Biography of royal tiaras
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From there, the tiara gained an even deeper sense of family history. It was modelled on a similar tiara owned by her grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse, Duchess of Cambridge and features interlocking diamond circles with large drop pearls. Mike Todd Diamond Tiara
Gifted to Elizabeth Taylor by her third husband, Mike Todd, this circa 1880 creation was featured in a Christie’s New York sale of the legendary actress’s jewels in 2011, and went for about $4.22 million.
The piece also originally included opals, but after Queen Victoria’s death, her daughter-in-law and next in line to the throne, Queen Alexandra, had the stones replaced with rubies, believing opals to be bad luck. The Airlie Tiara
In October, this 19th century tiara, which belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth’s lady-in-waiting, Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie, sold for $251,000 at the London-based auction house Lyon & Turnbull.
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Like other tiaras from this period, it offers multiple options for wear: Several different pearl-and-diamond elements are detachable and convert to form a series of brooches.
Will the regal revival continue in 2026?
Daughters says his firm has noted a growing interest in antique tiaras among contemporary brides and collectors.
“We expect to see a rise in convertible and wearable tiaras—pieces that move fluidly between necklace, diadem, and brooch,” he says.
Lady Glenconner’s Antique Diamond Star Tiara
Just this month, this circa 1880 piece owned by a close friend of both Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret sold for about $171,000 at a Bonhams London sale. While the late monarch never wore it publicly, her sister Princess Margaret stepped out in it at least once:
The tiara is made up of 739 brilliant-cut diamonds and 149 baguette diamonds and is reportedly worth £1 million.
This tiara features a distinctive geometric honeycomb pattern.
The tiara ended up being one of The Queen Mother's favourites and most-worn, and has since become a go-to for Queen Camilla.
The Burmese Ruby Tiara
Queen Elizabeth II reportedly commissioned the Burmese Ruby Tiara for herself in the 1970s.
Over the next several decades, it became one of her most treasured pieces. But if you can’t wait until the next big Christie’s or Sotheby’s event, Berganza has three readily available tiaras to help you make a grand entrance in the New Year.
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A guide to 24 of the Royal Family's priceless tiaras – from 1,333 diamonds in one design to 93 carat emeralds
There's nothing quite like a tiara to signify a princess.
It was added into her personal tiara rotation with the Princess of Wales opting to wear the design again in December 2022 to host a diplomatic reception at the palace:
The George IV State Diadem
According to the Royal Collection Trust, this diadem was made for George IV to use at his coronation in 1820.
She loaned it to her daughter-in-law Serena Stanhope for her wedding to the Princess' son.
It then went back into the royal collection and wasn't seen again until Kate attended her first State Banquet in 2015, choosing to wear the tiara for the occasion.
The full set was then gifted to Princess Margaret as a 21st birthday present:
The tiara hasn't been worn since Princess Margaret's death in 2002.
The Teck Crescent Tiara
This tiara was reportedly made for Princess Mary Adelaide, aka Queen Mary's mother.
After wearing the jewellery set repeatedly with various different tiaras, the monarch decided she needed a matching headpiece. So, here's a comprehensive list of the most priceless tiaras in the family's vast collection, their origin stories, and who gets to wear them.
The Halo Tiara
Otherwise known as the glittery diamond tiara that Kate Middleton chose to wear during her wedding to Prince William in 2011.
Empress Masako wore the Meiji Scroll Tiara, Crown Princess Kiko was wearing the Diamond Scroll Tiara, Princess Aiko was wearing Princess Sayako’s Mikimoto Diamond Tiara, andPrincess Kako wore her Diamond Tiara for the New Year’s Reception at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
Queen Mary wore the Danish Emerald Parure, Queen Margrethe II wore the Floral Aigrette TiaraandQueen Alexandrine’s Sapphire Parure, Princess Marie wore Princess Dagmar’s Diamond Floral Tiara, and Princess Benedikte wore the Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Fringe Tiara for the Danish New Year’s Banquet.
