{"id":174386,"date":"2026-03-25T10:14:57","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T10:14:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/174386\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T10:14:57","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T10:14:57","slug":"see-queen-mathilde-and-queen-sonjas-tiaras-from-the-belgian-state-banquet-in-norway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/174386\/","title":{"rendered":"See Queen Mathilde and Queen Sonja\u2019s Tiaras From the Belgian State Banquet in Norway"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Estimated3 min read<\/p>\n

Norway is hosting King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium for a two-day state visit this week, which includes a formal state banquet at the Royal Palace in Oslo this evening.<\/p>\n

Accompanied by King Philippe, Queen Sonja led the procession into the gala dinner. The Queen was wearing what The Court Jeweller<\/a> describes as one of Norway\u2019s \u201cmost important sparklers\u201d: Queen Maud\u2019s Pearl Tiara. It has graced the heads of the last few generations of Norwegian royals. But the secret is that the one seen tonight is actually a replica, not the original. Regardless, this version\u2014and the original one out there\u2014share a fascinating history.<\/p>\n

\"NORWAYBENOIT DOPPAGNE\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Norway\u2019s Queen Sonja wears Queen Maud\u2019s Pearl Tiara.<\/p>\n

The original tiara was fashioned in 1896, when Great Britain\u2019s King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra commissioned the piece from Garrard, as a wedding gift for their daughter Maud when she married Prince Carl of Denmark. Maud wore it until her death in 1938, having traveled to Britain that year with her jewelry. The tiara remained at Windsor Castle<\/a> through World War II, and was not returned to Norway until 1953, when the Norwegian royals attended the coronation of Queen Elizabeth<\/a>. It was later passed to King Harald following his 1968 wedding to Sonja Haraldsen.<\/p>\n

\"RoyaltyPA Images\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Queen Sonja (right) wearing Queen Maud\u2019s original Pearl Tiara, with Queen Elizabeth in what appears to be the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara.<\/p>\n

\"WeddingJulian Parker\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Queen Sonja in the replica tiara at the wedding of Sweden\u2019s Prince Carl Philip and Sofia Hellqvist in 2015.<\/p>\n

Queen Sonja wore the original tiara on several occasions, including Queen Elizabeth’s 1981 state visit to Norway. But in 1995, after the tiara was sent to Garrard in London to be cleaned, it was reportedly stolen and was never recovered. Garrard subsequently made a replica of the original, and that is the piece Sonja has worn ever since.<\/p>\n

\"NORWAYBENOIT DOPPAGNE\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Queen Mathilde of Belgium, with Norway\u2019s King Harald, in the Nine Provinces Tiara.<\/p>\n

Dressed in a full-length, champagne-hued Armani Priv\u00e9 gown, Queen Mathilde wore the Nine Provinces Tiara, a headpiece that she has worn on several formal occasions as well as for royal portraits. Per The Royal Watcher<\/a>, the sparkler was a wedding present from the Belgian government to Princess Astrid of Sweden when she married Crown Prince Leopold of Belgium in 1926. The headpiece can actually be broken up and used in two styles: the Art Deco style base can be worn on its own as a bandeau, or as seen on Mathilde at the state banquet, a much more regal setting with its detachable diamond arches.<\/p>\n

\"CeremonyGisela Schober\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

The Queen seen wearing just the bandeau section to Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia\u2019s wedding.<\/p>\n

\"Grand-DukePatrick van Katwijk\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Queen Mathilde, with Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, wearing the full tiara in 2024.<\/p>\n

Earlier on Tuesday, Crown Prince Haakon welcomed the Belgian King and Queen, dressed in head-to-toe blush pink Dior, at Oslo Airport, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the national monument at Akershus Fortress, a medieval castle dating back to the 1290s. They were later joined by King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway for an official welcome ceremony outside of the Royal Palace in Oslo\u2019s city center.<\/p>\n

\"StateRune Hellestad\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Queen Mathilde in a bespoke Dior dress, coat, and hat.<\/p>\n

With a focus on safety and sustainability, the Belgian Foreign Affairs Office says the visit will include talks on<\/a> \u201csituation in Ukraine and the Middle East\u201d as well as \u201cNATO, the transatlantic relationship, security in the Arctic, and the reform of the United Nations.\u201d Norway\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said in a statement<\/a>, \u201cThe visit emphasizes the importance of unity between democracies at a time when the geopolitical situation challenges our common values.\u201d<\/p>\n

Additionally, Crown Princess Mette-Marit made a surprise appearance inside the palace<\/a> this afternoon for an official photo. The Norwegian Royal House previously said that the Crown Princess would not be appearing during the state visit due to her deteriorating health. Mette-Marit has dealt with pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease<\/a>, since 2018, and is preparing for a lung transplant<\/a>. However, Mette-Marit did not appear to be at the state banquet<\/a> this evening hosted at the Royal Palace.<\/p>\n

The Belgian state visit comes at a tumultuous time for the Norwegian royal family, particularly the Crown Prince and Princess. Just days ago, Mette-Marit sat down for her first interview addressing her past friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein<\/a>. But Prince Haakon, heir to Norway\u2019s throne<\/a>, has spoken in her defense, telling Norwegian broadcaster NRK he will \u201calways want her on my team when challenges arise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elsewhere in Oslo on Tuesday, Mette-Marit\u2019s son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg H\u00f8iby\u2014who was on trial for rape, assault, and other counts<\/a>\u2014lost an appeal to be discharged from prison. He will remain in prison until the verdict in June<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Rachel King (she\/her) is a news writer at\u00a0Town & Country. Before joining\u00a0T&C, she spent nearly a decade as an editor at\u00a0Fortune. Her work covering travel and lifestyle has appeared in\u00a0Forbes,\u00a0Observer,\u00a0Robb Report, Cruise Critic, and\u00a0Cool Hunting, among others. Originally from San Francisco, she lives in New York with her wife, their daughter, and a precocious labradoodle. Follow her on Instagram at\u00a0@rk.passport<\/a>.<\/p>\n