Sapphire necklace belonging to French royalty and displayed in the Louvre had been worn by the great-granddaughter of Dom Pedro II
Princess Isabel d’Orleans, great-granddaughter of Dom Pedro II, was the last person to wear in public one of the jewels stolen from the Louvre Museum, in Paris, last Sunday (19).
The piece in question is a sapphire and diamond necklace that belonged to Queen Maria Amélia of France, wife of King Louis Philippe I.
According to information from CNNhistorian Paulo Garcez Marins, director of the Ipiranga Museum at the University of São Paulo, stated that the necklace has a value that goes far beyond the material.
“This stolen item passed among the descendants of the Orleans family until it reached the Countess of Paris,” explained Marins, referring to the great-granddaughter of Dom Pedro II, the last to wear the jewel before the Louvre acquired it.
According to the historian, Isabel inherited the jewels through her husband’s family, the Count of Paris, with whom she also had family ties. The set of sapphires was purchased by the Louvre in 1985.
“These pieces were last used by a descendant of the Brazilian Imperial House, cousin of the last owner, Henri d’Orleans, the Count of Paris,” Marins told CNN.
Princess Isabel d’Orleans. (Photo: Reproduction)
A historic necklace
The Louvre Museum reported that the necklace is made up of eight sapphires of different sizes and 31 diamonds, joined by articulated chains — an example of the sophistication and technical perfection of 19th century jewelry.
Originally, the set belonged to Queen Hortense, daughter of Napoleon Bonaparte, who was the first to wear the sapphire “parure”. Afterwards, the jewel passed through several generations of European royalty until it reached the Louvre collection.
Marins highlights that the historical value of the piece also lies in the family ties it represents.
“Despite not having a direct connection with Brazil, Maria Amélia of France had a son, François de Orleans, prince of Joinville, who married Princess Francisca de Bragança, sister of Dom Pedro II. This relationship reveals the complexity of interactions between European and Brazilian royalty”, he explained.
Theft and invaluable losses
The jewelry theft, which occurred on Sunday (19), includes other pieces of invaluable historical value. Among them, Empress Eugênia’s tiara, also taken from the museum.
“It’s a shame that Empress Eugênia’s tiara was also stolen. It’s especially sad, considering the complexity of the negotiations for its acquisition over the years. It was truly a disaster”, lamented the historian to CNN.
The investigations remain ongoing. Meanwhile, the case rekindles global attention to the historical and symbolic value of royal jewels — and the curious fact that the last person to display one of them was a Brazilian princess, a direct descendant of Brazil’s imperial family.
