesting play on a classic design, creating a larger ring without the use of a single huge stone.

Princess Máxima of the Netherlands

 While the Danish princes went with flag rings, Prince Willem-Alexander went with a ring in his national color. The central diamond is an orange hue, a fitting gift from the Prince of Orange. Willem-Alexander had a hand in designing the unusual ring, placing the diamond horizontally and surrounding it with two white diamonds on either side and a white diamond band above and below.

Princess Margriet of the Netherlands

Pieter van Vollenhoven gave Princess Margriet a ring with a single pearl - perhaps a more modest choice than others we see here, but lovely and dainty all the same.

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg

Then-Hereditary Grand Duke Henri presented his future wife with a cabochon ruby set in gold.

Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Luxembourg

The ring Guillaume gave Stéphanie reminds me a bit of Beatrix's ring, with its double outside rows. It may be just that method of creating a larger ring that puts this one near the top of my favorites list. Stéphanie has also worn her mother's engagement ring, particularly around the time of her wedding - her mother, of course, died just weeks before these two married.

Claire Lademacher

After her engagement to Prince Félix of Luxembourg, Claire Lademacher was spotted in this ring, a diamond with a hefty diamond band.

Which is your favorite?

Next week: the final rings.

Photos: Getty Images/Scanpix/PPE/RVD/Corbis

Flashback Friday: Scandinavian Engagement Rings

Next up in our mini-series on royal engagement rings we're heading north to our Scandinavian friends and their mix of sentimental and patriotic rings. Sweden, Norway, and Denmark here we come!

Queen Silvia of Sweden

Silvia Sommerlath's engagement ring is a simple ring, probably more like what many of us (particularly those most familiar with the American tradition) might expect from an e-ring. It's a single solitaire diamond, estimated by some to be in the neighborhood of two carats, and is said to have belonged to King Carl Gustaf's mother Princess Sibylla - she died a few years before the couple's engagement. Silvia now wears the ring with others on the same finger, including a ruby ring.

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden

Victoria's ring, reportedly from court jeweler W.A. Bolin, is much like her mother's - so similar, in fact, that some wondered in the days after the engagement if it actually was Silvia's. (It isn't.) Victoria paired the classic ring with her diamond wedding band, but lately she hasn't worn much of either ring.

Princess Madeleine of Sweden

Madeleine has been the (at least partially unlucky, I suppose) recipient of two engagement rings in recent years. Her first, from Jonas Bergström in 2009, was a rectangular diamond set horizontally - but of course that engagement was broken following rumors of cheating on Jonas' part. In 2012 her engagement to Christopher O'Neill was announced, and the official photos gave us a glimpse of another sparkling diamond. This one appears to be an Asscher cut diamond on a diamond band, and it automatically jumped up on my list of favorite royal e-rings. Oh yes, I'd wear one exactly like this in a heartbeat.

Crown Princess Märtha, Queen Sonja, and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway

Crown Prince Harald of Norway gave Sonja Haraldsen an interesting diamond and ruby ring that belonged to his late mother, Crown Princess Märtha. Sonja carried on the tradition, giving the ring to her son Haakon when he proposed to Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby. Mette-Marit wears it occasionally these days; she is more consistently spotted in a three stone diamond ring usually said to have been a gift from her husband.

Princess Märtha Louise of Norway

Märtha Louise's ring seems a bit unconventional to traditional tastes, but that's pretty fitting for the princess herself. The white gold ring studded with diamonds forming lilies was designed by fiancé Ari Behn's grandfather, Andreas Solberg. Ari has one too, but Märtha's includes two additional tiny ruby hearts.

Queen Margrethe of Denmark

This Van Cleef & Arpels ring features two entwined large diamonds - unusual and a bit over the top, just like its wearer Queen Margrethe, and well chosen by her equally interesting husband, Prince Henrik.

