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Telegraph

Telegraph

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

Telegraph
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Lillie Langtry was born in Jersey and moved to London aged 20 when she married Edward VII.

The then-Prince of Wales commissioned the London jeweller Hancocks & Co to create the Egyptian -style necklace in the 1870s .

She wore it on stage for the first night of her performance as Cleopatra in the West End .

The necklace was loaned to costume designer Patricia Field , who styled it on Meryl Streep’s character Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada .

The necklace has now returned to Hancocks for the fourth and final time.

The necklace will be kept on display at Hancock’ townhouse boutique.

It was worn by aristocratic ladies at both the coronation of King George VI and that of Queen Elizabeth II .