The Cartier Halo tiara, made up of 739 brilliant cut diamonds and 149 baguette diamonds, was loaned to Kate Middleton by Queen Elizabeth II for her wedding in 2011. This dazzling piece of royal jewelry displays royal grandeur without being over-the-top. Kate Middleton has worn three different tiaras publicly throughout her decade-long royal career, including the Cartier Halo Tiara, which was lent to her by Queen Elizabeth II.
The Strathmore Rose Tiara, given to the Queen Mother by her father, Lord Strathmore, before she married the Duke of York in 1923, was designed to look like a garland of wild roses. The Kent City of London Fringe tiara, originally given to Marie Christine’s mother-in-law, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, by the city of London on her wedding day in 1934, eventually became a symbol of royal royalty.
Traditionally, in royal weddings, brides wear jewelry from their husbands’ families, so borrowing a royal tiara from the Queen made perfect sense for both Kate and Meghan. Kate wore the Cartier Halo tiara for her wedding to Prince William in 2011 and Meghan wore the Queen Mary Bandeau tiara for her 2018 wedding.
The Spencer Tiara, originally owned by Margaret, the wife of the 3rd Baron Poltimore, was worn by Lady Diana Spencer at her wedding to Prince William. The Cartier Halo Tiara, set with 739 brilliants and 149 baguette diamonds, was worn by Kate Middleton on her wedding day.
📹 Why Did Kate Middleton Choose THIS Tiara for Her Wedding Day?
Unlock the history and hidden secrets of Kate Middleton’s royal wedding tiara in this captivating video. We delve into the story of …
What is the Strathmore rose tiara?
It can be replaced with five sapphire collet set. In 2002, Queen Elizabeth II inherited the tiara from her mother, but she never wore it.
Did Meghan Markle keep her wedding tiara?
The bride wore Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau for her wedding, which she styled with a 16-foot silk tulle veil embroidered with flowers representing each country in the British Commonwealth. The jeweled headpiece, which is estimated to cost $2.4 million, has a long history. Mary of Teck received a diamond crown as a wedding gift from the country of Lincoln when she married Prince George in July 1893. Queen Mary wore the headpiece often, including at the premiere of The Lavender Hill Mob in 1951. After Queen Mary died in 1953, Queen Elizabeth II got the jewel. The tiara sat in the royal vault for 65 years until Meghan wore it on her wedding day. After the wedding, Meghan returned the tiara to the queen.
What tiara did the Queen wear at her wedding?
On November 20, 1947, Queen Elizabeth II married Prince Philip in a gown designed by Norman Hartnell. It took 350 women two months to make. Her dress was the showstopper on her big day, but the Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara was the finishing touch. The tiara caused the bride stress before the wedding. Two hours before the wedding, the tiara broke. On her wedding day, Elizabeth was getting ready. After the bride put on her outfit, her hairdresser attached her tiara to her veil. It broke into two pieces, according to Vogue. Her mother tried to calm her down, saying they still had two hours and other crowns to choose from. Luckily, Garrard was ready in case of a malfunction. The jewelers brought the Fringe Tiara to their workshop and the diamond experts fixed it, according to Vogue. They returned the tiara to Elizabeth just in time for her wedding.
What tiara did Princess Margaret wear?
Lady Glenconner writes about the Poltimore tiara, which was worn at the royal wedding. Princess Margaret bought the tiara. Patrick Plunket, a good judge of taste, saw it at auction and told her about it. Lady Glenconner explains in Whatever Next? The tiara was made by Garrard for Lady Poltimore and Princess Margaret bought it for £5,500. Lady Glenconner says she looked beautiful in it. Her husband Tony took a famous photo of her in the bath wearing it, with a happy, coquettish expression. After Princess Margaret died in 2002, the tiara sold for a million in 2006. The purchaser is still a mystery. Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones leave Westminster Abbey after their wedding. Bettmann – Getty Images.
Whose tiara did Meghan wear at her wedding?
Meghan borrowed the Queen Marys bandeau tiara from Queen Elizabeth. Before the wedding, the Queen invited Meghan to Buckingham Palace to choose a tiara to go with her wedding dress. Come over, she said. It was an amazing morning. We went into Granny’s dressing room, right next to her bedroom. I’d never been in there before. Harry says a jewelry expert and Queen Elizabeth’s stylist were there while Meghan tried on five different ornate headpieces. I stood behind, watching. One was all emeralds. One was aquamarine, says Harry. Each was more beautiful than the last. They all took my breath away. Granny said to Meg, ” Tiaras suit you, he says. Meg melted. Thank you.
What tiara did Meghan wear at her wedding?
Meghan borrowed the Queen Marys bandeau tiara from Queen Elizabeth. Before the wedding, the Queen invited Meghan to Buckingham Palace to choose a tiara to go with her wedding dress. Come over, she said. It was an amazing morning. We went into Granny’s dressing room, right next to her bedroom. I’d never been in there before. Harry says a jewelry expert and Queen Elizabeth’s stylist were there while Meghan tried on five different ornate headpieces. I stood behind, watching. One was all emeralds. One was aquamarine, says Harry. Each was more beautiful than the last. They all took my breath away. Granny said to Meg, ” Tiaras suit you, he says. Meg melted. Thank you.
What tiaras did Princess Catherine wear?
Queen Elizabeth II owned 20 tiaras. Kate currently has four on loan: the Cartier Halo, the Cambridge Lovers Knot, the Lotus Flower, and the Strathmore Rose Tiara. Princess Kate wore a tiara for the first time at her wedding to Prince William. She wore the Cartier Halo Tiara with her bridal gown for her ceremony at Westminster Abbey. This was the first time the royal wore the tiara. For her first state banquet at Buckingham Palace, Kate wore the Lotus Flower Tiara with a red Jenny Packham dress. At the event, she welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife.
