Eight Of The Jaw-Droppingly Expensive Tiaras Owned By The Royal Family

Dec 03, 2020 by apost team

Royal tiaras are masterpieces of jewelry owned by the British royal family as part of the Crown Jewels.

Married women in the royal family often wear them on formal occasions and on their wedding day, and people enjoy speculating about which tiara a bride-to-be will select. In addition to being beautiful pieces of artwork, many of these tiaras have fascinating histories.

The women of the British royal family are often seen wearing tiaras when they attend white tie events. To them, jewelry is not just an accessory. They are a sign of status, especially since there are rules when it comes to wearing them — only two types of women in the royal family are allowed to wear a tiara. We're talking about exactly who can and cannot wear them, so you can feast your eyes on eight of the most expensive headpieces owned by the family.

Grant Harrold, who is an etiquette expert and former royal butler, told Insider:

"Traditionally, tiaras are a sign of marriage. So typically they could be worn by a bride on her wedding day, or after she is married, she can wear one to any white tie event.”

Harrold, added: “Single ladies don't typically wear tiaras, unless they are born into the Royal Family as a princess."

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The Lotus Flower Tiara

Made from a necklace given to the Queen Mother, this famous tiara was a favorite of Princess Margaret. It is adorned with pearls and diamonds. According to PEOPLE, the tiara was also loaned to Princess Margaret’s daughter-in-law Serena Stanhope for her wedding day. Kate Middleton has also worn this tiara a few times, most notably when she attended her first State Banquet at Buckingham Palace in October 2015.

The Brazilian Aquamarine Parure

According to The Court Jeweller, the tiara did not start off as a tiara. It was a necklace and a pair of earrings given to Queen Elizabeth in 1953 by the Brazilian president Getúlio Vargas as a coronation gift on behalf of his people.

The Oriental Circlet

This tiara has been around since the 1800s and was a favorite of the Queen Mother, The Court Jeweller writes. It was designed by Prince Albert, who had a penchant for design and jewelry. It is reportedly valued at 6.5 million pounds (approximately $8,670,350) and the Queen has only worn it once.

The George IV State Diadem

This well-known tiara was made for King George IV in 1820. It is worn by queens during coronations and parliament openings. It is most noted for its elaborate design, including over 1000 diamonds. It goes on display at the Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace when it is not worn by any of the family members.

Lover’s Knot Tiara

This particular tiara became synonymous with Princess Diana. Although the Queen loaned it to Diana for her wedding day, the late princess opted to wear something from her family instead, the Spencer Tiara. The Lover's Knot eventually grew to become one of her favorite headpieces. It is allegedly a weighty piece that hurt Diana’s head when she wore it.

Since becoming Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton has worn the Lover's Knot at several formal events including in 2016 at the annual Diplomatic Reception, and most recently at a reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps in December 2019.

The Burmese Ruby Tiara

Burma gave Queen Elizabeth II 96 rubies as a wedding gift; she had them transformed into this beautiful tiara, as per The Court Jeweller. It was most recently seen when the Queen wore it for Donald Trump's state visit.

The Girls of Great Britain & Ireland Tiara

This is Queen Elizabeth II's favorite tiara. It was a wedding gift from her grandmother, Queen Mary of Teck.This headpiece is most frequently worn by the monarch, it's even featured in her portrait on the British currency. On the history of the tiara, The Daily Express reported that it was a wedding gift from her grandmother, Queen Mary, and the first she owned herself. The tiara was originally a wedding gift for Mary when she married the Duke of York, who later became George V, in 1893.

The Cartier Halo Tiara

This tiara was made in 1936. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, wore it at her wedding and still sometimes wears it. Princess Margaret had the pleasure of wearing this delicate band while on tour in Zanzibar in 1956. Princess Anne also wore the piece to an event in 1970 in New Zealand.

But its most iconic wearer has to be Kate Middleton, who wore the Halo Tiara on that spectacular day in 2011 when she became Prince William's wife, wrote Glamour. This gorgeous piece was made in 1936 and owned by the Queen Mother, but she gave it to Queen Elizabeth II for her 18th birthday. We'd like to think Princess Charlotte will wear it at her own wedding in the decades to come.

The history and beauty of these tiaras is endlessly fascinating. You might enjoy discussing these works of arts with your friends and family. Which one is your favorite?