The Home Beautiful: A Fabergé Frame with a Photo of Queen Mary While Duchess of York, c. 1896

Frame and Photograph
Photo of Queen Mary while Duchess of York
taken before 1896.
Frame of Red and Yellow Gold, Enamel and Ivory
by Michael Perchin of Fabergé.
The Royal Collection

Before Princess Victoria Mary of Teck (the future Queen Mary) became engaged to the Duke of York (the future King George V), she was engaged to his brother, the Prince of Wales. Following “Eddy’s” death, Mary traveled with her family for awhile, and upon her return to England, struck up a friendship with George, another of her “Wales” cousins, as they bonded in their shared grief. Queen Victoria, though she was rather repelled by the Princess when she was a child (citing the girl’s large head and unusual height as being rather unnerving), had grown fond of Princess “May,” as a young woman and found her to be a most suitable match for her grandson and a brilliant potential Queen Consort.


George and Mary were wed in 1893, and, by all accounts George was especially fond of his wife. The future King was said to always keep a photo of his wife close at hand. This particular photo of Mary—looking quite beautiful—was a favorite of his. He kept this photo in a radiant frame of yellow and red gold, crimson guilloché enamel, and ivory by Fabergé. The framed photograph sat on his desk for many years during the conclusion of his grandmother’s (Victoria’s) reign as well as his father’s (King Edward VII). Upon George’s ascension to the throne, he brought the photo with him and placed it in plain view in his Audience Chamber at Buckingham Palace.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II