13 Royal Tiara Moments Throughout History That Embody English Opulence

The British royal family’s collection of heirlooms seems endless, with each more extravagant than the last, but few are as opulent and elusive as royal tiaras. These have marked some of the most significant moments in royal history, from the weddings of Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales; Princess Diana; Meghan Markle; and beyond to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Some royals have challenged tradition with their tiara choices, including Diana and Princess Margaret on their wedding days, while others, like Kate, have embraced pieces commissioned over a century ago for royal engagements. Ahead, see 13 of the most memorable royal tiara moments throughout history, complete with the stories behind them.

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The Queen Mary Fringe Tiara

For her wedding day, Queen Elizabeth II wore this diamond-encrusted tiara, known as the Queen Mary Fringe Tiara. The royal headpiece was aptly named after the Queen’s grandmother, Queen Mary, who received the diamonds in a necklace from Queen Victoria. Queen Mary decided to turn the necklace into a Russian kokoshnik-style headpiece. After wearing the tiara for her wedding, Queen Elizabeth II loaned the tiara to daughter Princess Anne and granddaughter Princess Beatrice of York for their own wedding days. Leave it to the royals to have their “something borrowed” be a diamond tiara.

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The Spencer Tiara

Princess Diana wore the Spencer Tiara on her wedding day, making it one of the most famous diadems in modern royal history. The tiara, which belongs to the Spencer family, was an unexpected choice, as wedding tiaras traditionally come from within the royal family. The Spencer tiara itself comprises various heirloom pieces, with the central piece being a wedding gift to Diana’s grandmother, so it makes sense Princess Di opted for this sparkly statement for her royal wedding.

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The Cartier Halo Scroll Tiara

Kate Middleton married Prince William wearing the simple yet opulent Cartier Halo Scroll Tiara in 2011. Cartier made the tiara in 1936, and King George VI purchased it for his wife, Queen Elizabeth (known as the Queen Mother), prior to his coronation. Rumor has it that the Princess of Wales decided on the tiara for her wedding day as its journey with the Queen Mother mirrors her own journey from non-royal to duchess, princess, and someday, queen. To complete the look, the royal style icon opted to wear her hair down, which was nontraditional but couldn’t be more true to her signature beauty.

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Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau Tiara

Meghan Markle borrowed from Queen Elizabeth II’s extensive tiara collection for her wedding day, choosing to wear Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau Tiara. Queen Mary commissioned the piece in 1932, as she wanted to transform a brooch she had received as a wedding gift into a diamond and platinum bandeau-style tiara. The resulting tiara features eleven sections of pavé-set diamonds arranged in an art deco design.

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The Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara

Many of the most memorable royal tiaras have solely featured brilliant diamonds, but The Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara also has six emeralds along its side, set between rose-cut pavé diamonds. The most eye-catching part, though, is the large emerald jewel in the center. Most recently, Princess Eugenie wore the tiara for her wedding day in 2018.

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Queen Mary’s Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara

Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara has had a truly iconic history, as it eventually became a favorite of both Diana and Kate. The tiara is often confused with The Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara, as Queen Mary’s is an almost identical replica that she commissioned in 1913 when she was unable to buy or inherit it. She later passed it down to Princess Diana, who made it one of her signatures. Today, the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, has repeatedly turned to the tiara, often donning it for royal engagements.

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The Greville Tiara

The Greville Tiara (along with the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara) both belonged to society hostess Dame Margaret Greville, and the Queen Mother later inherited both. Camilla, the queen consort, has made the tiara a favorite of hers, often wearing the sparkling piece for royal engagements.

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The York Tiara

Sarah Ferguson wore The York Tiara on her wedding day in 1986. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip purchased the tiara brand new for the duchess, unlike most royal wedding tiaras, which are typically on loan. We love how the pearl and bow accents create an elevated, regal version of coquette style.

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The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara

The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara was Queen Elizabeth II’s most-worn tiara throughout her reign. The tiara was a royal wedding present from the “Girls of Great Britain and Ireland” (hence the name) to Queen Mary, who later gifted it to her granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth, for her wedding. In addition to being a frequent accessory at royal engagements, it’s also the piece she wears on some British and Commonwealth banknotes and coins.

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The Strathmore Rose Tiara

For years, only the Queen Mother wore the Strathmore Rose Tiara, but that has recently changed. In November 2023, Kate Middleton became the second person to wear the rare piece, debuting it at a Buckingham Palace banquet celebrating the South Korean state visit to the U.K., almost a century after the Queen Mother first wore it.

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George IV State Diadem

Another royal tiara that Queen Elizabeth II made famous is the George IV State Diadem. The Queen wore this piece for her coronation and continued to wear it for every State Opening of Parliament. After the late Queen passed, Camilla wore the diadem for King Charles’ first State Opening of Parliament since taking the throne. The grand piece has 1333 diamonds, with a four-carat pale yellow diamond in its center.

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The Poltimore Tiara

Also known as the “bathtub tiara,” the Poltimore Tiara is most closely associated with Princess Margaret. The tiara represents the princess’s rebellious spirit, as she purchased it outside the royal family. Margaret wore the piece on numerous occasions, but the two most memorable were on her wedding day and in the infamous portrait of her lying in a bathtub wearing nothing but her tiara. Icon behavior only for this royal.

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The Lotus Flower Tiara

The Lotus Flower Tiara is another diadem that resulted from a different piece of jewelry. The Queen Mother received a Garrad necklace from her husband, King George VI, and soon after transformed it into The Lotus Flower Tiara. Later, she gave it to Princess Margaret, and the royal tiara became one of her signatures, alongside the Poltimore. More recently, Princess Kate wore the piece in 2015 for a state banquet for Chinese president Xi Jinping.