What tiara did Pippa Middleton wear?
Tiaras from the 19th century often had ivy leaves and symbols of everlasting life. Pippa wore a Maidenhair fern tiara on her wedding day. The expert says this tiara represents two things.
READ MORE: King Charles’ friend on moment with monarch he’ll cherish forever. Pippa wore her Giles Deacon dress to marry James (Image: PA).
What tiara did Eugenie wear at her wedding?
Wedding: On October 12, 2018, Princess Eugenie wore a tiara borrowed from her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. It was the 93.7-carat Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara, originally created in 1919 by Boucheron for Margaret Greville, a close friend of Queen Mary. When Greville died, the tiara went to the Queen’s mother.
Wedding: On May 19, 2018, Meghan borrowed from Queen Elizabeth’s collection for her wedding day, wearing the Queen Mary’s Bandeau Tiara, which once belonged to Queen Mary. The tiara was made in 1932 and often has a sapphire in the center stone. Meghan chose a diamond, which the Queen Elizabeth lent to her. The tiara is a flexible band of 11 sections with interlaced ovals and diamonds. The center is set with a detachable brooch of ten diamonds.
Wedding: July 30, 2011: Zara wore a tiara originally belonging to her grandfather, Prince Philip’s mother, for her wedding. It was a Greek Key Tiara from Princess Anne’s collection, made of diamonds and created by Cartier in the early 1900s.
What tiara did Anne wear at her wedding?
Princess Anne wore the Diamond Festoon Tiara with her Festoon Necklace in photos taken by Norman Parkinson at Windsor Castle before her wedding in November 1973. Before her wedding, Princess Anne wore the Princess Andrews Meander Tiara and the Cartier Halo Tiara. After getting the Cartier Aquamarine Pineflower Tiara and the Diamond Festoon Tiara, her collection grew to three. The Cartier Halo went back to the Royal Vaults. Princess Anne wore the Diamond Festoon Tiara for several events in the early years after her marriage. Princess Anne wore her Diamond Festoon Tiara with her Festoon Necklace and Diamond Bow Brooch for the Oman and Dutch State Visits to Britain in 1982 and the Spanish State Visit to Britain in 1986.
Which tiara did Meghan wear for her wedding?
A pave set with large and small diamonds in a geometric shape.
Did the Queen give Kate a tiara?
On her wedding day to Prince William, Kate Middleton borrowed a tiara from Queen Elizabeth. The diamond and platinum tiara matched her Alexander McQueen gown. While Kate hasn’t worn the tiara since her wedding, jewelry fans hope to see it again because it has a royal history. The tiara was made by Cartier in 1936. The piece was originally owned by Elizabeth, the Duchess of York (the future Queen Mother), but was given to Queen Elizabeth II on her 18th birthday. The Duchess of Cambridge’s first post-wedding tiara moment was in December 2013 at Buckingham Palace. For the formal event, she wore the Lotus Flower Tiara. Kate wore the piece with dangling earrings and a pale blue gown.
📹 Royal Wedding Tiaras Ranked – From Kate Middleton, to Meghan Markle, Crown Princess Victoria
Royal Wedding Tiaras Ranked – Who wore the best royal wedding tiara? Was it Kate Middleton, the now Princess of Wales, …
PC ‘s wedding tiara is a “starter tiara”. As newly entering the RF – her tiara’s should start from smallest… to biggest until she became Queen. That’s why its small and why she don’t use it anymore. The Lover’s Knot and those of the the same size is suitable now for her. Its why Queen Camilla’s tiara’s are often bigger and wider. It depends on their rank in the RF.
Princess Beatrice’s wedding was small compared to all the others in modern times…but so very CLASSIC & Royaly Romantic. Not only did she wear the same tiara as the Queen on her wedding day, Bea’s dress was a rework of one of the Queen’s favorite gowns….making Bea’s wedding the MOST sentimental of them all. She has a romantic heart & we all hope her marriage will be as long-lasting as her grandparents!
The Swedish cameo and Eugenia’s are beautiful, but nothing beats the amazing sparkle of the diamonds in the Spencer tiara! As I’ve gained an appreciation for the quality and clarity of diamonds, as opposed to just the size, it became undeniable that when Lady Diana wore that tiara, it was truly a work of art. The Spencer brides are lucky ladies!!
Crown Princess Victoria’s wedding day look is my all time favourite wedding look. Not just the tiara, but the whole look. The dress, veil. The lace veil is really my favourite part. But the tiara is definitely a wedding tiara befitting of a future Queen. None of the other future Queens wore tiaras that scream Queen in waiting.
I’m not a fan of MM, but I love Queen Mary’s bandeau tiara. I love the inlay of diamonds in the very unique art deco shaping of the piece. There’s nothing that I don’t like about that tiara. On the other hand, while I can appreciate the history surrounding it, I do not like the Cameo tiara at all. Cameos are pretty, but I want a tiara to sparkle and so that one doesn’t do it for me. I would have placed the Cartier Halo tiara a bit higher on the list because it’s very pretty and so many of the Windsor women have worn it beautifully. However, I did think on Catherine’s wedding day that perhaps she could have worn a larger tiara. Still, the Cartier Halo is a lovely piece. I agree about the sparkle of the Spencer tiara – that had enough sparkle and then some to satisfy my love for bling. And I’m not a huge fan of the Kokoshnik style of tiara, but I do love the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik tiara. The inlay of diamonds is fabulous and really sells the piece for me. I do love emeralds, but I do prefer facets to cabochon in my gems. Thank you for this episode, Brittany!
