If you’ve ever wondered why people are so fascinated with royals, perhaps you should consider the fact that even though we’re living in modern times, some of them are still wearing the gorgeous princess gowns and sparkly tiaras often associated with fairytales. Aside the fact they married real life princes, Prince William and Prince Harry , the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton , and the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle both wore tiaras on their wedding day, as did their cousin-in-law, Princess Eugenie . The gorgeous heirlooms the British Royal family wears today have been passed down from generations beginning with the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth , and so forth.
And in case you’ve ever wondered about the stunning headpieces they wear on those special occasions, we’ve rounded up some details to feed your royals obsession. In honor of International Tiara Day on May 24, jewelry expert and gemologist Grant Mobley talks of some of the most spectacular tiaras in the British Royal Family.
Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara
“This tiara has an interesting background. Surprisingly it‘s not an original, instead, it’s a replica of an earlier tiara made for Queen Mary’s grandmother - Princess Augusta of Hesse, the Duchess of Cambridge. The stunning piece was commissioned from the House of Garrard by Queen Mary in 1914. The original tiara was sold at auction at Christie’s in Geneva in 1981. The design of the Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara is striking. It is made from over 100 carats of amazing white natural diamonds and features 38 pearls. The late Princess Diana received the Cambridge Lover’s Knot as a wedding gift when she married Prince Charles in 1981, and it later became a favourite of hers making it one of the most iconic tiaras she wore.”
Lotus Flower Tiara
“This is perhaps one of the Trendiest tiaras in today‘s era. It was inspired by the art deco time period and was made with all-round white diamonds in bezel settings and a few white pearls. The beautiful diamonds allow the lotus flower shapes to serve as the main feature. Although it was originally made for the Queen Mother in 1923 by the House of Garrard, it is actually quite modern in its design as it can be worn low on the forehead or high on the head similar to tiaras made today.”
A sparkly masterpiece
“To make this timeless beauty, the Queen Mother had Garrard dismantle a necklace she was given as a wedding gift and use the diamonds and pearls to craft this masterpiece, which is a true testament to the versatility of natural diamonds. The versatility of natural diamonds is one of their most amazing qualities, and because of their durability and resilience, they can be reused and upcycled to create new pieces of jewelry throughout the generations.”
Strathmore Rose Tiara
“This is fairly simple compared to many royal tiaras, but in my eyes, it is one of the most elegant and beautiful in existence. The design is a garland of five roses in yellow gold with the roses set with spectacular large natural rose cut diamonds. This cut of diamond is unique for today and shows the early 20th century period of which it was made and predates modern diamond cuts. Historical pieces jewelry made from natural diamonds show their age gracefully, and I believe this tiara does that more than most. “
A special gift
“This tiara was given to the Queen Mother by her parents (where it gets the Strathmore name), for her wedding with King George VI, which she then passed downed to her daughter Queen Elizabeth II (the current monarch). One of the many great attributes of natural diamonds is their ability to stand the test of time and be passed down to future generations, and the royals have known this for many years. For centuries, they have understood the everlasting value of natural diamond jewelry. They appreciate their timeless, heirloom-quality, and are well-known for passing their jewels down through generations.”
Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau Tiara
“This stunning art deco style diamond tiara, which originally belonged to the Queen‘s grandmother, is the tiara Meghan chose to wear on her wedding day. It’s made of natural diamonds set in platinum, and is formed as a flexible band of 11 sections with interlaced ovals. It features both large and small natural diamonds, and the center stone is actually a detachable brooch with a large diamond at the center, surrounded by nine smaller brilliant cut diamonds.”
Cartier Halo Tiara, also known as Cartier Scroll Tiara
“This beautiful headpiece was made famous by Kate Middleton when she wore it down the aisle on her wedding day. It is one of the many pieces boasting a rich royal history. The Queen‘s father, King George VI had this jeweled accessory designed by Cartier for his wife, the Queen Mother, back in 1936. It was then gifted to Her Majesty on her 18th birthday in 1944 and has remained in her jewlery collection ever since. It is made of 16 diamond scrolls, hence why it’s sometimes called the ’Cartier Scroll Tiara, and it is set with 739 brilliant cut and 149 baton-shaped diamonds.”
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