Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara
In 1913, Queen Mary asked Garrard & Co. to make a copy of a tiara owned by her grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel, using the queen’s own diamonds and pearls. French in its neo-classical design, the tiara has 19 oriental pearls suspended from lover’s knot bows. Mary left the tiara to Elizabeth II, who later gave it to Diana, Princess of Wales, as a wedding present. On her divorce from Prince Charles it was returned to the Queen. In 2015 it was given to the Duchess of Cambridge.
Burmese Ruby Tiara
Elizabeth II ordered the Burmese Ruby Tiara in 1973, from Garrard & Co. using stones from her private collection. It is designed in the form of a wreath of roses, with silver and diamonds making the petals, and clusters of gold and rubies forming the centre of the flowers. A total of 96 rubies are mounted on the tiara, they were originally part of a necklace given to her in 1947 as a wedding present by the people of Burma.
Delhi Durbar Tiara
The Delhi Durbar Tiara was made by Garrard & Co. for Queen Mary, the wife of King George V, to wear at the Delhi Durbar in 1911. It was part of a set of jewellery made for Queen Mary which included a necklace, stomacher, brooch and earrings. Made of gold and platinum, the tiara is 8 cm (3 in) tall and has the form of a tall circlet of lyres and S-scrolls linked by festoons of diamonds.
Queen Mary Fringe Tiara
This tiara, which can also be worn as a necklace, was made for Queen Mary in 1919. It reuses diamonds taken from a necklace/tiara purchased by Queen Victoria as a wedding present for Mary in 1893. In August 1936, Mary gave the tiara to her daughter-in-law, Queen consort Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother). Later, she lent the piece to her daughter, Elizabeth as “something borrowed” for her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947.
Halo Tiara
This tiara, made by Cartier in 1936, was purchased by the Duke of York (later King George VI) for his wife (later the Queen Mother) three weeks before they became king and queen. It has a rolling cascade of 16 scrolls, two central scrolls topped by a diamond. Altogether, it contains 739 brilliants and 149 baton diamonds. The tiara was given to Elizabeth on her 18th birthday in 1944, and was borrowed by Princess Margaret, who used it at the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The Halo Tiara was lent to the Duchess of Cambridge to use at her wedding to Prince William in 2011.
Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara
This tiara was part of Dame Margaret Greville’s 1942 bequest to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. The tiara was constructed by Boucheron in 1919 and features diamonds and several large emeralds in a kokoshnik-style platinum setting. Princess Eugenie of York wore the tiara at her October 2018 wedding. This marked the first public wearing of the tiara by a member of the royal family.
Meander Tiara
This tiara was a wedding present to Elizabeth from her mother-in-law, Princess Alice of Greece and Denmark. The Meander Tiara is in the classical Greek key pattern, with a large diamond in the centre enclosed by a laurel wreath of diamonds. It also incorporates a wreath of leaves and scrolls on either side. The Queen has never worn this item in public, and it was given in 1972 to her daughter, Princess Anne. Anne lent the tiara to her daughter, Zara Philips to use at her wedding to Mike Tindall in 2011.
Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara
The Queen’s first tiara was a wedding present in 1947 from her grandmother, Queen Mary, who received it as a gift from the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland in 1893 on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of York, later George V. Mary adapted the tiara to take 13 diamonds in place of the large oriental pearls surmounting the tiara. Elizabeth wore the tiara without its base and pearls but the base was reattached in 1969.
Moroccan Wedding Gift Parure tiara
A wedding gift from King Mohammed VI, this glittering modern parure, set with white and pink diamonds, was specially commissioned for Princess Lalla Salma. In addition to the Tiara, it consists of a large Necklace, Earrings, Bracelet, Belt, and Fibulae in a hexagonal, chain design.
Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik Tiara
The Kokoshnik Tiara was presented to Alexandra, Princess of Wales, as a 25th wedding anniversary gift in 1888 by Lady Salisbury on behalf of 365 peeresses of the United Kingdom. She had always wanted a tiara in the style of a kokoshnik, a traditional Russian folk headdress, and knew the design well from a tiara belonging to her sister, Marie Feodorovna, the Empress of Russia.
Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara
Sometimes the Diamond and Pearl Tiara. It was bought by Queen Mary from Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia, mother of the Duchess of Kent, in 1921. The duchess, known after her marriage as Princess Nicholas of Greece, inherited it from her mother, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, who received it as a wedding gift from her husband in 1874. During the Russian Revolution in 1917, the tiara was hidden with other jewels in Vladimir Palace. Princess Nicholas sold pieces of jewellery from her collection to support her exiled family and various charities.
