9 Unforgettable Tiara Moments from Princess Diana, Kate Middleton, and More
As Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth II have proved time and again, no jeweled accessory better defines royalty than a crown or tiara. Whether it's a wedding or a formal state dinner, the royal family knows how to beguile a room with their glittering headpieces. While they are in many ways a symbol of the monarchy, in recent years, Kate Middleton has used her gemmed adornments to add a more sentimental aspect to her ensembles. These history-filled accoutrements are some of the royal family's most iconic pieces of regalia in their collection and each one has a story. Here, look back on some of the most iconic tiara moments from the women of the royal family.
King Charles III's Coronation Day
Among the most recent unforgettable tiara moments was Kate Middleton's headpiece at King Charles III's coronation in May 2023. Though not technically a royal tiara, the crystal and silver leaf headpiece was dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II. During the late Queen's coronation in June 1953, her maids each wore similar headpieces the one worn by the Princess of Wales.
Princess Beatrice's Wedding Day
For her wedding, Princess Beatrice wore Queen Mary's Fringe Tiara, which Queen Elizabeth II also wore on her wedding day to Prince Phillip. The piece features 47 diamonds in a fanned shape. It was also worn by Princess Anne, the Queen's daughter and Beatrice's aunt, for her wedding to Mark Phillips.
Princess Eugenie's Wedding Day
Princess Eugenie married her husband Jack Brooksbank in 2018 in the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara. The focus of the piece is a prominent 93.7-karat emerald.
Queen Elizabeth II
Another one of Queen Mary's acquisitions, the Grand Duchess of Vladimir Tiara was passed down to Queen Elizabeth II following her grandmother's death. The diadem can be worn in multiple ways: with emerald, pearls, or no jewels at all. The piece came from Grand Duchess Vladimir, who escaped the revolution in Russia and the fall of the Romanov family. However, before leaving, she hid her most prized jewels within the Vladimir Palace. Her family later paid someone to sneak into the palace, recover the gems, and deliver them to her son in London. After her death, the Grand Duchess Vladimir's family sold the piece to Queen Mary.
In 1953, Queen Elizabeth II received a necklace and pair of earrings made of diamonds and large aquamarine stones from the country of Brazil as a coronation present. She later had a tiara commissioned to match the jewelry set, however, as Brazil continued to gift her with aquamarines, she further adapted the coronet to feature these stones. Here, the Queen dons the Brazilian Aquamarine Parure, complete with the necklace, earrings, and tiara.
Known as "Granny's Tiara," Queen Mary's Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara is one of Queen Elizabeth's staple pieces. Prior to its induction into the royal jewelry collection, the tiara featured a number of pearls, however, Queen Mary had them removed to make the Lover's Knot Tiara.
Kate Middleton's Wedding Day
For her wedding to Prince William, the Middleton wore the Cartier Halo Tiara, a purchase by Queen Elizabeth's father King George VI for his wife in 1936.
Meghan Markle's Wedding Day
In May 2018, Meghan Markle wed Prince Harry while wearing Queen Mary's bandeau tiara. The coronet centers around 10 diamonds, which Queen Mary received as a wedding gift from the County of Lincoln when she married Queen Elizabeth's grandfather King George V.
Kate Middleton and Princess Diana's Favorite Tiara
Princess Diana was often spotted wearing the Lover's Knot Tiara, a piece widely thought to be her favorite diadem of the royal collection. The headpiece was commissioned by Queen Mary in 1914. The new Princess of Wales has made several appearances in the Lover's Knot Tiara, which many consider being in tribute to her late mother-in-law.