Crown Princess Mary’s veil was the most important part of the Headware to show off anyway. The veil is a very special one in the royal collection, made for the Queen’s maternal grandmother and passed to her only daughter, Queen Ingrid, who decided that it should be worn by all of her female descendants. Queen Ingrid’s daughters and granddaughters have now all worn it. And special permission was given to Mary, as the future Queen, to wear it for her wedding.
I think Meghan did want to wear the tiara that Eugenie wore. I am thinking that Eugene had previously asked the Queen if she could use that particular tiara and when Meghan wanted it, the Queen said it was already spoken for. I have always thought that is what caused the “tiaragate” issue. What do you think of my speculation?
I enjoyed this so much, Brittany! Thank you! I am, (ahem), older now, but, started my love of Royal fashion when Lady Diana first came on the scene. She was 2 years older than me, and I followed her for every outfit that I could find! Back then, we cut out photos and put them in scrapbooks! 😉🙄 I have always loved the Spencer tiara! My second choice would be what Princess Eugenie wore on her wedding day, (loved her whole ensemble PLUS how she dressed the wedding party). Beatrice also looked stunning in her choice! I love the ‘Cameo crown’-just not on an actual person’s head. Lol. Have a lovely week! ❤👸🏻❤
Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s tiara was not bought for her. It was given to her by Princess Ragnhilds family (King Harald’s sister). Princess Ragnhild got the tiara when Crown Princess Märtha’s jewelry was split between the children after her death. Her family basically returned it as they won’t ever use it.
Princess Diana in the Spencer Tiara is hands down the most beautiful! I was hoping that Katherine would have been given the opportunity to wear it even though it belongs to the Spencer family. 😕 My 2nd favorite is the Emerald Bandeau- and I think you’re right about that being the one Harry’s wife wanted to wear.
I liked MM’s tiara. It was definitely the highlight of her look. It feels very Art Deco, which is a great aesthetic. It’s a pity this was not used as inspiration for everything else she wore. I also loved Princess Beatrice. I think that that Queen Mary Fringe Tiara went beautifully with her dress. I do agree about Catherine’s wedding tiara, a bit disappointing, but traditionally used by younger royals. It is probably light and easy to wear. Thank you for this lovely article. Have you considered doing something similar, looking at earlier generations?
The Queen Mary Bandeau is an art deco piece. It fits perfectly into its period. It also looks stunning with the sapphire central stone. Meghan really had the wrong hairstyle and dress for the tiara. And, really, both Meghan & Catherine had limited choice when it came to choosing wedding tiaras. What was loaned from the royal collection was up to the Late Queen.
(Long comment alert!). The Danish RF has a lovely wedding tradition: all of the daughters wear the Khedive of Egypt tiara on their wedding day. CP Mary didn’t wear it because she married into the family. I expect that her daughters will wear it as brides. I’m a bit surprised that this tiara wasn’t in this article. It ranks high on my list of royal wedding tiaras. The Greville Emerald Kokoshnik (Eugenie’s) and the Spencer tiara (Diana’s) tie as my favourite. Eugenie’s might actually edge out Di’s simply due to its having coloured stones (green is my favourite colour) and that it was a huge deal to see that kokoshnik being worn. To my knowledge, it had never been worn publicly by a royal woman so it was a Very Big Deal to see it on Eugenie’s head that day. I had a similar reaction to Meghan’s tiara because it also hadn’t been seen in decades; it was last worn by Queen Mary in the early 1950’s. Sadly, that tiara is now associated with Meghan so it’ll probably never see the light of day again. I think that’s a shame because it’s a lovely Art Deco piece. On another note, let us hope that Lady Louise does NOT wear her mother’s wedding tiara when it’s her turn to be married!!! The British RF vault has stacks of tiaras and surely Uncle Charles or Cousin William could give her a better option.
I loved the Queen Mary’s bandeau tiara. The art deco style is one of my favorites. It’s unfortunate that it was worn by someone who would go on to disparage the Royal Family. Not a fan of Crown Princess Victoria’s wedding tiara. It was just a bit too much for my taste but I appreciate the history of it.
Queen Letizia looked stunning on her wedding day at 18:30 ! Looks like HMTQ left her most beautiful tiaras for the blood princesses Beatrice and Eugenie! Eugenie’s one brought out the green in her eyes, it was so enchanting. Beatrice’s one is my favourtes too because of its history with HMTQ (who looked so happy and giddy on her wedding day 22:04 ) and the Princess Royal. I agree with your top 3 tiaras!
In order, I loved Eugenie’s entire ensemble and that she did not wear a veil, just gorgeous! I also loved queen Letitia’s entire wedding ensemble. Next, I really favor Diana’s tiara, being a fan of the heart motif, and finally, Queen Elizabeth’s, Anne’s and Beatrice’s tiara is my favorite for any grand occasion. Just loved that Beatrice’s dress was the Queen’s, how special. Charlotte will be an absolutely stunning princess bride, and wearing this tiara will exceedingly special for all.
The swedish cameo tiara is well over 200 years old and is one of the oldest tiaras still in use in any royal family in Europe. And to quote her royal majesty queen Margerete of denmark: “the jewelry is measured in generations rather than in carats”. The cameos in this pice also tell the story of Amor and Psyche with make it even more fitting for a bride to wear it on her wedding day. The cameos in this tiara are not standard shell cameos but cut from agate and as such just as valuable as the finest of cut gemstones.
