Queen Mary | Diamond Bandeau with the County of Lincoln Brooch | Wedding Gift

The bandeau, which is made of diamonds and platinum, is formed as a flexible band of eleven sections, pierced with interlaced ovals and pavé set with large and small brilliant diamonds. The centre is set with a detachable brooch of ten brilliant diamonds as cluster.

The diamond bandeau was made for Queen Mary and specifically designed to accommodate the centre brooch. This brooch was given as a present to the then Princess Mary in 1893 by the County of Lincoln on her marriage to Prince George, Duke of York.

Lincolnshire's Present| Lincoln Diamond Brooch 

According to a report in the Stamford Mercury, the chairman of the committee, Earl Brownlow, said that he “endeavoured to find out what would be most acceptable and he believed that Her Serene Highness Princess May would particularly value something in the nature of a brooch with a single pearl or diamond in the centre, set with diamonds. It would be an ornament that Her Serene Highness could wear now, and probably in a still higher position.” Apparently the Princess had indicated that she had not received such a gift and the chairman thought that she would value and appreciate such a gift. The jewel was presented to Princess May on July 5.
It was described as being “A large diamond of the purest water, surrounded by other fine diamonds, to form a brooch or a pin, and can also be worn as a necklace clasp.”(Grantham Journal, 08 July 1893).

On Wednesday, July 5th, Earl Brownlow, Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, with the Countess Brownlow, waited on H.S.H. Princess Victoria Mary of Teck (now the Duchess of York) at Buckingham Palace to present, on behalf of the county of Lincoln, the county wedding gift, consisting of large single diamond surrounded by other fine diamonds. The jewel was enclosed in a case of "Lincoln green" with the arms of the county, and quotation from the late Lord Tennyson, the great Lincolnshire poet, "God bless them. Marriages are made in heaven."
The gift was most graciously received and greatly admired Her Serene Highness, who expressed her warm appreciation of the kind and loyal feeling which prompted the gift. Earl Brownlow stated that the amount at present subscribed was about £300.

The bandeau and the cluster brooch were bequeathed by Queen Mary to The Queen in 1953.

In 2018 the Duchess of Sussex wore the diamond bandeau as wedding jewel 

A 2nd diamond bandeau is known, which Queen Mary probably bought from the Empress of Russia, she wore it with a sapphire cluster brooch and Emerald as center, the design of the bandeau is different to this, in form of a star-light.

Thank you to Laura for the details of Grantham Journal, 08 July 18931; Stamford Mercury

Sources:The Times; Lincolnshire Chronicle, Grantham Journal 1.july; Stamford Mercury - Friday 14 July 1893 ;Royal-collection;