The remarkable story of Edward VII’s mistress’s necklace

Meryl Streep wore the necklace that was originally designed for Lillie Langtry (left) in 'The Devil Wears Prada'
Meryl Streep wore the necklace that was originally designed for Lillie Langtry (left) in The Devil Wears Prada - Alamy/Getty

A necklace made for Edward VII’s mistress, Lillie Langtry, which later appeared in the film The Devil Wears Prada, has been tracked down and returned to the British jewellery house that originally created it. The then-Prince of Wales commissioned the London jeweller Hancocks & Co to create the Egyptian-style necklace in the 1870s for the actress and socialite, who wore it on stage for the first night of her performance as Cleopatra in the West End.

Langtry was born in Jersey, and moved to London aged 20, when she married the Irish landowner Edward Langtry. A notable beauty, she was nicknamed the “Jersey Lily” after a portrait of her by Sir John Everett Millais was shown at the Royal Academy. In 1877, she met Queen Victoria’s eldest son at a dinner party in London. The Prince, who had married Princess Alexandra of Denmark in 1863, was said to be instantly infatuated with the socialite, and she became one of his many mistresses.

The necklace features winged scarabs, a carved carnelian shell and coral drops
The necklace features winged scarabs, a carved carnelian shell and coral drops
The necklace was loaned to costume designer Patricia Field for Streep's character, Miranda Priestly, in the 2006 film 'The Devil Wears Prada'
The necklace was loaned to costume designer Patricia Field for Streep’s character, Miranda Priestly, in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada - Alamy

The Prince turned to the jeweller Hancocks & Co, which held a royal warrant from Queen Victoria, to create the opulent necklace, which features winged scarabs, a carved carnelian shell, coral drops, turquoise cabochons and carved moonstones. Guy Burton, the managing director of Hancocks London, describes it as “a magnificent Egyptian revival necklace and a stunning example of 19th-century craftsmanship”. He says it reflects the craze for Egyptian-style jewellery in the late 19th century, which was sparked by Napoleon’s expedition to Egypt and the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. “For the Prince of Wales, it would have made perfect sense to commission this piece for Ms Langtry given she was appearing as Cleopatra in the West End,” he adds.

Langtry wearing the necklace on stage for the first night of her performance in 'Anthony and Cleopatra', circa 1875
Langtry wearing the necklace on stage for the first night of her performance in Anthony and Cleopatra, circa 1875 - Getty

Langtry kept the necklace for many years, although after that first appearance on stage, it disappeared from public view. It resurfaced at auction at Bonhams in 2003, having been consigned by a private vendor who reported that Langtry had given it to their grandmother as a gift. Stephen Burton, who’d taken over the house of Hancocks in 1992, appreciated its historic importance. “My dad always understood which pieces were special, and he definitely recognised the importance and beauty of that necklace,” says Amy Burton, who runs the house alongside her brother and parents. “It’s not like he was buying back every single piece of Hancocks jewellery – that necklace was special. It’s an extraordinary piece.”

Hancocks bought the necklace back for £19,718: the start of a 21-year, cross-Atlantic tug-of-war. The house sold it to the New York-based antique jewellery dealer Fred Leighton, known as a “jeweller to the stars”, who was renowned for lending spectacular jewellery to Hollywood celebrities and stylists.

Leighton loaned the necklace to costume designer Patricia Field, who styled it on Meryl Streep’s character Miranda Priestly in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada. In the film, the formidable fashion editor pairs the necklace with a crisp white shirt and a Donna Karan trench coat. The year the film came out, the necklace was auctioned again – this time at Sotheby’s in New York – and Hancocks bought it back, displaying it in its boutique in Mayfair’s Burlington Arcade, only to sell it again to a private American client.

Three years later, in October 2009, the necklace resurfaced at Christie’s in New York, and Hancocks paid £33,500 to return it to London for the third time. But a determined American collector, who had lost out at auction, tracked the piece down. “Apparently, they had very much wanted to buy the necklace at the Christie’s auction and were trying to find out who had won it. Somebody told them they had seen it in our window in Burlington Arcade, so they got in touch with us and bought it,” says Amy.

The necklace remained in that buyer’s collection, but the Burtons were plagued by seller’s remorse. “As a family we’ve always talked about that necklace, and said I wish we’d kept it… It was always an ‘I wish’ piece,” says Amy.

Earlier this year, when the house moved to new larger premises in St James’s, with space to display its archive, Guy became even more determined in his quest to return the necklace. “He contacted the client and asked very politely if they would consider selling it,” says Amy. “They weren’t too keen at first – but Guy managed to charm them. I think knowing that it would be so respected and looked after by us, eventually they agreed.” After accepting a price privately, the necklace has now returned to Hancocks for the fourth and, says Amy, final time.

“We won’t sell it. Never again,” she insists. “To buy something back four times you must really love it. Over the years we have handled some iconic, really amazing pieces of jewellery and sometimes we look at the archive and think wouldn’t it have been nice to have kept that, but at the end of the day we are not collectors, we are a retailer. But this necklace is so special that we can never part with it again.”

Instead, the necklace will be kept on display at Hancocks’ townhouse boutique, alongside other historical pieces such as the Victorian Anglesey tiara, which was created for the 5th Marquess of Anglesey, Henry Cyril Paget, and was worn by aristocratic ladies at both the coronation of King George VI and that of Queen Elizabeth II.

“In the new showroom we are emphasising that Hancocks has always made incredible jewellery, and this necklace represents so much history: social history, royal history and the history of jewellery,” says Amy. “It’s such a unique piece that ties in so many elements of our 175-year history, and now it has come home. It feels like a very symbolic, full-circle moment.”