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark

Mary Donaldson's engagement ring from Crown Prince Frederik is in the colors of the Danish flag: an emerald cut diamond flanked by emerald cut rubies. She wore it like that, alongside her diamond wedding band, for several years; and then, in early 2012, she upgraded. The ring now includes an extra diamond on either side of the rubies (the bottom close up, above), which I think makes it look a little more complete. A lovely design change.

Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg

Flag rings run in the family, apparently. Frederik's brother Prince Joachim presented his first wife, Alexandra Manley, with a faceted center diamond with a cabochon ruby on either side, set in 18 carat gold. Joachim and Alexandra are now married to other people, of course, and Alexandra has a diamond ring surrounded by diamond bands from her second husband, Martin Jørgensen.

Princess Marie of Denmark

Joachim wasn't done giving flag rings, though. His second wife, Marie Cavallier, received a literal interpretation of the flag of her home country, France: one sapphire, one diamond, and one ruby on an intricate wide gold band from Mette Rosgaard (who frequently uses the giraffe-like pattern of the band). Marie does not wear it all the time, but she does use it. It is, by far, my least favorite royal engagement ring...sometimes the inspiration is just a touch too literal.

Which one is your favorite?

Photos: Getty Images/Scanpix/Kungahuset/Corbis/Reuters /BilledBladet/Sipa Press

Flashback Friday: Mediterranean Engagement Rings

For the next installment in our royal engagement ring mini-series, we're heading to the shores of the Mediterranean for some of the royal (and princely) rings of their current (and former) monarchies. Ready?

Princess Grace of Monaco

It's only natural to start with the most famous of the bunch - perhaps the second most famous royal engagement ring, after the Diana/Kate sapphire gumdrop, maybe? The e-ring that Grace Kelly is best known for is the 10.47 carat emerald cut trinket from Cartier, a ring so luxurious it doubled as a film prop for her role in High Society. The ring - set in platinum, with a baguette diamond on either side of the main stone - has been on display with various exhibits on the princess in the past years. But actually, it wasn't her first: Prince Rainier originally presented Grace with a much simpler Cartier eternity band of rubies and diamonds (the colors of the Monegasque flag), which she happily showed off at their engagement announcement (that's it in the picture on the left, above). Later he upgraded to the mega-diamond; some versions of the story say Rainier quickly changed the ring after realizing the size of the rocks most Hollywood stars received, but others say that the ruby and diamond ring was a friendship ring and placeholder for the larger diamond ring, which was not ready. Either way, the famous ring is one of my very favorite royal engagement rings - big like a royal ring should be, but not ostentatiously humongous.

Princess Charlene of Monaco

When Prince Albert announced his engagement to Charlene Wittstock, a photo was released showing an enormous diamond ring (left, above). But when Charlene was finally photographed wearing the ring in real life, it appeared much smaller. Though some believe she has two rings, one large and one smaller, I think the engagement portrait suffered a bit of a Photoshop fail in an effort to add in a ring that wasn't complete (the jeweler had to be called back from vacation the day before the official announcement so that Albert could pick out a ring). The ring provided by Maison Repossi is called Téthys, a 3 carat pear-shaped diamond with brilliant diamonds embellishing the sides, set in gray gold. It remains mostly unworn by Charlene, who doesn't wear much jewelry.

Princess Caroline of Monaco

For her first marriage to Philippe Junot, Princess Caroline received a Ceylon sapphire ring with a diamond trillion on either side. Of course, she's been married twice since, so this is a thing of the past.

Tatiana Santo Domingo

There was no formal press conference to mark the engagement of Andrea Casiraghi, son of Princess Caroline, and Tatiana Santo Domingo. That means there was no "show us your ring" shot to be sure, but she was pictured with a pretty hefty ring following the engagement.

Queen Anne-Marie of Greece

We have a bit of a sapphire ring tradition in the Greek royal family as we did with the Windsors: Anne-Marie wore a double sapphire ring, each surrounded by diamonds, when her engagement was announced to Constantine of Greece.

Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece

Crown Prince Pavlos used a cabochon sapphire that belonged to his mother, Queen Anne-Marie, and added a heart-shaped diamond on the side when he proposed to Marie-Chantal Miller.

Princess Tatiana of Greece

Prince Nikolaos also proposed with a sapphire that was a gift from mum Anne-Marie, and added a diamond surround.

Princess Alexia of Greece

Alexia's ring, unlike the sapphires of her family members, is a simple and starkly modern single diamond on a wide band. Her husband Carlos Morales Quintana is an architect, which is fitting.

Queen Sofia of Spain

Some say Sofia received an engagement ring from Juan Carlos, the future King of Spain; others say it was a bracelet, which is a different engagement tradition. Some say she received both. Apparently the proposal involved JC tossing the bauble, whatever it was, at her. "Catch!" Anyway, I don't know that she wears any particular engagement jewel on a regular basis today, but she has a tendency to wear multiple bracelets and rings at any given time.

Infanta Elena of Spain

Elena turned up at the announcement of her engagement to Jaime de Marichalar wearing a ring containing a sizable diamond said to have been taken from a tiara belonging to her future husband's family. The couple are now divorced, though.

Infanta Cristina of Spain

Cristina's ring from future husband Iñaki Urdangarín was a simple eternity band. It's somewhat similar to the ring Cristina's brother Felipe would later present to his bride - which is ironic, sort of, now that Cristina and her husband are all wrapped up in the saga of the Princess of Asturias' engagement ring.

The Princess of Asturias

The eternity ring Felipe gave Letizia came from Suarez jewelers, with a reported value of €3000. In addition to the ring, which contains 16 baguette diamonds and a white gold band on either side, Felipe gave Letizia a necklace from the family collection; she gave him a pair of sapphire cufflinks and a book. Up until a few months ago, the ring and her yellow gold wedding band could both be spotted on Letizia's hand, but they have been missing lately. Though not wearing one's engagement or wedding ring is not an uncommon thing, in Letizia's case it's all tied up in the big scandal the Spanish royal family is dealing with right now.

They've been fighting scandal on a few fronts for the past year or two, really; the King was caught enjoying an extravagant trip to hunt elephants in Botswana last year, during a trying time for the Spanish economy. (Oh, and his alleged mistress was with him. Oh, and it was all supposed to be done under the rader - until he broke his hip and had to fly home for an operation. Oops.) But that's not the biggest threat to the royal goodwill that comes from the role the King played in guiding Spain to a democracy following the death of General Franco. No, the biggest problem seems to be Iñaki Urdangarín.

Since late 2011, Iñaki's been under investigation for corruption. He and his former business partner are accused of embezzling public funds, diverting them for their private profit through the Noos Institute, the supposedly nonprofit organization he once chaired which arranged events for regional governments. He's persona non grata, basically, at royal events (Cristina's not around much either these days), and he's been removed from the royal website, but the problem is not solved. The investigation keeps growing - and Letizia's ring is one of the things that's been drawn into the mess.

A book on Urdangarín published last year stated that Felipe asked his sister Cristina to pick up the engagement ring from the jeweler (this makes sense, since his engagement was top secret). But supposedly Cristina was sick, so she asked her husband to handle it. The book alleges that it was paid for with the Noos credit card...and there's your problem. Allegations go further too, saying that Iñaki may have refused to allow Felipe to pay him back. Letizia stopped wearing her rings when this came about, which is a hard coincidence to ignore. Even if this is false, the association alone seems to be enough to warrant ditching the ring. (She also stopped wearing her wedding ring, but Felipe still wears his. She avoids most jewelry, even more now that Spain's economy is hurting, and she's been seen to remove or fiddle with her rings following events with lots of handshaking. Maybe she wasn't terribly averse to going ringless, we have no way of knowing.) What a mess, huh?

Anyway. That's that for today's installment. Until next week...

Which one is your favorite here?

Photos: Palais Princier/Cartier/Getty Images/Maison Repossi/AFP/Suarez/PPE