While I absolutely love your main website, I get so excited when you upload a new article to your fashion website because they’re fabulous. The tiaras are so interesting. You provide so much information and I have to agree with you. I really hope that Princess Charlotte wears the fringe tomorrow when she gets married. I really hope that you can do more articles about the various tiaras and when they’re worn and who’s worn them. Maybe who wore best because back when the queen and Margaret were younger they did so many tiara events. I wish that they bring those back. Great job Britney.
Sophie’s disastrous wedding tiara was redesigned a few years back. I think the Danes were cautious and bought Mary a tiara because of what happened with Princess Alexandra. She was gifted one of the family tiaras at her marriage and she kept it after her divorce from Joachim. Their marriage was breaking up when Frederick and Mary married.
My favs are the kokoshnik styles. The Spencer is gorgeous and it’s brilliance is dazzling. Queen Mary’s fringe is another favourite. Maxima wears them the best – she was born to wear tiaras 😊. I was never that interested until I started perusal your articles.I recently purchased Tiaras by Geoffrey C. Munn – love reading about the history of the pieces.
Princess Sofia of Sweden’s tiara was not a new purchase for her for the wedding. It was a gift to the queen of Sweden, Queen Silvia, from a prince of Thailand, and then in a form of a necklace. It was re-done as a tiara for Sofia, also in Thailand, and they tend to wear their tiaras on top of the head. Thank goodness it is now a more comfortable style and she has the emeralds, pearls, turquoise, citrins, topaz and just plain diamonds, so 6 different looks. Very versatile.
I agree that Crown Princess Victoria’s tiara is the most spectacular and Victoria is such a gracious and elegant lady. Where I disagree is on Princess Madeline. I think her tiara and look far exceeded Queen Maxima, Princess of Norway and many others. She is breathtakingly beautiful and her tiara made her gorgeous eyes sparkle even more on her wedding day. Her wedding dress was fit for a princess but it wasn’t overly ornate. I love both princesses.
I get the impression there are fairly strict protocols involved when it comes to wedding tiaras in terms of who gets to wear what. It certainly seems whoever makes the final selection generally opts for something more modest in terms of design or impact although there are exceptions to that rule. One of the issues seems to be with positioning the veil. A white veil resting behind white diamonds seems to take a lot away from the tiara itself however beautiful and the most successful looks seem to have been achieved by placing the veil further back away from the tiara itself.
Queen Margrethe of Denmark is notoriously tightfisted with the tiaras. She gave the glorious Alexandrine Diamond Drop Tiara to her younger son’s wife, Alexandra, who kept it after she divorced Prince Joachim. I know Mary and Frederick married the year before the divorce but I think the writing may have been on the wall then and Queen Margrethe decided to be a little less generous. I think the Queen should be more generous seeing that they’ve been married 18 years and Mary has given them an heir. I think Sophie’s was the worst, it looked like a moth.
The weirdest way I’ve seen a tiara worn was by Her Magesty the Queen Mum. She wore it on her brow. There were two of them she wore that way, one being the Strathmourn Rose tiara, not sure of the name of the other one. Theres a story that the queen wore a certain dress to some of the weddings and each of those weddings failed. She didn’t want to wear it again after that.
Crown Princess Mary and Catherine were commoner marrying future Kings. I believe they chose dainty Tiaras due to not wanting to look over the top and also as they weren’t use to wearing them. I’ve read today that MM tiara was a copy of Queen Mary’s tiara? It is a art deco design and I love it. I don’t think it suited MM though.
I’ve always liked Catherine’s, and it is my favorite tiara she has worn. I really love Meghan’s tiara too…just not the bride, lolol. But the fringe, man that is amazing and looked fabulous on The Queen, Anne, and Beatrice. I wish they would have let Madeline wear the Aquamarine for her wedding, as that is my favorite of all time. I really don’t like any tiara that looks like it has alien spikes poking off of a low band.
Again something you haven’t get quite right. The tiara princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway has been given, comes from her grandfather King Harald’s sister, and it belonged to their mother, Crown Princess Martha. She inherited it from her mother, a former princess of Denmark, then married to Prince Carl of Sweden. She got it from her mother…. A family piece that princess Astrid of Norway wanted Ingrid to have. I am starting to wonder what other history of the pieces are not researched enough?
It’s hilarious that you chose the Swedish Cameo as your favorite — I HATE that tiara, and always have! It’s just not my jam at all. It looks heavy, and I don’t like all of the mismatched cameos. It’s just a mess, IMO. I respect the history, but not the piece itself. On the other hand, I absolutely adore the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik and have ever since Eugenie wore it. The Queen Mother was left an enormous cache of jewels by Margaret Greville when she died in 1942, but for some reason she never wore the tiara, and neither did anyone else in the BRF until Eugenie. It’s absolutely stunning and if I had access to it, I’d wear it every day! The Poltimore Tiara, which was purchased for Princess Margaret to wear for her wedding, was very grand and exquisite. Unfortunately, her children had to sell it in 2006 to pay inheritance taxes. It sold at auction for over a million pounds! While I agree that Sophie’s wedding tiara was extremely underwhelming — it just looks like three Claire’s hair combs jammed together to me — it has been slightly altered recently, and that improved it somewhat. But her aquamarine necklace-tiara is stunning.
Princess Eugenie’s emerald tiara wins for me! I also loved Diana’s Spencer tiara, none of the others seem to sparkle quite like that one! Also, Princess Beatrice’s wedding tiara was stunning on her with that dress! It actually looked like it was made for her! I’d be torn about whether I’d like to see Princess Charlotte in the Queen Mary’s Fringe tiara or the Spencer tiara! However, I have a feeling that based upon Charlotte’s face shape and coloring, the Queen Mary’s Fringe tiara would look exceptional on her.
