More tiaras! Last night, December 11, King Carl XVI Gustaf held the annual dinner for the Nobel Laureates at the Royal Palace in Stockholm. All the royal ladies (and gents) were out to welcome the laureates to the palace. Because this is a white tie dinner, we get more gowns and more tiara photos. Yay! The gowns were different, obviously, but the only royal lady to switch up her tiara game was Queen Silvia. Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine stuck to their trusty fringe tiaras from the day before. Sofia Hellqvist still didn’t wear a tiara, but she did wear a hair brooch.
Queen Silvia is the latest royal lady to join the All Lace Gown Club. She wore a red lace gown with sleeves and a v-neck. It’s similar to Sofia’s red lace Tadashi Shoji gown from a few weeks ago, but not the same of course. Silvia’s bag is really cute. It’s a jewel-encrusted Queen of Hearts box clutch with a rope strap. Literally, the queen of hearts from a deck of cards. How whimsical. I love it, by the way, I would totally rock that.
Silvia switched out the Leuchtenberg Sapphire Tiara for the Connaught Tiara – or as the palace refers to it, Princess Sibylla’s diamond tiara. She also wore a diamond necklace, bracelet, and ring, and diamond and pearl earrings and brooch.
Crown Princess Victoria wore a blue and black dress with a giant bow at the back. From the front, the dress looks fine; not as awesome as the red dress, but nice. But from the back, so weird.
Victoria wore the Stråldiademet (Sunray/Baden Fringe Tiara) again. Victoria wore Princess Lilian’s corsage necklace, a diamond bow brooch, pearl and diamond earrings, and the diamond bracelet from the night before.
Princess Madeleine wore a dusty pink dress made of lace and tulle, with a few sequins thrown in. This dress is not as sequin-y or as tulle-y as Sofia’s from the night before – which most people disliked. I’m still not a huge fan of exposed tulle, but I think the top part of Maddie’s dress is pretty, and she looks beautiful. And considering none of the other dresses catch my fancy, I say Maddie FTW!
Maddie wore the private Modern Fringe Tiara again, a brooch with a pearl surrounded by diamonds, and the Vaasa diamond earrings.
Sofia wore an apricot pink gown with pearls. I’m not sure how I feel about the pattern – it for some reason draws my attention to her midsection and I don’t like that. But this dress is a huge improvement from the sequined tulle concoction.
Sofia wore private jewelry again: earrings, a bracelet, and a rather large diamond hair brooch. Damn, someone really splurged on Sofia’s private jewelry.
Note: She chose not to cover up her tattoo this time.
The honorable mention again goes to Princess Christina in the Six Button Tiara.
Food! The meal started with herb covered island char with cauliflower, pickled spruce shoots and sweet and sour dressing. The second course was fried fillet with risotto made with Carnaroli superfinoris, with white Alba truffle and butter sauce flavored with balsamic vinegar. The next course was a nice roast venison saddle from the royal hunt with green pepper, fried asparagus, broccoli, roasted artichoke and semi-dried plum tomatoes. For dessert, they had baked apple sorbet, ice cream, and lemon sponge cake. Yum.
Photos: Kungahuset/Expressen/Svenskdam
I LOVE BIG ROYAL JEWELS!!! But I cannot for the life of me see Kate pulling off jewels like these. You have to WEAR these jewels, not let them wear you and she just exude the confidence that’s needed to wear these kinds of jewels (and honestly the dresses too).
Silvia’s purse is great and I honestly think she looks better in her red lace that someone decades younger than her looked in their black lace. IMHO
Okay Victoria’s dress was odd in the back, looks like a big bow for a package. I can’t imagine sitting with that behind me all night.
Sofia’s dress seems to highlight the Womb of Doom. Odd pattern, okay color, but at least she’s getting the hair right. And CP and/or CG need to lay off of buying the jewels already.
I would love to go to one of these just to see the jewels and gowns in person, and of course, to eat…lol
Kate tried to wear royal jewels when she wore the Nizam necklace to the NPG gala in February and she just did not pull it off at all. Not only did she have the wrong hair, but her posture was bad and there was no confidence there. Like you said, you need confidence to pull of those big jewelry pieces.
