King Charles had £830 million worth of family heirlooms stolen by axe-wielding thieves.
Snuffboxes belonging to his great-grandfather, King George V, and great-grandmother, Queen Mary, were taken from the Musée Cognacq-Jay in Paris on 20 November.
According to Newsweek, four burglars wielding axes stormed past guards and visitors during the daylight raid, using the weapons to smash open a glass display case.
The heirlooms stolen included two pieces on loan from The Royal Collection Trust, the charity that maintains the Monarchy’s art collection for public viewing. The total value of the goods stolen was estimated at €1 million, according to the French publication Le Monde.
Paris Musées shared an official statement condemning the act describing it as a “violent robbery.”
The statement continued: “The theft of seven works of art, including snuffboxes of great historical and heritage value on loan from the Louvre, the Royal Collection Trust, and The Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, as part of the Luxe de poche exhibition.”
“Investigations linked to the inquiry and the assessment of this immense loss are underway,” it added, noting that the museum will remain closed until 10 December.
“Paris Musées and the City of Paris strongly condemn this criminal act and reaffirm their support for the staff present, who demonstrated great professionalism and an exemplary attitude in the face of this situation,” the statement concluded.
© © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2024 | Royal Collection Trust.The Musee Cognacs-Jay also confirmed the ordeal in an official statdement that read: “In the wake of the violent robbery that took place on Wednesday 20 November at the Musée Cognacq-Jay, and followingthe initial investigations and legal proceedings carried out in close cooperation with the police, the Brigade de Répressiondu Banditisme (BRB) and the City of Paris, Paris Musées confirms the theft of seven works of art, including snuffboxesof great historical and heritage value on loan from the Louvre, the Royal Collection and The Rosalinde & Arthur GilbertCollection on loan to the Victoria and Albert museum, as part of the ‘Luxe de poche’ exhibition.”
What was stolen?
The Musee Cognacs-Jay confirmed the details of seven stolen snuffboxes, two of which were on loan from the royal collection trust.
The first had been a present for George V on his 55th birthday in 1920, while the other featured 3,000 diamonds and was bought by Queen Mary in 1932.
The first was a “cartouche-shaped, gold and lapis lazuli snuffbox” inset with “an onyx cameo depicting the Birth of Venus,” according to the official website of The Royal Collection.
“King George V and Queen Mary formed an important collection of gold boxes,” the organisation explained. “They were a popular choice of gift to the King. This box was a gift from Edward Cecil Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh (1847–1927), on the King’s birthday, 3 June 1920.”
The second was the “Fabrique Royale” table snuffbox “bought by Queen Mary” in July 1932.
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