Royals wearing amethyst jewellery: The birthstone of February
Purple has long been a colour associated with royalty and the church, so it's no surprise many monarchies have a number of amethyst jewels in their collections.
Amethysts are typically purple and range in various shades from deep to light mauve, to a reddish hue.
They are also the birthstone for the month of February.
Continue through to learn more about the spectacular amethysts worn by royal women through the years.
Queen Mary of Denmark
Queen Mary of Denmark is born on February 5, making amethyst her official birthstone.
Her most personal amethyst jewels are these earrings created by jeweller Cenius & Bach.
On the back of the earrings is Mary's royal cypher.
Queen Mary also has a pair in pink morganite. It's possible the pendants can be detached, allowing the Queen to wear the purple or pink stones depending on her preference.
In her collection for close to 20 years, the Queen most recently wore the amethyst jewels during a visit to Aalborg University for its 50th anniversary, in April 2024.
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden
The Swedish royal family owns the most lavish suite of amethyst jewels, known as the Napoleonic Amethyst parure (or 'set').
Originally linked to Empress Josephine of France, the jewels came into the Swedish royal family in the mid-1800s.
The set didn't include a tiara but soon after marrying King Carl XVI Gustaf in 1976, Queen Silvia had the large necklace made into a tiara.
A necklace was created from the smaller stones and this can be dismantled to create two bracelets (as seen here on Crown Princess Victoria in 2013).
The parure also has a matching brooch and earrings, also worn here by Victoria.
Princess Madeleine of Sweden
While Queen Silvia is the main wearer of the Napoleonic Amethyst parure, she has regularly loaned pieces to other royal women in the Bernadotte family.
Princess Madeleine wore the tiara, necklace and earrings to the Nobel Prize Awards in 2017.
The tiara features large purple amethysts surrounded by diamond clusters set in gold and silver.
Princess Sofia of Sweden
Princess Sofia wore the amethyst earrings from the set here, to a gala at the Royal Palace for Nobel Prize laureates on December 11, 2019.
She wore the earrings with the Palmette tiara, a gift from the King and Queen when she married Prince Carl Philip.
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands is known for her love of bold colours and big jewels.
These amethyst earrings, which feature diamonds, were made by Parisian jeweller JAR.
Maxima wore the dazzling earrings to a New Year reception at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam on January 18, 2023.
Diana, Princess of Wales
The late Princess of Wales had an extraordinary collection of jewels, including these amethyst and diamond cluster drop earrings.
On Diana's wrist is a bracelet featuring three strands of amethyst beads held together by an oval amethyst clasp surrounded by diamonds.
The late royal wore the purple ensemble during a visit to Chicago, in the United States, in June 1996.
Her pearl choker features rubies and her gown is by Versace.
Diana, Princess of Wales
The Princess of Wales also had a choker that matched her amethyst bracelet in the previous photo.
It features two rows of amethysts and three larger amethysts surrounded by diamonds.
Diana also wears the amethyst cluster earrings here, for a performance at the Munich Opera House in Germany in 1987.
Diana, Princess of Wales
One of Diana's most famous pieces of amethyst jewellery was loaned to her and later purchased by Kim Kardashian at auction.
Known as the Attallah cross, the jewel was seen on Diana in October, 1987, at a gala in support of Birthright.
It features square-cut amethysts accented by circular-cut diamonds.
The large jewel was made in the 1920s by Garrard, which also created Diana's iconic sapphire and diamond engagement ring.
In the 1980s, the cross was purchased by Naim Attallah and through his friendship with Princess Diana he loaned it to her several times over a number of years.
In January, 2023, it sold at Sotheby's for $285k and was purchased by Kardashian.
The American reality star later wore the amethyst cross in November, 2024, to a film gala in Los Angeles.
Queen Elizabeth II
The British royal family's most impressive amethyst jewels are those known as the Kent amethysts.
They are also among the oldest jewels in the House of Windsor's collection, having belonged to the Duchess of Kent, the mother of Queen Victoria.
It was Queen Victoria who designated the jewels heirlooms of the Crown, meaning they pass from one monarch to the next and can't be sold.
The set is known as a demi-parure as it does not include a tiara.
It does contain a large necklace, three brooches, hair combs and earrings.
The late Queen Elizabeth II wore multiple pieces from the Kent amethyst set, here, in 1985 for a banquet in Portugal.
She also wore the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara, a personal favourite which is now seen on Queen Camilla.
View more galleries
Most viewed in Royals
Prince George is as tall as his parents as they drop him off for his first day at Eton College
Prince Harry and Meghan reportedly ‘a little surprised’ by King Charles’ letter
Harry hasn’t spoken to king since return, takes issue with ‘private citizens’ wording
King Harald V of Norway laid to rest in royal-filled ceremony in Oslo