I think Silvia pulled off the All Lace Dress better than every other royal lady who has worn lace recently, but that may be due to her age. Silvia is older and can wear lace without it aging her, where as the other ladies look too matronly in the lace.
Re Sofia: Right! Why on earth would you want to highlight your lower tummy area? So weird. but it is an improvement from the other dress.
I always love looking at the menu for these events. Such great food!
Oh, my, what was a back brace disguised as a bow doing on Victoria’s back? Not as spectacular an appearance as her Nobel dress, but still quite lovely. The other ladies looked wonderful and Sofia’s dress was much better than her earlier one, although I don’t like the pattern on the abdomen. But I think she’s heading in the right direction. And I suppose Silvia considers herself to be the Swedish Queen of Hearts, judging by the pattern on her whimsical handbag.
But, oh, those jewels are just to die for.
If the dress had been a-line not slinky, modest neckline, flowing loosely from an empire waist into a full-skirt, just had the floral embroidery on the sleeves, it could have been a hit. The problem with Sofia’s dress is that it looks like something a Hollywood starlet would wear. Think Stacy Keiber when she was dating Clooney.
The embroidery isn’t subtle, it is deliberate and over-the-top about sex, particularly it being nude. The emphasis on the breasts, barmaid/corset style, arrow to the groin, back-beading that showcases the crack in her ass. It is definitely a Look-at-me body-con dress, just like the skater dress, worthy of a porn model looking for attention.
Rear view, showcasing 1) tacky embroidery on the ass 2) dress is see-through and 3) she’s not wearing a slip.
http://i59.tinypic.com/2zrghhd.jpg
Oooh, yes, I can see what you mean about the dress with that rear view. Oh, Sofia, get back to the drawing board and double cram on your princess lessons.
I meant she doesn’t exude the confidence that’s needed.
Yet another great post! Thanks 🙂 I like how the swedes haven’t ‘downgraded’ their evening events, and thanks for posting a pic of the magnificent hall of mirrors at the Royal palace, with the table exquisitely laid out
Hi Lisa, I agree with you about a certain someone and lace. Silvia rocks it, and it is more appropriate for her age, actually with her glowing face, she looks sexier than Kate does in the fly-away gowns. I love all this bling. They wear it so well, it never looks gaudy or over-showy, like they are compensating for something. This family exudes strength and poise. Glad you are covering KMR! We don’t get enough of this kind of honey out of the UK. I love Victoria in the fringe tiara. She looks what she is, a Queen in waiting. Maddie is gorgeous. Her personality radiates out.
Hi Sugar, I agree that Maddie is simply gorgeous but there is something about her that tells me she can be a bit of bitch. Nothing concrete mind you just a gut feeling. I do wish that Chris would smile more often, almost every picture of him he looks like he’s scowling.
I wish Chris would smile more, too. Maybe he’s just not used to being photographed and such and he’s uncomfortable? I hope that’s it.
Bitch Resting Face. I think this video shows how he cracks when he sees Madeleine at the wedding.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIfJZAnrDFQ
I think he hates the circus of the royal family but loves his wife. He puts up with the public performances (barely), but he doesn’t “want it” like Sofia craves it. He married the woman he loves, refused a title, and wants to get on with their lives. He does the family obligation things, but he’s never going to enjoy it.
I love the Baden fringe on Victoria! Then the dress – oh dear, that monstrous bow on the back doesn’t work for me at all. I detest bows and the only one who really can pull off a big bow is Maxima but that is purely down to her exuberant personality.
LOve, love, love Silvia’s whimsical little clutch. And I’m really starting to appreciate the Connaught Loop Tiara. I didn’t like it for at first but it has been growing on me as a pretty piece of the Belle Epoque garland-style.
Madeline should just stay away from lace overlays. Sadly, I don’t think that’ll ever happen. Sophia, not a fan of the dress though I’m glad she didn’t cover up her tatto. She has some lovely arm candy though.
