Recycling the Queen's Jewels

You may notice something interesting if you look closely at the portraits of Henry's later queens...

Here we have Jane Seymour wearing a distinctive pearl necklace, and an IHS (Jesus) brooch.

Oh look! Here's Katheryn Howard wearing the same piece!

Here we have Kateryn Parr in two portraits wearing the same necklace, though the pendant has been changed to a three-stone piece. The portrait in the black gown was thought to be Lady Jane Grey for a while, but is now identified as Kateryn based on the necklace. (During her short reign, Jane would not have had time to sit for a portrait wearing the royal jewels.) Note that the pearl trim on the hoods and around the bodices are the same, so they were also likely recycled.

Anne Boleyn may be wearing the tri-stone pendant in the Nidd Hall portrait.

It may be the same pearl rope that Anne Boleyn is wearing in her portrait medal, but it's too badly damaged to be certain. The necklace looks very similar in Lucy Churchill's restored version of it.

Katharine of Aragon wears an IHS brooch... It's the same one that Jane Seymour is wearing in the portrait at the top of the post.

Keep in mind this was likely intentional on Jane's part. She was a supporter of Katharine of Aragon, and the "Old Faith," as opposed to Anne Boleyn's reformist ways. Wearing Katharine's brooch might have been a way to display her kinship with Henry's first queen.








At left, Jane Seymour wears a "Tau" pendant in the Dynasty mural.


Kateryn Parr wears it in the miniature portrait of her at Sudeley Castle at the right.

Note the similarity between the ropes of pearls on Jane's bodice to the Nidd Hall portrait above. In fact, these ropes of pearls made researchers believe the Nidd Hall portrait was Jane Seymour for years until its facial resemblance to the portrait medal was publicized.





Here's a touching example of recycling jewelry .... Queen Elizabeth may be wearing the crown that was made for Anne Boleyn in the portrait commemorating Elizabeth's coronation.

The crown Elizabeth wears is very similar to the one Anne wears in the sketch made in preparation for the coronation.