Agree with your top 3 picks. Loved that Princess Beatrice had her tiara-went so well with the borrowed dress! Agree that Catherine’s was underwhelming, but I understand she chose a light, small one as it fitted her & it was the first time wearing a tiara. Sophie’s looked atrocious & thankfully it has finally been remodeled-something the British royals don’t seem to do which limits what is comfortable to wear. 🇦🇺🇦🇺
Many outside of Sweden say that the cameo tiara doesn’t really look like a wedding tiara,(preferring pale stoned and silver based tiaras to “match” with the white dress I suppose) however to me the high almost circlet structure and its warm golden coloring reminds me of a Scandinavian Brudkrona so to me it absolutely looks like a perfect choice for a bride. (Add in the romance story portrayed in the cameos, the romantic story of its commission and its sentimental value as the tiara worn by her mother and it’s absolutely perfect imo)
Meghan was very sweet and tiara was nice on her and wedding was the light of the whole church she brightens up every thing .That is the racist we always take about .What ever but she was just the best among all of them She shows that she was a modern bride with her white wedding dress very beautiful .But we loved her dress a lot she stands and she shines well in her gown.And her husband was happy to see her bride .❤🎉❤🎉❤
What? No Sarah, Duchess of York Tiara here! And the Greek/Danish house with the Khedive of Egypt Wedding Tiara? Also, Princess Ingrid-Alexandra’s 18th Birthday Tiara was not specifically purchased for her on this occasion. It already was in the family, but had not been worn in decades. Also missing was the wedding tiara of Princess Märtha-Louise of Norway, or the most glorious Poltimore Tiara that Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon wore on her wedding day. As for the Emerald Kokoshnik of Princess Eugenie’s wedding: the bequest was made by Dame Margaret Greville (not Granville) to Queen Elizabeth The Queenmother in 1942.
Princess Catherine and Crown Princess Mary’s tiaras are my favs because they blended so well with their whole looks – not overpowering/ distracting. I loved their wedding gowns and veils- especially Mary’s. Princess Diana’s tiara is also beautiful, suiting the volume of her gown and very long train I’d put Meghan, ex royal at the bottom of the list.
Brittany it’s GRE Ville not GREN Ville tiara. Also you have to realise that the royal brides you featured did not have a pick of every tiara belonging to the respective monarchies. I usually like what you say but I would like to see how you would look walking form a an ancient cathedral. The Princess of Luxembourg has a normal figure. Princess Madelaine looked absolutely stunning with the perfect tiara. Also Eugenie tiara has been in the collection for donkeys years. I’ve been a royal watcher for 45 years.
I also believe that although the tiara CP Mary was gifted by her in-laws which she wore on her wedding day for the first time was simple, it was the (at the time) approximately 100 year old wail that was to be the ‘special’ item on the day, even if the tiara bought for her was just as old. The wail was made for Queen Margrete’s grandmother when she married in 1905, and was passed in inheritance to to her only daughter Ingrid (Margrete’s mom), and Mary was the first bride that wasn’t a direct descendant of Princess Margaret of Great Britain who the wail was made for, that was allowed to wear it. Sometimes it’s not the jewellery that is special, even if tiaras are normally special items in general. Also the ruby tiara was CP Fredrik’s inheritance from his late grandmother, and to be honest I can’t remember if there is a tradition in the Danish royal family to gift women that marry into the family their own tiara, so they don’t need to borrow one from the collection on that day.
My favorite is Princess Diana’s. The sparkle caught the light with such beauty, even though it was a bit of a dreary day. My second is Eugenie’s tiara, I would love to see Princess Catherine wear it at a State dinner or on tour. I think she’d look fabulous in it. My third is Princess Catherine’s tiara. I thought it fit her perfect and complimented the overall look. Her dress is my favorite wedding dress, out of anyone’s. She brought classic beauty back to the modern Era. I think Diana’s dress almost swallowed her whole. I wish she had gone something more classic and fitted like Catherine’s dress, but it was the 80’s. I also got married in 86, so I understand the large ballgown look was in fashion. We all wore them in satin that creased and wrinkled, lol! Thank you for sharing the best of wedding tiaras. It was a fun article to watch someone else’s ranking of the tiaras, other than your own! 😊😊😊
I liked Sarah Ferguson’s tiara, as well as Eugenie’s and Beatrice’s. My favourite is the Spencer tiara. I remember how much it sparkled on the day. I’m afraid I have to disagree with you regarding the Cameo tiara. Its just too big and ostentatious for my taste but then, I’m not into the ott pieces out there 😊
My FAVORITE is Princess Diana’s family’s tiara, followed by Eugenie’s. My LEAST favorite is what you chose as your number one. To me it’s too gaudy with all that yellow gold and the cameos make it look ridiculous. It should be platinum and diamonds at least. I know the history of it but choose other functions to wear it. History be damned.
It’s so hard to find a good tiara commentary website on YouTube, so I had high hopes. But this the third article where you’ve taken more than one opportunity to take a dig at Meghan Markle, even when you weren’t actually discussing her. It’s so exhausting have her brought up incessantly in conversations with little correlation. I get that you don’t like her personally, which is fine, but can’t you rein it in a bit? I really liked your articles on the Scandinavian royal families’ tiara collections, so I don’t want to abandon the website altogether.
Well my favorite tiaras in no particular order lol The Ladies of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, Princess Margaret’s wedding tiara that her children sold after her death and the Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara Beatrice wore at her wedding. I like the Spencer Tiara but appears to be cursed along with the York tiara for weddings.