Sarah of Brunei’s Diamond Floral Tiara
Crown Princess Sarah received this interchangeable diamond tiara as a wedding gift from the Sultan ahead of her 2004 wedding. It was worn to the wedding celebrations and the abdication dinner of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.
George III Fringe Tiara
The George III Fringe Tiara is a circlet incorporating brilliant diamonds that were formerly owned by George III. Originally commissioned in 1830, it could be worn as a collar or necklace or mounted on a wire to form the tiara.
Greville Tiara
This tiara was left to Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) by Dame Margaret Greville upon her death in 1942. Made by Boucheron in 1920, the tiara features a honeycomb-patterned diamond lattice and was a favorite of the Queen Mother. The Queen inherited the tiara from her mother in 2002 and subsequently placed it under long -term loan to the Duchess of Cornwall.
The Spencer Family Tiara
Though this piece was once said to date from the 18th century, the Spencer Tiara is actually made up of other pieces of jewellery of varying ages and from different jewellers that has gone through several changes over time. It was worn by both of Diana’s older sisters, Jane and Sarah, at their weddings before it was worn by Diana. While Diana’s mother -in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, loaned her the Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara for the wedding, the princess-to-be decided to stick to her family roots and go with the Spencer tiara for the big day.
Brazilian Aquamarine Parure Tiara
For her coronation in 1953, the Queen received a gift of a necklace and earrings from the President and people of Brazil. The set includes large rectangular aquamarines, Brazilian obviously, set in scrolled diamond and platinum. The stones are perfectly matched. In 1958 Brazil presented her with a large brooch and a bracelet to add to the set. The Queen had Garrard make a simple tiara of a platinum bandeau set with diamonds and aquamarines. The uprights were detachable and can be used as brooches.
Stéphanie de Beauharnais’s pearl-and-diamond tiara
A Pearl and diamond tiara made for Stéphanie de Beauharnais, Grand Duchess of Baden, some time before 1829. It was converted to a bandeau in 1924 for Princess Maria José to wear at her first court ball. It is also known as the Queen Marie José Seed Pearl Tiara.
Empress Michiko of Japan’s Diamond Scroll Tiara
Worn by Empress Michiko on her wedding day, this Diamond Scroll Tiara and parure was one of her most worn tiaras in the early years. In 1993, Empress Michiko gave the Diamond Scroll Tiar to her daughter-in-law, Crown Princess Masako, and, like her mother-in-law, it was her most worn tiara in the early years of her marriage.
Marie-Therese Duchesse d’Angouleme’s Emerald and Diamond Tiara
The tiara which was designed and executed by the French Royal Jewelers Evrard and Frederic Bapst in 1819, was a masterpiece of the French jewelry craftsmanship of the early 19th century. The design of the tiara was a symmetrical design of scrolling foliage, mounted with over a thousand diamonds set in silver, and 40 emeralds set in gold.
The Swedish Cameo Tiara
Brides of the Swedish royal family have traditionally worn the Cameo Tiara as their wedding crown for decades. Its first owner was Empress Joséphine, who likely received it as a gift from her husband Napoleon sometime around 1809. Cameos were much more popular back then; the seven used in this tiara were made first and were not intended to go together which is why they are all different in size and color.
Tiara Desirée
Joséphine of Leuchtenberg Diamond Tiara or The Tiara Desirée, after Desiree Clary, Queen of Sweden. A neoclassical tiara with floral garlands and wreaths of laurel. The original owner is believed to be Queen Josefina (a gift from her grandmother, Ess Josephine) and might have included pearls that were interchangeable with the sapphires.
The Greek Emerald Parure Tiara
The tale of this tiara begins with the giant emeralds it houses. Sixteen-year-old Grand Duchess Olga Constantinova of Russia brought a magnificent set of cabochon emeralds in varying sizes with her when she married King George I of Greece in 1867. In Queen Olga’s day, the emeralds were separate pieces and she wore them as such, pinning them to her dress and kokoshnik, and hanging them from her necklace and so on. It wasn’t until their next wearer, Queen Elisabeth of Greece – her husband, King George II, was Olga’s grandson and inherited the emeralds after her death in 1926 – took possession that they began to take the shape of the set we know today.
The Braganza Tiara
Composed of arabesques, flowers, and leaves depicted in diamonds and mounted in gold and silver, this tiara measures 12.5 centimeters tall. It first belonged to Empress Amélie of Brazil.
The Connaught “Forget-Me-Not” Tiara
the Connaught Tiara has 5 distinctive upright loops of forget-me-not wreaths with a diamond pendant suspended in each. Between the loops, upside down bows support single diamond uprights. It was a wedding gift to Princess Margaret of Connaught from her parents, when she married Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden in 1905. It’s a flexible tiara: you can take it off the frame and wear the whole thing as a hefty necklace or you can use the diamond pendants on a chain as a necklace of their own, or as earrings.