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa wore the Belgian Scroll TiaraandHereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie wore the Citrine and Pearl Tiara for the Luxembourg New Year’s Reception.
Chrysi Vardinogianni wore the Antique Corsage Tiaraon loan from Queen Anne Marie for her Wedding of Prince Nikolaos of Greece at the Holy Church of Saint Nicholas Rangavas in Athens.
Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin wore the Selangor Diamond Fringe Tiara for the Selangor Opening of Parliament.
Queen Mary wore her Diamond Necklace Tiara and Queen Margrethe II wore the Baden Palmette Tiara for the Arts and Culture Gala at Christiansborg Palace.
Queen Mary wore Queen Caroline Amalie’s two hundred year-old Gold Tiara with Princess Vilhelmine Marie’s Bracelet and the Earrings and Brooch from Countess Danne’s Parure from the Danish Crown Jewels for the Danish State Visit to Finland.
Queen Máxima wore the Dutch Diamond Bandeau on the Dutch State Visit to Cyprus.
Queen Máxima wore the Sapphire Necklace Tiaraon theDutch State Visit to Kenya.
Queen Silvia wore Napoleonic Amethyst Tiara and Parure, Crown Princess Victoria wore the Laurel Wreath Tiara, and Princess Christina wore the Four-Button Tiara for the Representationsmiddag at the Royal Palace of Stockholm.
Victoria Matossián y Márquez wore Queen Isabella II’s Emerald Flower Tiara for the Wedding to Prince Cecil von Croÿ.
Queen Mathilde wore the Laurel Wreath Tiara for the Singapore State Visit to Belgium.
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa wore the Belgian Scroll Tiara and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie wore the Chaumet Choker Tiarafor the Singapore State Visit to Luxembourg.
Queen Sonja wore Norwegian Emerald Parure, Crown Princess Mette-Marit wore theNorwegian Amethyst Tiara and Necklace, Princess Ingrid Alexandra wore Princess Ingeborg’s Boucheron Pearl Circle Tiara, Princess Astrid wore her Ruby Aigrette Tiara for the Icelandic State Visit to Norway.
Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik Tiara, her Pearl and Diamond Necklace and Earrings, the Dagmar Necklace, the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, Queen Mary’s Love Trophy Collar, Diamond Stomacher, Emerald and Diamond Brooch and the Delhi Durbar Tiara went on display in the ‘Edwardians: Age of Elegance’ Exhibition at the King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace.
Iconic Jewels from Royal and Noble Collections went on display in the highly anticipated Cartier Exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
Queen Máxima wore the Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara, the Princess of Orange was wearing the Mellerio Ruby Tiara, and Princess Viktória of Bourbon-Parma wore the Dutch Sapphire Necklace Tiara for the Oman State Visit to the Netherlands.
Queen Azizah wore her new Diamond Tiara for the Pahang Opening of Parliament.
Sultanah Nur Zahirah wore the Terengganu State Diadem, Queen Zara Salim of Perak was wearing her Diamond Tiara, Tengku Permaisuri (Queen)Norashikin was in the Selangor Diamond Fringe Tiara, Sultanah Maliha of Kedah and wore the Kedah Diamond Tiara for the Raja of Perlis’ Silver Jubilee Banquet.
Princess Isabella wore antique Turquoise Daisy Bandeau and Antique Turquoise and Diamond Earrings for her Official Gala Portraits on her 18th Birthday.
The Queen later bought it at an auction in the 1970s.
Queen Mary’s Bandeau Tiara
Queen Mary’s Bandeau Tiara, created in 1932, features a detachable centerpiece made up of ten brilliant diamonds.
Socials
It’s that time of year again! And when Elizabeth later married Prince Philip, it effortlessly became part of her own wedding story.
The Lover’s Knot tiara
The house of Garrard made this lover’s knot tiara for Queen Mary in 1913.