Limpsfield & District Fine Arts Society
24th September 2008

Pearls before Swine: the Long History of a Royal Necklace

Jane Kelsall entertained members of the Limpsfield Decorative & Fine Arts Society with her racy illustrated history 'Pearls before Swine: the Long history of a Royal Necklace'.

A large collection of natural pearls was bought by the Medici Pope, Clement VII. They were part of a lavish dowry for his 'niece', Catherine de Medici, who eventually became Queen of France. Mary Queen of Scots was given some of the pearls when she married the future Francis II in 1548. He died and she returned to Scotland with the pearls. Her brother stole the pearls and sold them to Elizabeth I of England, much to Catherine de Medici's annoyance. On Elizabeth's death they passed to James I and were worn by his Queen. They eventually passed to her granddaughter, Sophie, who married the Elector of Hanover.

By the 1701 Act of Settlement, Sophie became heir to the British throne. Her son became George I in 1714 and the pearls passed down the royal line. When Victoria became Queen, the Hanoverian throne was passed to her uncle. A protracted legal dispute followed and the result was that the ownership of the pearls was split between Queen Victoria and Hanover. Our Queen still wears two strings on special occasions but there is no evidence that any of the pearls passed to Hanover still remain there.