Not everyone knows the secrets surrounding the treasure loved by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

On September 8, 2023, on the first anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles unveiled one of the portraits of his late mother. The photo was taken at Buckingham Palace on October 16, 1968 by photographer Cecil Beaton.

The beautiful portrait shows the late Queen’s radiant appearance. In it, one cannot help but notice the crown on her head. It is one of the late queen’s most beloved crowns, and carries an amazing historical story that not everyone knows.

On the first anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles unveiled one of the portraits of his late mother.

Recently, the Daily Mail revealed the story about the beautiful crown that the late Queen Elizabeth II once wore.

Accordingly, the precious crown covered with exquisite diamonds and gems was originally created by Bolin, the Russian Imperial jeweler, specifically for Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna (aunt of Tsar Nikolai II) on her occasion. the occasion of her 1874 wedding to Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich Romanov.

That emerald crown was named Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara.

Duchess Maria is famous for her lavish taste in jewelry. But this caused friction between her and her sister-in-law, Tsarina Maria Feodorovna (sister of Queen Alexandra, great-grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II).

The tiara was crafted by royal jeweler Bolin specifically for Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna for her wedding to Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich Romanov

As Empress of Russia (wife of Emperor Alexander III), Tsarina Maria felt dissatisfied when she saw herself being inferior to her sister-in-law. Duchess Maria was very ambitious about her sons and always believed that her eldest son would one day become Emperor. When the Russian Revolution occurred in early 1917, Maria’s dream collapsed. She and her five children fled St Petersburg to the North Caucasus (also known as Ciscaucasia) – located between the two continents of Europe and Asia.

In July 1917, a British antiques dealer (also an unofficial intelligence officer), Bertie Albert Stopford, a friend of the Romanov Imperial family, was often assigned to deliver documents. important to the British Royal Family, made the decision to steal Maria’s jewelry collection before it fell into the hands of the military.

The crown belongs to Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna.

Grand Duchess Maria wears a tiara in Saint Petersburg in August 1874.

This man knew very well the important locations in the palace, because he had been there many times to organize lavish parties, but did not know clearly about the private areas or where the precious jewelry was hidden. .

At the same time, Maria’s third son, Grand Duke Boris, wanted to help plan a break into the palace and find a place to hide the 244 pieces of jewelry in his mother’s collection, most of which belonged to the Grand Duke. Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich donated.

If you go through the main entrance to the palace, it’s too obvious. However, there is a secret entrance to the side of the palace, leading directly to Duchess Maria’s room on the first floor. Then, take a shortcut that leads to a hidden door in her living room.

Upon entering the secret room, Bertie found Maria’s jewelry locked in a safe in the dressing room.

At dusk, Bertie, dressed as a worker, sneaked through the palace’s side entrance and ran through the secret passage to Maria’s room, easily finding the safe.

Image of British antiques dealer Bertie Albert Stopford.

Having been instructed by Maria in advance how to open the door, Bertie carefully removed the jewelry and placed it in newspapers before putting it in two old leather bags. Then he followed the footsteps back to where he had entered the palace.

Vladimir Palace in St Petersburg, where Albert Stopford stole precious jewels.

Bertie also had to make plans to send the jewelry out of Russia. On September 26, 1917, he brought the jewelry hidden in a tool bag on a ship going through Sweden to Aberdeen, then caught the train down to London.

The jewels finally arrived in London and Bertie became a hero to the family of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich.

Duchess Maria escaped Russia but died in France three years later. Some of the jewelry was sold by her children to make ends meet.

Many were purchased by members of European royal families – including Queen Mary. It was she who bought the tiara that Queen Elizabeth II wears in the portrait taken by Beaton.

Queen Mary wears the Vladimir Tiara in a portrait published in the Illustrated London News in 1936.

Queen Mary bought back the crown and added some details.

During the journey from Russia to England, the crown was slightly damaged but royal jeweler Garrard was able to repair it.

According to documents in the book “The Queen’s Diamonds” written by author Hugh Roberts in 1924, the crown was originally studded with 15 baroque pearls, hanging in each circle of brilliant diamonds. Queen Mary ordered jeweler Garrard to add 15 emeralds of his own.

After Queen Mary passed away, most of her jewelry was left to Queen Elizabeth II, including the Vladimir Tiara.

The original tiara was set with 15 baroque pearls, suspended in each circle of brilliant diamonds.

Queen Mary ordered jeweler Garrard to add 15 emeralds of his own.

In 1988, Queen Elizabeth II continued to edit the crown again, which could be used in many different ways by changing the jewels. Since then, the Vladimir Tiara has become one of the precious crowns frequently used by the Queen of England.

The crown has many uses.