Diadem of the Stars
The diadem was made in 1863 for the Queen Consort Maria Pia of Savoy, wife of King Luís I of Portugal. The tiara was fashioned in the workshop of the Portuguese Royal Jeweler, Estevao de Sousa in Lisbon, Portugal. The tiara is just a piece of a whole set of jewelry that was commissioned by Maria Pia, which includes the Necklace of the Stars, the counterpart of the diadem.
The Naasut Tiara
The diadem was presented to Margrethe in 2012, her 40th year on the throne. She first wore the piece in public for the 2013 New Year’s Court banquet. It’s a high honor, really – the banquet is one of the most formal occasions of the year, and she tends to wear her most important pieces. It was referred to as the Naasut Tiara, meaning “flowers” in Greenlandic.
The Gandik Diraja
The trademark tiara of the Queens of Malaysia is known as the Gandik Diraja. Crafted from platinum and diamonds, it incorporates several traditional motifs: a central star with a crescent and the swiriling “awan larat” design.
The Teck Crescent Tiara
The Teck Crescent Tiara came into the British royal family by way of Queen Mary’s mother, Princess Mary Adelaide, the Duchess of Teck. This diamond diadem, featuring three wild roses separated by 20 crescent shapes, was assembled by Mary Adelaide from various jewels she inherited from her aunt, Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester.
The Teck Circle Tiara
This can also be worn as a Necklace. The Queen Mother did lend this tiara out to be exhibited late in her life. It has now passed on to the current queen.
The Bains de Mer Tiara
Here’s one of the more unique tiaras in the Monaco collection: the Bains de Mer Tiara, a wedding gift to Grace from the Société des Bains de Mer. This piece was created by Cartier for the new Princess of Monaco. The central elements are three detachable brooches made of diamonds and cabochon rubies set in gold and platinum. The rubies total 49 carats.
The Nizam of Hyderabad Tiara
On her wedding day in 1947, Queen Elizabeth II received a diamond tiara from the Nizam of Hyderabad. Made by Cartier, the design is appropriately based on English roses. Three floral brooches (one large, two small) were detachable from the tiara for use as brooches.
Queen Saleha of Brunei’s Diamond Upright Tiara
This tiara, featuring large pear-shaped diamonds, has been worn by Queen Saleha since the 1980s. It was also worn by her daughter, Princess Majeedah, at her 2007 wedding.
The Belgian Scroll Tiara
This diamond tiara of palmette, crescent, and scroll motifs was made by Henry Coosemans in 1953. In total there are 854 diamonds here, all set in platinum, with a total weight of 46.42 carats. The center stone is an 8.1 carat diamond that can be removed and worn as a ring, and the central element can be worn as a brooch. The Sociéte Générale, Belgium’s national bank, gave it to Princess Joséphine- Charlotte of Belgium as a wedding gift when she married the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Jean, that same year.
Queen Elisabeth of Belgium’s Diamond Scroll Tiara
Made in 1910, this platinum and diamond bandeau tiara is the epitome of Cartier’s Garland style. It features scrolls, foliates, and a large central cushion-shaped diamond. In 1912, the Cartier tiara was bought by Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, and eventually became her signature tiara. She first wore it on a fabric ‘band’ in the style of the 1910s, before wearing it low on her brow in the style of the 20s.
The Spanish Floral Tiara
This tiara was originally often said to have been a piece by the French jeweler Mellerio, and is often referred to the Mellerio Floral Tiara. General Franco gave the tiara to Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark on the occasion of her marriage to Juan Carlos of Spain in 1962 on behalf of the Spanish people. This diamond tiara set in gold and silver in a floral motif is actually convertible: it can be a necklace and the center flower can be a brooch.
The Khedive of Egypt Tiara
Made by Cartier, this diamond ornament was a gift to Princess Margaret of Connaught when she married Crown Prince Gustav Adolf of Sweden in 1905 from the Khedive of Egypt. A fitting gift, as the couple had first met in the Khedive’s country. It was also used as a flexible stomacher brooch.
The Poltimore Tiara
On the advice of Deputy Master of the Household Patrick Plunkett, this tiara was acquired for Princess Margaret prior to the official announcement of her engagement to Antony Armstrong-Jones. The tiara was originally made by Garrard for Florence, Lady Poltimore, wife of the second Baron Poltimore, in the 1870s. The tiara is an all-diamond affair set in gold and silver in which clusters of cushion-shaped and old-cut diamonds are set amongst scroll motifs topped with diamonds. It is a convertible piece, breaking down into a necklace and a set of 11 brooches.
The Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara
It was one of the wedding gifts given to Princess Sophie of Württemberg when she married the future King Willem III of the Netherlands in 1839. The tiara features an intricate design of diamonds studded with round pearls and topped by detachable drop pearls.
Queen Victoria’s Emerald and Diamond Tiara
Made of emeralds (Victorias birth stone) and diamonds set in gold and designed by Albert in the Gothic Revival style, Victoria’s Emerald and Diamond Tiara was made in 1845 by Joseph Kitching. It features upright cabochon emeralds atop a base of scroll cut emeralds.
The Oriental Circlet
Prince Albert oversaw the creation of many wonderful pieces for his wife, Queen Victoria, including this piece made by Garrard in 1853. The original diadem consisted of more than 2,600 diamonds with opal accents, all set in gold. Opals were one of Albert’s favorite stones, and after receiving this tiara Victoria commissioned an opal necklace, earrings, and brooch to go with it. The opals have since been replaced with rubies.
Queen Geraldine of Albania’s Sapphire Tiara
This tiara is a small piece including sapphires and diamonds in a floral design with the heraldic symbol of the Albanian royal house resting underneath a diamond and sapphire floral arch. That symbol is a helmet topped by a ram’s head, and it is also the symbol of Skanderbeg, a fifteenth-century warrior often referred to as Albania’s national hero. King Zog proclaimed himself King of the Albanians in 1928 and claimed to be a successor to Skanderbeg, making this an important symbol for the royal house.
Queen Margherita’s Musy Tiara
In 1904, to celebrate the birth of her grandson Queen Margherita, the Queen Mother of Italy sent a few pieces from her existing personal jewel collection to the jeweler Musy to be crafted into a new diadem. There are eight or nine possible settings. The top arches are removable – you can remove them all and use it like a proper button tiara, leave the front arch if you prefer, or use all the arches when removed as a bandeau. Put it all together and there’s no doubt that this is one of the most convertible tiaras out there.
The Stuart Tiara
The Stuart Diamond often called the Holland Diamond is the main feature. The exact origins of the stone are a bit hazy, but it comes into focus in 1690, when it was bought by William Prince of Orange, and Mary an heir to the British throne from the House of Stuart. Mary had it fashioned into a pear shaped, rose cut, 39.75 carat form. Not only is it a large diamond it is also a pale blue color with a greenish sea tint a combination which makes this an incredibly rare and valuable stone. The Stuart Diamond was in England with the reigning couple but was returned to the Netherlands in 1702. The tiara was created in 1897.
The Rundell Tiara
Queen Victoria’s son, the Prince of Wales married Princess Alexandra of Denmark in 1863. He gave his wife an impressive start to her jewel collection: a parure of a diamond tiara with a pearl and diamond necklace, brooch, and earrings. The tiara is in the style of a coronet. The base consists of two rows of diamonds with ten large brilliants in between and smaller diamonds connecting the ten larger stones. Scroll motifs, each featuring a large pear-shaped diamond, extend up from the base, and a rather Greek motif connects each one.
Iran’s Ruby and Diamond Tiara
Emeralds are by far the most represented colored stone in the abundant royal jewel collection once used by Iran’s former monarchy. But when they did rubies, they did them well. Pyramids of smaller rubies support clusters of large rubies surrounded by diamonds in this tiara, which is also accented with marquise and round diamonds and topped by a graduated series of pear-shaped diamonds.
Princess Benedikte’s Floral Tiara
The three daughters of King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid of Denmark each received a tiara for her 18th birthday: Benedikte’s present is made of diamonds set in gold and silver, and the center stone can be swapped between an emerald, a pearl, and a diamond.
The Alexandrine Drop Tiara
It features gold hoops with numerous small dangling drops – not so large the movement is distracting, but enough to really play with the light. This one was made in Paris around the turn of the last century for Queen Alexandrine of Denmark, wife of King Christian X.
The Antique Corsage Tiara
The diamond and pearl Antique Corsage Tiara has a history that passes it through the hands of Queens from three different countries. Queen Victoria of Sweden owned a stomacher that could be used as a set of brooches. This piece was inherited by Queen Ingrid of Denmark (who was Victoria’s granddaughter). Ingrid set the brooches up as a tiara and gave it to her daughter, Princess Anne-Marie, as an 18th birthday present.
The Dutch Diamond Bandeau
The Dutch Diamond Bandeau is really the simplest of pieces, nothing but giant diamonds in a row on a thin platinum frame. It looks like a necklace worn in the hair, and that’s essentially what it is. The tiara originates with a diamond collet necklace which was a wedding gift to Queen Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont, who married King Willem III in 1879 the diamonds themselves date back even further. The strand of diamonds was used as both a necklace and a dress ornament before it was converted into a tiara.
Which was your favorite?