He back bow reminds me of a Jennifer Garner dress from a few years ago at the Oscars where she had a giant bow on the back of her dress, too. Looked terrible on Jen, looks terrible on Victoria.
Not going to lie, I would totally rock that Queen of Hearts clutch.
I would, too, with that clutch. These type of jeweled clutches are called minaudières.
I wish the UK would allow more press into their tiara occasions, but sadly they don’t.
Me too.
Wow what great pictures! Thanks so much for this post, as I really like the Swedish royal family, the ladies really know how to rock the the big jewels!! I wonder how long it takes to get ready for an event like this? The hair, the makeup, getting into these dresses with ruining the hair or makeup. And then having the tiara pinned on, it must be quite a production. I must say it is one I would gleefully endure!! Bring on the ballgowns and tiaras I’m ready 🙂
I can’t find the pic, but I’ve seen a photo of Victoria getting her makeup done for an event. She already had the Baden Fringe on but still wore a shirt and jeans with bare feet. It was a very cute picture.
Just like all of us normal girls do: wear our tiaras with jeans and in bare feet. What a gal!
http://heavyarethecrowns.tumblr.com/post/98909997922/cp-victoria-spam
This one, right?
Oh, that’s such a wonderful picture; love it!
Yes! Thanks.
I love that!
Couple hours? I’m going on what the actresses at the Oscars usually say how long it takes them to get ready.
Wow from me as well – thank you KMR for covering this – getting to love these Swedish ‘do’s’…all the jewels and food and stuff….I’m easily pleased! very interested in the food side of things – it all sounds very exciting! ah…just to dress up in one of those tiaras………sigh..
I agree that all of this glorious dressing up and jewelry is worn so very well – such confidence…Madeleine is looking so lovely…she’s getting my top marks tonight and I’m warming to Chris as well…just love Silvia’s purse! very quirky but it works because she wants it to……..
I love knowing what they eat.
Me too. I always check the menus for these kinds of events – and then I feel a little bit envious. I once worked a summer at The Royal Reception Rooms in Copenhagen and some of my co-workers told me about a gala dinner that for some reason got cancelled so the employes got to take some of the flowers and the food home.
Thanks, KMR, for the coverage. I love Victoria’s big bow. It’s a sassy touch to a conservative dress. Silvia’s purse is the same sort of whimsy that says “I am serious about my role and duty, but can have fun, too”. I wish Kate could get the hang of this.
It’s the little touches that show personality, like a coll bag or some fun jewelry or other accessory. Without that Queen of Hearts bag, Silvia’s look, albeit beautiful, would be very typical – lace, diamonds – but the clutch adds some fun and makes the outfit pop.
I always remembered thinking at the time how Diana infused this look with personality and flair without even going OTT. Just a simple accessory as a pearl necklace became the focal point:
http://i2.wp.com/royal-fans.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Princess-Diana-in-Velvet-Dress-1985.jpg
She did the same thing when she wore Queen Mary’s emerald choker as a headband in Australia, though one wouldn’t call these emeralds a simple accessory:
http://blog.ice.com/wp-content/princess-diana-choker-headband1.jpg
KMR, this question has nothing to do with jewels, but I don’t know where else to post it:
Do you know why nobody from the British royal family attended Queen Fabiola’s funeral in Belgium? I’ve been reading about royalty from all around the globe at her service and the British sent their ambassador. What’s up with that?
The British royals seem to be distancing themselves from their continental relatives, almost with a “we’re better than you” attitude. That Edward and Sophie didn’t even represent the Queen is quite telling.
They’ve always had a “We’re better than you” attitude toward the continental royals and always been fairly distant, but they’ve still shown up for weddings and funerals and coronations and such. It’s really, really odd that they didn’t send anyone this time.
The comments on the DM are NOT kind to the BRF.
link
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2871364/Tears-loved-aunt-Belgian-European-royals-mourners-late-Queen-Fabiola-s-funeral-gets-underway.html
And when you see that even the frail Empress Michiko of Japan attended the funeral, it makes you wonder even more about the BRF’s lapse in judgment. Even the British can’t understand their own royal family.
