As the wife of Kaiser Wilhelm II’s fourth son, she had wealth, privilege, and status – but what she wanted was freedom, happiness, and love. She struggled to make ends meet, but never gave up on herself or her dream.
We may not have a monarchy, but we’ve had our share of royal visitors…and rich people who can afford to buy royal jewels when they come up for sale. From the Hope diamond to the Yusupov black pearl necklace, so many amazing gems found their way to America. If only their stories had more happy endings…here are the ones I’ve written about so far.
The Napoleon Diamond Necklace
Created for Napoleon’s second wife, this spectacular diamond necklace has passed from Empress Marie Louise to her relatives in Austria, a French entrepreneur, an American collector, and now enchants millions of viewers every year at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
Not All Vanity: Source Report
Quotes and stories from Agnes de Stoeckl’s memoir show up everywhere if you study the British and Russian royal families. Let’s see what she has to say for herself, shall we?
Irina Yusupova vs. MGM
What does it cost to blur the line between truth and fiction? A lot, as MGM found out. This is the story of a movie and a libel lawsuit – maybe the only one ever won with a murder confession. Its star? Princess Irina Yusupova. Find out what this quiet, soft-spoken woman did that had her lawyer later calling her “an advocate’s dream.”
The Yusupov Black Pearl Necklace
The Yusupov black pearl necklace belonged to Catherine the Great. From there, it’s a tale of incest, true love, revolution, robbery, and infidelity…with a special guest appearance by the HMS Titanic.
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