There's so much glamour to enjoy when the royals are out and about. From Kate Middleton's best earrings to 32 royal gowns we just can't get over.
But nothing quite makes a moment feel as grand as a royal adorning one of their illustrious, historic and truly unique headpieces. From diadems steeped in the history of a nation to the truly spectacular pieces gifted by dignitaries and world leaders, we take a look through some of the most memorable and mesmerising tiaras owned by the British and European royals.
34 best tiara moments to mesmerise you
1. The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara
The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara is arguably one of the most symbolic crowns in the royal vaults - which is why it was no surprise that Queen Camilla wore it for the first time for a special dinner honouring the Coronation of King Charles III and herself. It marked the true beginning of a new era - but where does the crown come from?
It belonged to Princess May of Teck, who was given the jewel from the future George V in 1893. When her granddaughter - the woman who'd become Queen Elizabeth II - married in 1947, Mary passed this tiara to her as a wedding present.
After Elizabeth's father died aged just 56, she wore this tiara for her first official portrait as Queen.
2. The Cambridge Lover's Knot tiara
In 1913 Queen Mary commissioned the famous jewellery house Garrard to create this tiara, based on a design worn by her grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse.
A favourite of the late Princess Diana and frequently worn by Kate Middleton, It consists of 19 diamond arches with pearls swinging underneath them. Lovers' knot bows are part of the diamond design, and it inspired the name.
3. The Cartier Halo tiara
Most familiar with people today as the gorgeous tiara worn at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Cartier Halo Scroll tiara has a special place in the Royal Family.
George VI commissioned Cartier to make this tiara for his wife three weeks before he acceded to the throne in 1936. The Queen Mother would then give it to Queen Elizabeth as an 18th-birthday present.
It has 739 brilliant-cut diamonds and 149 baguette diamonds.
4. The Grand Duchess Vladimir tiara
Thought to have been a favourite of the late Queen, the Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara has been worn in official portraits and during important meetings with the likes of President Obama and the Pope.
It is believed to have belonged to Duchess Vladimir, a relation to the last Romanov in the Russian Empire. While sources differ on how it came to be, the tiara eventually came into the possession of Queen Mary, who customised it by adding fifteen emeralds that once belonged to her mother Mary Adelaide, along with a mechanism that allowed them to be interchangeable with the original pearls.
In 1988, Queen Elizabeth II had it repaired again, this time updating the frame.
5. The Nizam of Hyderabad tiara
There aren't too many photos of the late Queen wearing this tiara... and that's because it no longer exists.
Given to her as a wedding present in 1947 by the ruler (or Nizam) of Hyderabad - considered one of the world's richest men at the time - the collection included a matching necklace and the tiara which featured a design inspired by English roses.
However, in 1973, Her Majesty decided to dismantle the piece to create something new. Which brings us onto #6...
6. The Burmese Ruby tiara
As previously mentioned, this was a personal commission of the late Queen's using a tiara given to her as a wedding present.
She oversaw the creation of the Burmese Ruby Tiara using gemstones presented to her also as a wedding present. The 96 rubies used in the crown were given by the Burmese people, who believe that the rubies protect from the different illnesses that can affect a body.
7. Greville Emerald Kokoshnik tiara
Also known as the Boucheron tiara - after the house which made it - this tiara was left to the Queen Mother in 1942 by Dame Margaret Greville.
More recently, it was seen on Princess Eugenie for her wedding to Jack Brooksbank in 2018.
The diamond tiara was made for Mrs Greville in 1919 and features brilliant and rose-cut diamonds pavé set in platinum, with six emeralds on either side.
8. The Poltimore tiara
A tiara which perfectly captures its wearers rebellious and independence, the Poltimore tiara belonged to Princess Margaret.
The Princess decided not to borrow a piece from the royal vaults when it came to her wedding, deciding to go and buy her own instead. It's thought she picked up the dazzling piece for around £5000 but it would go on to resell for just under £1 million after her death.
9. Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara
It was originally made for Queen Mary in 1919 from a diamond necklace given by Queen Victoria. The stunning piece features tapered diamonds and is understood to have been set in gold and silver.
It was, also, the very tiara which nearly led to a wedding day disaster for the then Princess Elizabeth.
Luckily a jeweller from Garrard could fix it - and the tiara has been worn at other royal weddings since, including Princess Anne's 1973 wedding to Captain Mark Phillips and Princess Beatrice's 2020 wedding to Edoardo Mapelli.
10. Queen Mary's Bandeau tiara
Queen Mary of Teck was rumoured to have had this tiara made to showcase a brooch she was given, which now acts as the centre diamond.
The tiara is broken up into 11 sections, making it a flexible piece, and is set in platinum.
It was seen for the first time in over 65 years when Meghan Markle looked stunning adorning it for her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018.
11. The Lotus Flower tiara
Originally given to Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon - the Queen Mother - in 1923 as a diamond and pearl necklace, the jewels found a second life after she had it transformed into a tiara by Garrard.
The Queen Mother then gave it to her daughter, Princess Margaret, who regularly merged the old with the new, combining the traditional trinket with the beehive of the 1960s.