On a slightly superficial note, Empress Michiko was very elegantly dressed. I loved her ensemble.
From what I’ve read, Michiko and Fabiola were friends, so she would turn out herself for Fabiola’s funeral.
I’m glad they are being called out for not sending a member of the family. Sophie flew to Africa but no one could go to Belgium. Not good, not good at all.
They’re a-holes? I’m only slightly joking. I honestly don’t know, but it seems strange and really rude of them not to send a royal when there were a good majority of them not doing anything else today. I wish I had an answer for you, but I don’t. It’s very odd that they didn’t send a royal.
It is weird. I have a feeling that something might be going on behind the scenes because despite their “snobbishness” when it comes to the continental RFs, the BRF usually don’t make a misstep such as this one. It is very odd indeed. Someone at CB said that there have been bad blood between the BRF and the Belgian RF since the 1950s though.
Hm… Drama! I doubt we’ll ever know, but it would be interesting to find out.
I suspect there are lots of juicy vintage gossip. 😉
Princess Madeleine is so gorgeous. She appears to be a very together and very happy woman.
I’ve been enjoying reading and learning more about the Swedish royal family. I think they are becoming my favourite royal house – especially Victoria and Madeleine.
I don’t find Sofia’s dress to be terrible. It’s not the best, but a definite improvement. I thought she looked very pretty. It gives me hope that she’s going to nail it once she finds her footing. She’s a beautiful woman with a killer figure and appears to have the confidence to hang with the blood princesses (and eventually wear the big jewels). Major points to her for not hiding her tattoo again.
I know people tend to bash Sofia for her past. But, at least she has a past! She had a real job and supported herself. She’s completely changed her life for the man she loves and doing a heck of a job of it. I find her far more fascinating than someone who sat by the phone for 10 years.
I agree with you 100% Maggie. I like the fact that while she isn’t yet nailing the whole art of royal dress up you can tell she’s trying. I can’t wait to see her wedding gown.
Me, too. And what tiara she’ll wear.
Her past is her past. She can’t change that. What matters is what she does now and in the future.
Hopefully she’ll be a more adept pupil at acclimatizing to royal life and do a darn good job at it. It’ll be interesting to see what she makes of herself and her role.
Considering she’s already started trying to do the charity thing that royals do, I think she has a head start acclimatizing. Hopefully she’ll work it out, for the sake of the Swedes.
The very least she could do it own up to it, instead of publicly blaming everyone else (her parents included) for the choices she made. Herself. For a decade.
I don’t really know much about her, other than her past as a glamour model and that she’s marrying Carl Philip.
Here’s a little more background from KMR herself. “Glamour model” is really a misnomer for her decade of behavior. http://katemiddletonreview.com/2014/07/01/prince-carl-philip-is-engaged-to-sofia-hellqvist/
Well, I kind of blame her parents a little, too. What parent let’s their teenage daughter pose nude in photographs? Everything she did after that was her choice, but her parents shouldn’t have let their teenager pose nude.
Do you have a link to where she blamed her parents?
Thanks for covering this KMR. Like I always say, this family may have its issues, but at the end of the day they seem to pull together. I really like the way Maddie and her husband make sure they are present for all the important Royal events. Her husband, especially, could easily beg off. Syria’s Queen of Hearts purse is the perfect touch to her flaming red lace gown. I love it!
Sylvia’s purse, sorry. Blast this auto-correct! How do I turn it off? Gaaah!
I love that Chris supports Maddie.
On another superficial note, I saw in one of the photos that an aide was firmly holding the Empress of Japan by the arm at the funeral. I’m sure that would normally be considered a breach of protocol, but given the Empress’ frailty and the wet possibly windy weather where she probably needed a helping hand, I’m sure no eyebrows would have been raised over that.
Thanks KMR and the others who answered my questions regarding Queen Fabiola’s funeral.
Love it! Keep these articles coming. Maybe one on Maxima in the future?