Lady Granville bequeathed the Emerald tiara to the Queen mum. My favorite royal wedding tiaras, #1 Spencer tiara, #2 Cartier Halo scroll Tiara, #3 The Prussian tiara, #4 Crown Princess Rajwa of Jordan Arabic Scroll Tiara,, #5 Queen Maxima’s Star tiara, #5 The York Tiara, ” # 6 Sweden’s Modern Fringe, #7, Quuen Mary’s Fringe, #8 Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Sofia of Sweden’s wedding tiaras. #9 Princess Martha Louise of Norway ( not shown but the history behind it is her Grandfather King Olaf V gave it to her as an 18th birthday present and she worn it in his memory since he passed in 1991, four years before her 1st marriage) and #10, The Princess Andrew ( King Charles’ paternal grandmother) Greek Key meander tiara ( Zara Tindall’s and Autumn Phillips wedding tiara)
My top 5 British tiaras: *The Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara(Fingers cross Princess Charlotte gets a turn one day) * Spencer Tiara(So ironic!) *The Greville Emerald( loved the Emerald Color to it…the ONLY Thing I wish Princess Eugenie did was wear it with a Veil) *Cartier Halo Tiara(it looked great…but-if your going to be The Future Queen of England…probably could of gone a bit bigger & more sparkle).
Crown princess Marys dress was the most beautiful weddingdress ever. So well made. It fit perfectly and the skirt was amazing and that old historic weil. About the tiara… A wedding tiara, in my opinion, should never take a leading role, it is all about the dress. I was very lucky to be in Copenhagen on the day and the tiara sparkled everytime she moved her head. It was SO lovely. No, you couldn’t see the tiara clearly, but it didn’t matter. It was there, and it gave her a very regal look, without being over the top. The same with Kate, wonderful dress and “a silent” and youthfull tiara. On the other side I found Dianas tiara to much. It is a very very beautiful tiara, no doubt about that, but not on a young, innocent bride. PS… The khedive of Egypt tiara, wich is the wedding tiara in the danish royal family, is absolutely stunning. You should have put it on your list. Queen Margrethe 2 wore it at her wedding and her sisters AnneMarie and Benedicte did also.
Ingrid Alexandras tiara was given as a gift and was a part of one of the sisters of king Harald(Ingrid Alexandras great aunt)got as inheretense and was given by her children to Ingrid Alexandra as her 18 birthday present and Ingrid Alexandra actualy got more royal pices as gifts at that point,most of the tiaras in king Haralds sisters collection are most likely to return to the royal family at somepoint most likely as gifts or something simmilera as the kings sisters family can not use or have use for the tiaras and they have been part of the royal collection befor they got them the tiaras they have that is
Sofie and Maxima’s tiaras were both strange and awkward. Maxima’s even more so. Too much yet not enough if you know what I mean. While definitely not as “bling-y” as I would love, the Cameo is the most interesting. I love colored gemstones in tiaras! Emeralds and diamonds, rubies and diamonds, aquamarines and diamonds. Ok, anything and diamonds lol! 👑❤
A lot of tiaras deconstruct into necklaces and hair pieces, and as. You said she has access to all the Royal jewellery. I think what you are trying to say is that the Swedish tiara is shaped more like a coronet. Meghan and Harry did have a roll in the Commonwealth, given to them by Queen Elizabeth which is the reason for the embroidery.
You criticize Meghan for the Commonwealth flowers on her veil. However, the Queen created the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust just before the Sussex wedding with Harry as the President. Upon marriage, Meghan became Vice President of the charity. This was the Queen’s way of giving the Sussexes a role within the monarchy. I think this is the purpose of the Commonwealth flowers on the veil.
Okay, let’s talk straight,lol- nothing, but nothing comes close to the way the Spencer tiara looked on Diana that day- it’s the standard bearer of fairy tale princess tiaras, Lord have mercy! Now, do I absolutely deeply and viscerally HATE the fact that MM ruined one of the prettiest wedding tiaras I’ve ever seen? PLAIN? Really? The art deco style, the stunning construction, the detail, the glorious color and sparkle? Imagine Princess Grace wearing it? It’s superb, but now its forever tainted!😫 Some of those tiaras in the beginning are pathetic, so tiny and underwhelming, you could find something nicer at Claire’s, nevermind a royal wedding- hard to believe the choices. I’ve never liked Catherine’s- again, for someone in her future position,she should have had something outstanding like Eugenie’s- its barely visible and her veil is so flat. And now, I’ll get to Victoria’s- hell no! I want my tiara to sparkle and shine, convey a sense of romance and magic. Nothing says dreamy like a bunch of dead heads on your head🙄, yikes! Although I do agree its an interesting look, just not for a wedding. I also think alot of the brides tended to wear them way too far back on their heads- let that sucker take center head stage!Thanks so much for this article, I love tiaras, just woefully disappointed at some of these selections ( not yours, theirs)- Spencer tiara for the win!👸 ~Oh, and you forgot Sarah Chatto’s, another Lord have Mercy moment, talk about D.I.V.I.N.E.!
I have always hated the cameo tiara from Sweden. It’s interesting to look at and so historically rich considering it’s from the start of the Bernadotte family line (and the napoleon connection). But I don’t know for a wedding – too many pearls…. Just yuck. Sorry I sound like a lunatic. Like it but hate it. 🇨🇦
The most beautiful Tiaras worn were the Spencer Family Tiara Princess Diana, U.K. & U.K. Fringe Tiara worn by Princess Elizabeth II. Princess Margaret‘s was also gorgeous but few ever mention her lovely look. Her Wedding Gown was beautiful. I think she had great taste in jewelry & clothes. She was her generation’s ‘fashion expert’. After Margaret came Princess Diana and now, Princess Catherine, Princess Mary & always Queen Maxima!! Formal Events are Queen Maxima’s & Crown Princess Victoria’s Specially! They pull out all the stops at Formal Events.