12. The York Diamond tiara
Leave it to Sarah Ferguson to defy convention. Unlike most of the tiaras worn at royal weddings, this piece was completely new. The Duchess of York first wore this for her wedding to Prince Andrew in 1986, however, most people couldn't see it underneath her crown of flowers - a rogue choice for a royal bride.
The tiara was thought to have been bought for Sarah by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip from Garrard.
13. Duchess Sophie's wedding tiara
This subtle, simple but delicate tiara is classic Sophie. While the headpiece doesn't have an official name like the more traditional tiaras, this was given to the now Duchess of Cambridge for her wedding to Prince Edward.
It's rumoured to have been made from another dismantled necklace or tiara.
14. Queen Letizia's Fleur de Lys tiara
It's not just the British royals who know how to turn heads!
This tiara was one of the many gifts that King Alfonso XIII gave to his British-born wife Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg to celebrate their marriage in 1906. It was designed by Ansorena, the Spanish court jeweller since 1860 and is thought to include 450 diamonds and 10 Australian pearls set in platinum.
15. The Six Button tiara, Sweden
Now over to Sweden, with a favourite crown of the Crown Princess Victoria.
The distinct buttons that make up this tiara are known more formally as diamond rosettes. And it's these rosettes that really make this crown so special.
They were attached to the crown worn by King Carl XIV Johan, who was born Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, at his coronation in 1818. He was the first king of the Bernadotte dynasty, and his legacy remains central to the Swedish Royal Family today.
16. The Stuart tiara, the Netherlands
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands gets to showcase one of the most stunning crowns throughout Europe - and it has origins in England.
Made in 1897 by Eduard Schürmann & Co, the tiara features the 39.75 carat, blue-green, Stuart Diamond. The Stuart Diamond’s first recorded owner was a member of the House of Stuart (hence the name): Queen Mary II of England, wife of King William III (sometimes better known as William of Orange).
17. Grace Kelly's diamond tiara, Monaco
Featuring 214 modern-cut diamonds and 42 baguette diamonds in a festoon setting, Grace Kelly's Diamond Tiara first appeared soon after her marriage.
This tiara was her most frequently worn jewel, seen at Monaco's most lavish banquets, balls, and weddings. It was last seen on the Princess of Monaco during her last National Day Gala in 1981, just a few months before her death.
18. The Gloucester Honeysuckle tiara
Another glistening creation that owes its creation to Queen Mary, the honeysuckle tiara was made by E. Wolff and Co. on a commission from Garrard.
Mary would eventually give the tiara away as a gift, but not before she had a new diamond piece made featuring a honeysuckle design motif, created to fit the central space - and giving the tiara its name.
The tiara went to Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott, when she married Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester - and has since been passed down to the current Duchess of Gloucester.
19. The Cartier Indian tiara
Another piece worn by Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, this tiara was originally owned by Queen Victoria’s granddaughter, Princess Marie Louise, who was born a princess of Schleswig-Holstein.
The tiara is called 'The Indian Tiara' because it mimics traditional Indian design. No stones or items in the headpiece actually come from the country.
20. The Belgian Sapphire tiara
One of the few tiaras Queen Elizabeth bought for herself, the Belgian Sapphire came into the possession of the British royals in the 1960s.
Its origin dates back to the 1800s, and has quite a scandalous past. It first belonged to Princess Louise, the daughter of King Leopold II and the wife of Prince Ferdinand Philipp of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
Eventually caught in a loveless marriage, Princess Louise shocked everyone when she left the Prince for a Count. The men duelled, with the Count put in prison and Louise placed in an asylum for following her true love.
Louise eventually moved to Paris, selling off several priceless items to help support herself and pay off the debts.
21. The Festoon Tiara
One of the Princess Royal's personal tiaras, this one has a slightly different origin than most of the other trinkets and treasures belonging to the royals.
The Festoon Tiara was given to Princess Anne in 1973, the same year that she married her first husband, Mark Phillips. It was given to the princess by the World-Wide Shipping Group, a Hong Kong firm, after she christened one of their ships.
Despite not having the same sort of glamorous history, Anne has worn the tiara on several occasions, including state banquets.
The tiara became even more special when she lent it to former daughter-in-law Autumn Kelly to wear to her wedding to Peter Phillips in 2008.
22. The Aquamarine Pineflower Tiara
One of the lesser worn tiaras on the list, this aquamarine piece was given to the Queen Mother by her husband, King George VI.
The diamond and aquamarine tiara is set in platinum, and was made by Cartier. Pinecone-inspired elements are interspersed with large, emerald-cut aquamarines along the tiara.
23. Princess Andrew's Meander Tiara
Like much of the jewellery owned by the Royal Family, the Meander has a long history - but this one is rare as it's the only one connected to Prince Philip's side of the family tree.
Princess Alice, Prince Philip’s mother, was known to love the tiara, and wore it throughout her marriage, before gifting it to Princess Elizabeth when she wed Prince Philip in 1947.
It now belongs to Anne, the Princess Royal, who lent it to daughter Zara Tindall on her wedding day.
