The magnificent and unique diamond-set star of the Order of the British Empire worn by H.R.H. Princess Mary, the Princess Royal, only daughter of King George V and Queen Mary

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, G.B.E., Dame Grand Cross, a unique breast star by Hennell of London, the gold central medallion portraying the conjoined busts of King George V and Queen Mary facing left, and encircled by the legend in gold ‘for god and the empire’ upon a translucent red enamel ground, the rays of the eight-pointed silver star pavé set with cushion-shaped diamonds, the reverse gold back-plate signed Hennell and fitted with gold pin for wearing, 97 x 80 mm, contained in its fitted blue leather case by Hennell, tooled in gold, the lid bearing the Princess’s royal monogram, extremely fine £18000-22000

Provenance: Sotheby’s, 27 June 1973, Lot 172, ‘Formerly the property of Her late Royal Highness Princess Mary, the Princess Royal (1897-1967)’, £4400. By way of comparison, the Indian Mutiny V.C. group to Colonel J. C. C. Daunt, and the Curaçoa Naval Gold Medal pair to Captain J. A. Wood, R.N., sold for £2300 and £2650 respectively.

The Princess Royal was a founder member of the Order of the British Empire, instituted in 1917. It is believed that this star, of the ‘2nd type’, introduced after the death of King George V in 1936, was specially commissioned for the Coronation of 1937, at which ceremony the Princess was photographed wearing the star.