Queen Mary Pt 3

[basilforever]

Thanks!  Was there a picture included? There must be a picture of this engagement ring somewhere.

Interesting that's why Q Mary didn't wear the oriental circlet tiara or other rubies - she thought it was bad luck because Eddy gave her a ruby ring and died soon afterwards. I never wondered that before.

[Alexander1917]

Thanks!  Was there a picture included? There must be a picture of this engagement ring somewhere.

Interesting that's why Q Mary didn't wear the oriental circlet tiara or other rubies - she thought it was bad luck because Eddy gave her a ruby ring and died soon afterwards. I never wondered that before.

I also think she thourght of bad luck and so...she prefered her emeralds!!!

unfortunately there was no picture....but I think the ring still exist....QM collected many things, may be in the royal archieves at windsor

[grandduchessella]

I wonder when she actually got it. Eddy wouldn't have had it with him when he proposed, I don't think. Then, after he left Luton Hoo, they didn't see each other for a few awhile--a week, maybe? Perhaps he gave it to her then. They had already been photographed once while at Luton Hoo. I think they only had 1 or 2 more photos before he died.

Plus, as I mentioned elsewhere, it's almost impossible to get a good look at the ring George gave May and she wore that for decades through 1000s of photos! Perhaps the 'Wurttemberg hands' that Louise commented on made May reluctant to have her hands photographed? She's almost always resting them in her lap, holding a fan or some item, or wearing gloves.

[basilforever]

I'm sure the ruby engagement ring was a beauty - Eddy had great style and taste. 

What stone did the engagement ring from George have in it?



I think we can see May wearing it here, but not in very good detail

[grandduchessella]

I'll try and track the info down in the wedding articles I have. I did come across that White Lodge opened up for a day in June to display George and May's wedding presents. About 1000 were expected and more than 20,000 (from all over) tried to gain admittance. Another display at the Imperial Institute was arranged.

Her wedding ring was of Welsh gold, while the 'keeper ring' (like QA's BERTIE ring) was of Scotch gold. The design was taken from the arms of the Kingdom of Scotland. It bore the Scottish lion in a double border, with the old Royal motto 'Nemo me impune incessit' running around in a delicate enamelled lettering between edges of thistle blooms and leaves carved out of the gold.

[basilforever]

Nemo me impune incessit

What does it mean?

[grandduchessella]

Have no clue. The newspaper didn't say. 

[Duke of New Jersey]

All I know is that Nemo means "no one."

-Duke of NJ

[Mary R.]

I'm so glad to have an answer to a question I've had on my mind forever! Thanks so much!:D  In the Hennessy-Pope biography there is no mention of the ring and that is one of the most thorough biographies of Queen Mary out there. Is there any description of the engagement ring from George?

[grandduchessella]

This is one of the few photos I've been able to get--I blew it up from a photo so it's not as clear as I'd like:

[Mary R.]

I just remembered a passage in Carolly Erickson's Lillibet that might be of interest. "One former employee was found to have purloined a large number of valuables from the underground vaults at the palace, including Queen Mary's engagement ring..."

Also this might be a silly question, but what is the keepers ring?

[grandduchessella]

The definition I found said " keeper ring is a ring which is used alongside another, more valuable ring to keep it securely on the finger".

The Royal Collection has this keeper ring



that was presented to Queen Charlotte from George III.

[basilforever]

I just remembered a passage in Carolly Erickson's Lillibet that might be of interest. "One former employee was found to have purloined a large number of valuables from the underground vaults at the palace, including Queen Mary's engagement ring..."

Also this might be a silly question, but what is the keepers ring?

Which engagement ring was stolen, the one from Eddy or the one from George?

That is terrible that these valuables were stolen. Were they all recovered back to the vaults/royal collection???

[Mary R.]

I believe it was the one from George. Carolly Erickson never mentions Eddy only Prince George. Yes, the man was apprehended after a series of things were misplaced. The book states, "Souvenirs as well as heirlooms, sheets from Windsor Castle and a Royal Standard, for instance, were found in the guilty man's apartment. And the thief, knew a great deal about the inner workings of Buckingham palace, told journalist Andrew Morton that he was not prosecuted because of fears in high places that he might reveal embarrassing secrets." Another missing item was a set of knives and forks from the time of George III!! Thankfully, they are now safely back in the vaults.

What a beautiful ring and unique purpose! Does anyone know why or how they came into disuse?

[Grace]

Most interesting, Mary R., and thanks for posting.

Would you know when these incidents took place?