You probably already know this, but yes the tiara that Eugenie wore is the one that MM. demanded but Eugenie had already chosen that one so it had been set aside for her. Sophie’s tiara originally looked as if it had “cats ears” but she has had it altered since her wedding to bring the two side points much closer to the centre which I believe has improved its look.
When you said Princess Mary’s wedding Tiara was chincy I was so shocked. I don’t hear anybody else use that word but I use it all the time. What area did you grow up? You don’t have to be specific but I grew up all over the north. I lived in Maryland, New York upstate not by NYC, and Indiana and the Chicago area. I was entirely too excited to hear you use it lol. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Brittany, I agree for most of your ‘least liked Tiaras’ as well as ‘some of your favorite Tiaras-but in a different order’. My opinion on the LEAST Attractive Top 3 Tiaras all seemed to suffer from ‘too little’ & ‘too insignificant’. Each was marrying into their Royal Families so they were at the mercy of the new In-Laws 1. Princess Mary of Denmark-Small Tiara was hidden & lost under the square ‘Hanky’ piece of lace which sadly detracted from Her entire Bridal look from someone who sadly should’ve been one of the most beautiful Brides 2. Sophie, Duchess od Edinburgh, U.K. wore an Odd shaped Tiara which looked like the beginning of a Tiara that was never completed 3. Princess Sofie of Sweden Strange fitting & so small/insignificant that it was inappropriate -Another beautiful Bride wearing a tiara that ruined her beautiful.** I love Crown Princess Mary but she lost for the Least Attractive Tiara overall. ⭐🌟My Favorite Wedding Tiaras were 1. Princess Elizabeth II, U.K. who was gorgeous & perfect 2. Crown Princess Victories, Sweden, She looked like a Queen & was beautiful in the Sentimental & Appropriate Cameo Crown 3. Princess Catherine, U.K., Her Beautiful Tiara Was Appropriately Worn & Added to Her Bridal look without taking overwhelming her gorgeous gown & look 4. Princess Diana, U.K. was a lovely, young bride who was swallowed up in a huge, crumpled gown that was too much Wearing Her Spencer Family’s Tiara was Her Saving Grace as it was Perfection 5. Queen Maxima, The Netherlands, was Perfection & Beautiful,, as Only Maxima Could Do 6.
When I kept reviewing the Tiaras I continued to find one important issue. The Tiaras which were insignificant & underwhelming were all worn by Brides marrying into the Royal Family. When I realized this & compared the Tiaras it was clear. I hated that asI wanted to believe they were treated & welcomed completely to the Royal Family but apparently not 100%. The best look of ‘in-laws’ went to Princess Diana, who wisely wore Her Spencer Family Tiara and Princess Catherine who didn’t make Her Tiara the center of her gorgeous look-she was the focal point which was brilliant as she’s so beautiful & flawless, especially in the Gown, which was reminiscent of Grace Kelly’s. The other in-laws seemed to get tge ‘after thought Tiaras’. That’s sad as there were so manyJewels to choose from. I was very surprised that Princess Mary, Denmark & Princess Sofie, Sweden weren’t loaned or given nicer Tiaras. They’re both beautiful women who have added much to their Royal Families. Crown Princess Nary will one day be Queen, so her Tiara was the most surprising.
Forgive me if I’m confused, but did MM have a choice in the tiara she wore? I thought she wanted a different one that had more va-va-voom but couldn’t have it. (And wasn’t that a criticism of her because she was upset about it?) In any event, I wouldn’t call her look ‘plain’ necessarily, but very simple. I really liked the look, though I do wish her dress fit her better.
thinking back on all the years diana was princess and future queen, I now can’t believe she only wore 2 tiaras, and one was from HER family! they have so many beautiful ones with ruby, sapphire,aquamarine, why let them collect dust? now Katherine gets the same one! at least she wears a few others now. Why can’t she wear the kokoshnik or even the cartier halo. Let them be worn when they’re young and beautiful
The Duchess of Edinburgh’s tiara is too far back on her head. The distance is the bottom of your chin to the tip of your nose, from the tip of your nose to the middle of your forehead. Then, the same distance from the middle of the forehead to the top of your head. That is where the tiara should sit. Also, her hair could’ve been fluffier to cover the base of the frame.
Brittany I think you are wide of the mark with Mary’s tiara and veil. I think you’ve forgotten she is Australian marrying into a Euopean Royal House. Us Aussies don’t usually like a lot of fuss and she was being respectful of the Danish Royal House into which she was marrying. The tiara was a gift to her from her new parents in law, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik, her dress by a Danish designer and the veil design in keeping with traditional Danish/Scandanavian – and the veil is similar to your favourite, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden. As a fellow Aussie I think she made the right culturally respectful choices, didn’t look over the top and looked absolutely gorgeous. Sometimes less is more and tradition is appropriate! Love to you – love your websites. 🙂
Princess Sophia’s wedding tiara is actually in the style of Siamese (Thai) Queens and prince and princesses. IMO it doesn’t look weird at all. I think MM’s tiara was very pretty. It was marred only by what was under it. I have to add that all the other brides were solemn whereas MM was grinning and even looked to be flirting with the Archbishop. Yuck!
I don’t think Charlotte should wear the fringe tiara. I think she should wear the Spencer tiara like Diana. I actually like Meghan’s tiara that she wore better than any of them. I guess I just like simple. I’d love to know which one she wanted that she didn’t get. That’s not to say I like Meghan, I don’t care for her or her wedding dress but just live the tiara she wore.
