The History Behind Famous British Royal Family’s Tiaras

Mar 30, 2020 by apost team

One perk about being a member of the Royal family is having a plethora of extravagant tiaras with a rich history to your disposal. 

We are looking at just some of the most interesting tiaras which have been worn by members of the British Royal family over the years. 

According to Express, Burma gave Queen Elizabeth II 96 rubies as a wedding gift; which she then transformed into this beautiful tiara. It was most recently seen when the Queen wore it for Donald Trump's state visit.

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This diamond-encrusted tiara was originally owned by the now-defunct Romanov family of Russia but was eventually sold to Queen Mary in 1921.

According to the Express, Queen Elizabeth inherited the piece in 1988 following the death of her grandmother. The tiara is unique in that the centerpieces can be changed and has been seen sporting many different diamonds, gems, and pearls. 

“These days, you can often see Queen Elizabeth II wearing the emerald version, which is very impressive, as the emeralds alone look to weigh 20-30cts each, and that’s not counting the numerous natural pearls," Deborah Papas, Gemologist Prestige Pawnbrokers of Channel 4’s Posh Pawn told the publication

"This piece would attract major buyers globally due to its historic interest and could fetch in excess of 10 million at auction," she added.

This interesting piece was originally owned by Queen Mary and was last seen in the 60s, but it dropped out of sight until recently when Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, wore it on her wedding day.

The tiara was made in 1932 but holds a brooch which dates back to 1893. According to Kensington Palace, the tiara was designed specifically to accommodate the brooch, which was gifted to Queen Mary the County of Lincoln in 1893 when she was to wed Prince George.

On her wedding day in 1981, Princess Diana opted for wearing a family heirloom tiara as opposed to one gifted to her from the Queen. According to the Express, Diana was loaned the Lover's Knot tiara for her big day by Queen Elizabeth – the same one worn by Kate Middleton on her own wedding day – which Diana ultimately decided against wearing. Deborah Papas tells express that this was because the Lover's knot gave "her headaches as it is very heavy."

According to the Royal Collection Trust, the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara was gifted to Queen Mary in 1893 for her wedding day by the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland committee.

The tiara was later gifted to Queen Elizabeth in 1947, who has since worn it on numerous occasions. 

This extravagant crown was designed in 1821 for King George IV's coronation. It features an impressive 1,333 diamonds and cost over £8,000 – almost £800,000 in today's standards. 

The diadem has since been worn numerous times by the Queen, including during her coronation in 1953. According to the Royal Collection Trust, she now chooses it as her Royal accessory of choice when traveling to and from the State Opening of Parliament.

According to the Royal Collection Trust, the Kokoshnik Tiara was given to Queen Alexandra in 1888 as a gift by the Ladies of Society on her 25th Wedding Anniversary to King Edward VII.

The tiara got its name as it is modeled after a traditional Russian headdress called a 'Kokoshnik', which was popular as a style for tiaras in the 19th century in Western Europe. 

Over the years, the Lover's knot tiara has come to be widely associated with Princess Diana. According to Vogue, the tiara was gifted to Diana by the Queen on her wedding day and was often seen wearing it at official Royal engagement. 

Now, it is often seen worn by Kate Middleton at the Diplomatic receptions as well as state dinners. 

This tiara is best recognized as the one worn by Kate Middleton on her wedding day in 2011. The Royal Collection Trust states that the tiara features "739 brilliants and 149 baton diamonds." 

It was created in 1936 by Cartier and was a gift to the Queen Mother by her husband prior to their wedding.

According to the Telegraph, this stunning tiara was originally owned by Dame Margaret Helen Greville, a British socialite who then gifted it to The Queen Mother. It was made in 1921 by Boucheron and the central Emerald is reported to be 93.70 carats.

Most recently, Princess Eugenie borrowed the tiara from the Queen's birthday for her wedding day last year.

Another tiara from the Greville collection, the piece is often seen worn by Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, since her wedding to Prince Charles in 2005 according to the Express,.