24. The George IV State Diadem
Made for George IV for use at his coronation, this silver and gold-lined diadem includes four sprays representing the national emblems of England, Ireland and Scotland; roses, shamrocks and thistles. It is set with 1,333 diamonds, including a four-carat pale yellow brilliant in the centre of the front cross.
It was first worn by the late Queen to the first State Opening of Parliament of the reign in 1952, and was later worn to all State Openings, and for photographs including those used for British coins, banknotes and postage stamps.
25. The Cubitt-Shand Tiara
The Cubitt-Shand tiara is unique on the list as it's one of the few that don't have royal lineage - it belonged to Queen Camilla’s grandmother, Sonia Keppel.
Sonia’s mother was Alice Keppel, who is best known to history as the last mistress of King Edward VII.
26. The Persian Turquoise Tiara
Often dubbed the Triumph of Love tiara, the origin of the crown comes from Princess Margaret’s grandmother, Queen Mary. Queen Mary bought a parure of jewels set with diamonds and rare Persian turquoises, including the tiara, a necklace, a brooch, and earrings, from the House of Garrard. Mary passed it down to her daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, who in turn passed it down to Princess Margaret.
27. The Five Aquamarine Ribbon Tiara
Now for a bit of a mystery. Despite the royal's jewels dating back centuries - usually making it easy to trace - some seem to stump historians, like the Aquamarine Ribbon Tiara.
One of the only known appearances was by Queen Elizabeth II on a visit to Canada in 1970, and many thought this tiara was then repurposed to make the much larger Brazilian Aquamarine set.
But that theory was debunked when the then Countess of Wessex appeared wearing it in 2012 - and it looked exactly the same as it had in 1970.
28. The Teck Turquoise tiara
Another lesser-known piece, this historical gem is part of the Gloucester repertoire - passed down by Mary of Teck.
In 1893, the Duke and Duchess of Teck gave the parure to Princess Mary as a wedding present (she would marry King George V).
Always adapting her jewels, Mary had its size reduced in 1912 by E. Wolff and Co., who often did work for Garrard.
29. The Wessex Aquamarine Necklace Tiara
Debuting in 2005 for the enthronement of Monaco's Prince Albert II, Sophie introduced this gorgeous, adaptable piece in its tiara form.
However, a few months later in March 2006, Sophie wore the tiara in its necklace form at a royal gala dinner in London, which helped really show off the central stone's pale green hue. While not confirmed, it's believed by sources including The Court Jeweller that the piece was made especially for Sophie by Collins and Sons.
30. The Oriental Circlet
A truly historic gem, this was first made for Queen Victoria.
The Royal Collection Trust explains how Prince Albert took a leading role in the design of the Queen’s jewellery and the eastern inspiration of this tiara, originally set with opals may have been influenced by the Queen’s acquisition of the Lahore jewels in 1850.
31. The Brazilian Aquamarine Parure Tiara
A magnificent tiara which started out... as a necklace. This parure was an ever-expanding set beloved by the late Queen, which began with her being presented diamond and aquamarine pieces in 1953 by the Brazilian president as a coronation gift.
By 1957, the Queen had also commissioned Garrard to make a tiara to match. The tiara featured an elaborate diamond and aquamarine bandeau base, with three aquamarine and diamond elements placed at intervals.
The parure kept evolving as Brazil kept bequeathing more stones to the Queen. They presented her with a bracelet and brooch to coordinate with the set in August 1958, and in 1968, when the Queen made her first state visit to Brazil, the Governor of Sao Paolo gave her an aquamarine and diamond hair ornament, which were used in 1971 to super-size the aquamarine tiara.
32. Queen Alexandra's Kokoshnik tiara
A literal wall of diamonds, designed by Garrard, the shape of this tiara is based on the traditional Russian headdress called a kokoshnik. The tiara was first presented to Queen Alexandra, then Princess of Wales, for her 25th wedding anniversary in 1888.
The tiara can also be worn as a necklace and has been adapted over the years. The current tiara is made of 61 graduated bars, set with a total of 488 diamonds.
33. The Delhi Durbar Tiara
In the days of the British Raj (1858-1947) the coronation of a new Emperor or Empress of India was met with a huge celebration - or Durbar.
On 12 December, 1911, King George V and Queen Mary were the first and only royals to attend the celebration in person. But, being the first, they had to come up with a solution to the fact the Imperial State Crown Jewels are not allowed to be taken out of Great Britain.
Thus, a new diadem was commissioned from Garrard for Queen Mary to wear at the event. The end result was this astonishing complete circlet piece featuring diamond scrolls and festoons set in platinum and gold with 10 emerald drops.
It remains one of the largest tiaras in the royal's collection, and, interestingly, the late Queen Elizabeth II never actually wore it in public.
34. The Imperial State Crown
Nothing could ever really top this.
Set with 2868 diamonds, including 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 269 pearls, plus the Cullinan II, the second largest stone cut from the Cullianan Diamond (also known as the Second Star of Africa), the Imperial State Crown is one of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.
It's estimated to be worth up to £5 billion.
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