Brittany, thank you for your fashion and tiara reviews – you do a great job. However, I want you to do a better job of your history research. Tiaras did exist in ancient Greece – they weren’t called “tiaras”, in Greek a tiara is called “diadema”. Also, Brittany, if you call yourself a historian, please, kindly name “this other group”, before the Romans, who came up with a name “tiara” (but not really invented it) – those were the Etruscans. If you look at the historical dress, you could see the female headdress fashions did contain various versions of what we now refer as “tiara”, from prehistory all throughout, all known notable ancient civilizations like Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Phoenicians, Assyrians, Hittites, Egyptians – all of them knew and used precious metals and stones, draped textile, animal bones, feathers and even wood to decorate themselves, denoting their status and displaying their riches for all to see. If you want to talk or need materials or further guidance, look me up at Instagram @Korwinexile and DM me.
I want all of them with the person I’m going to really marry. . I love April 25. I’m also descended from the Habsburgs through my biological mother. I really want to go to Armenia. and to Israel to get baptized. My biological mother’s family is also from there and lebanon. I’m really Jewish through her and not my biological father. Not just an adopted jew through a prophetic word. I
I don’t know if Eugenie’s tiara can be beat. I do like Zara’s a lot too. I did like Meghan’s tiara a lot but would have looked beautiful with a veil set down behind her a bit to separate from the tiara and let it shine. The Cameo tiara just isn’t pretty to me. Very clunky. The cameos themselves are beautiful. Just all that going on in a tiara is not for me.
Mary’s tiara horrible and plain Mary’s ruby tiara beautiful Sophies tiara Horrible Sophia’s tiara so pretty Megan’s tiara pretty but plain Matilda gorgeous tiara and fabulous dress Madaline beautiful tiara and beautiful dress Kates beautiful dress and tiara Zara beautiful dress and tiara Princess Diana beautiful dress and beautiful tiara Maxima beautiful dress and tiara Stephanie beautiful dress but tiara no very nice
I have to disagree about the cameo tiara. Victoria’s look was so modern yet classic and that tiara looks like something fake that you got at a junk shop. I just hate it. Up close it’s beautiful but it was too big for her head and it looked costume-y. I love Bea’s, Eugenie’s and Sarah Chatto’s which has the vibe of the headpiece Catherine wore for the Coronation.
OK, you don’t like Meghan for whatever reason. Her wedding look was clean and polished. Suitable for a mature bride. I think the Cartier Scroll would’ve better suited her look, and Catherine should’ve worn the bandeau. The scroll got lost in her veil and hair. Stop bagging on Meghan. It is really silly and unkind.
Diana’s is still my favorite because if you’re gonna go bling, must have sparkle! I heard MM was a reproduction and were crystals because they gave off rainbow colors in the light. The Queen wouldn’t let her wear a real one from the collection. (Credit: Celt Views “60 Times Meghan was “NO” by the Royal Family).
Eugenia’s is my favorite, but I love emeralds and the color was perfect for her. The thing I don’t like about Sophie’s is how the center flower has that harsh flat horizontal line in the middle, like it snapped off and they could only salvage some of it. It looks very 90s to me. The QM bandeau would’ve looked better further forward, hair down, & no veil. I wish Catherine would’ve had the Strathmore Rose.
I hate Victoria’s tiara – it is just ugly. I may have liked it more if it was white gold or platinum but I hate yellow gold and made the cameos just gaudy. Eugenie’s was my favorite. I loved the emeralds that added a little color to an otherwise only white style. I didn’t love Beatrice’s tiara. I preferred the softness of Eugenie’s; Beatrice’s looked too sharp – like knives. I would have loved MM’s tiara except that, as you stated, it was seemed plain (even though it’s not) as a whole. It didn’t add to the ensemble. There were several small tiaras that I don’t like because I believe when it comes to royal tiaras that you should go big or go home. The small ones look like something anyone can get at the local wedding stores. Catherine’s was on the brink of being too small but not quite so it worked. Definitely not the top. I love Zara’s tiara. It looked art deco which is my favorite style. The way Diana’s caught the light was beautiful. Maxima’s tiara – no, just, no. Leticia’s is a great size and style for a wedding.
Last/CP Mary it looks like she put a lace buffet table on her head attached to a toy tiara very unattractive. Sophie that tiara looks like a tiara I gave my neice when she was six! I think it looks better on my neice. Love the Aqua on Sophie! Sophia of Sweden I have a problem with the tiaras that sit on their heads like this like a bowl it is pretty sitting properly. Meghan I did not like her look at all she looked sloppy the tiara looked fine for the look. The whole thing was incredibly opposite from Diana who probably had bruises from the heft of her wedding dress. I think MM deliberately went with that lesser look knowing she could never compete with Diana’s over the top dress. The Veil was a slap to the Queen look at me you’re already eating out of the palm of my hand. Plus She looks like Maria Von Trapp walking up the aisle. Queen Matilda small but pretty she look good Princess Stephanie very sweet the tiara is perfect for her look. P Madaline I liked her wedding look very much P of W Catherine I love her look but her tiara is not a good choice but she was glowing so much that you didn’t notice this. Zara I love the whole look the tiara hits it out of the park. I like the autumn tiara Princess Diana the tiara is Gorgeous she chose well. Maxima the tiara is pretty it looks beautiful on her. Princess MetMara that reminds me of a pretty headband can be worn to many things Queen Letitia the close up does it justice from a distance I was not impressed. But the close up the movement I take it back it’s gorgeous!
I thought Meghan was beautiful on her wedding day and this person who is commenting on the tiaras was very critical and someone who is passing judgement on someone she doesn’t know personally. I see it as her saying Meghan is plain, stop judging people u don’t know and only doing it is because of what she has heard other people say