Queen Mary of Denmark marks her first year as monarch by unveiling a spectacular tiara created from a historic diamond belt

Copenhagen: Queen Mary of Denmark has celebrated her first year as monarch in spectacular fashion, unveiling a dazzling tiara repurposed from a historic diamond belt.

The Australian-born royal, 52, known for her penchant for heirloom diadems, has breathed new life into the unique accessory.

In a video shared by Amalienborg Palace on Tuesday, Mary is seen bare-faced and casually styled, meeting the jeweller to try on the reimagined Rose Stone Tiara.

The glittering transformation is a nod to tradition, with the Danish Royal Family continuing its centuries-old practice of reshaping crown jewels to suit the times.

‘The frame on which the rose stones in the new diadem are mounted was created by jeweller Matias Hasbo Dinesen in consultation with the Queen and the Royal Danish Collection,’ the Instagram caption read.

‘The rose stone set was created in 1840 as a chain that is mounted around a corseted waist with the large pendant, the corsage, in the middle. The pendant can be divided and used separately as independent brooches.’

Indeed, Queen Lovisa, wife of Frederik VIII, is depicted wearing the ‘belt’ in a portrait from 1911, displayed at the National History Museum at Frederiksborg Castle.

The Crown Jewels available to Mary, as Queen, include four parures that are considered among the most significant treasures of the monarchy.

These jewels, which must remain in Denmark, comprise the brilliant-cut diamond set, the emerald set, the pearl-ruby set and the rose-cut diamond set. Each parure is surprisingly versatile and can be separated to mix and match individual pieces.

Of the four, only the emerald set includes a matching tiara. Mary debuted the emerald jewels in gala portraits, released in April, pairing them with a green gown by Birgit Hallstein.

Mary’s new tiara was crafted using the largest stones from the rose-cut diamond set, which has been the least-worn parure by previous Danish Queens.

One notable occasion was in 1991, when Queen Margrethe wore elements of the set during a state visit by the Norwegian royals.

She shortened the necklace and pinned the four brooches from the set to her dress.

In 1840, Queen Caroline Amalie commissioned C.M. Weisshaupt to create the rose-cut parure, incorporating diamonds that once belonged to Princess Charlotte Amalie, the sister of King Christian VI.

It includes a long chain originally designed to be worn as a belt around the Queen’s corseted waist, a style popular in the 1840s. However, the waist chain fell out of fashion and was rarely used by subsequent monarchs.

The term ‘rose-cut’ refers to a style of diamond cutting that was popular before the invention of the brilliant-cut in the late 1800s.

The rose-cut technique involves crafting multiple facets, ideally 24, on the upper surface of the diamond, creating the appearance of a rounded rosebud. The back of the diamond is flat, enhancing its vintage charm.

By contrast, the brilliant diamond has 33 cut facets on the top side and 24 on the lower side.

Today, all four parures are safeguarded in the treasury at Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen.

They can be traced back to Queen Sophie Magdalene, consort of Christian VI, who bequeathed them to the Danish monarchy.

Mary’s innovative approach reflects the Danish royal tradition of adapting the palace’s treasures to ensure they remain both contemporary and personal.

In the behind-the-scenes video, the chain is seen being carefully set onto its frame as the Queen prepares to try on the transformed tiara.

The casual elegance of her messy bun, paired with the diadem, adds a relatable touch to this regal moment.

The palace wrote: ‘The new diadem is designed as a so-called bandeau – a headband for mounting in the hair consisting of a single row of the rose stone cut diamonds.

‘By this simple form, the expression from the belt is continued, where the diamonds are also mounted in a row.’

The Danish Crown Jewels are owned by the state, but remain at the disposal of the Queen. They must stay in Denmark and are not permitted to accompany the monarch on visits abroad.

When not being worn, these magnificent jewels are displayed in the treasure chamber at Rosenborg Castle, where they can be admired by the public.