Press Centre

March 2009

Swarovski recreates royal regalia for ‘The Young Victoria’

Swarovski is delighted to announce their collaboration with Academy Award winners Graham King and Martin Scorsese in ensuring Queen Victoria sparkles on screen as she did in life. The Young Victoria directed by critically acclaimed French Canadian Jean-Marc Vallée and starring Emily Blunt chronicles Victoria’s rise to power, focusing on the early turbulent years of her reign and her legendary romance and marriage to Prince Albert.

Swarovski aided the meticulous research applied by award winning costume designer Sandy Powell in providing access to the Swarovski Corporate Archive in Milan, home to over 14,000 pieces of costume and antique jewellery. ‘The stones and jewellery are copies of actual pieces’, says Powell, ‘replica items made by a jeweller in crystal’. Integral to the resplendent glory of the film are the sceptres, the royal regalia held by the newly crowned Queen at her coronation in 1838 and the brilliant diadem, an exact replica of the one worn by Queen Elizabeth II at her wedding, encrusted with over 700 hand cut Swarovski crystals. For Queen Victoria, dress and jewellery were not only personal; they were intrinsic to the public perception of her as Queen and Empress.

“Queen Victoria was Swarovski’s first customer via couturier George Frederick Worth, who embroidered her gowns with Swarovski crystals, so we are thrilled to be able to continue our heritage by supporting this spectacular film.”

Nadja Swarovski, VP of Swarovski Crystal Business