When a woman is part of the royal family, she has a plethora of incredible jewels at her disposal [1]. It conjures up images of that famous scene in The Princess Diaries 2 when Mia explores a giant walk-in closet with a remote control that opens dozens of drawers filled with diamonds [2]. While we're pretty sure the British royal palaces aren't quite as up-to-date as the fictional palace of Genovia, Kate Middleton probably did experience something similar when she was invited to take her pick of the royal tiaras for her wedding to Prince William [3]. She has since worn a number of different tiaras from the royal collection at state banquets and formal occasions, and she's shown a knack for choosing jewels that combine history and sentimental significance with serious style. Keep reading to find out more about the tiaras Kate has worn since becoming the Duchess of Cambridge.
The Cartier Halo Scroll Tiara
The Queen loaned the Cartier Halo Scroll Tiara to Kate Middleton for her wedding day. It was originally commissioned by George VI as a gift for his wife in 1936. She then passed it down to her daughter Princess Elizabeth (soon to be Queen Elizabeth II), as an 18th birthday gift, and it's believed to have been the first tiara the queen owned. The tiara is made up of almost 1,000 diamonds (739 brilliant-cut diamonds and 149 baguette diamonds) set in platinum.
The Cartier Halo Scroll Tiara
Kate is said to have chosen the tiara as her "something borrowed" because it matched the scroll and acorn earrings her parents commissioned for her to wear on her wedding day. It was considered the perfect choice for Kate as she joined the royal family, as it's one of the smaller and more subtle styles, and it has been referred to as a "starter tiara" for young royals. It was worn by both Princess Margaret and Princess Anne before their marriages. They later graduated to more elaborate designs.
The Lotus Flower Tiara
Just like Kate's wedding tiara, the Lotus Flower Tiara was originally owned by Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. It was fashioned by jewellers at Garrard from a necklace that she received as a wedding gift from her husband in 1923. She wore it low on the forehead, as was the style in the '20s. The Queen Mother then gifted the tiara to her daughter Princess Margaret in 1959.
The tiara made its next big appearance in 1993, when Margaret loaned it to Serena Stanhope on the day she married Viscount Linley and became Margaret's daughter-in-law. After Princess Margaret's death in 2002, the tiara was seemingly returned to the royal collection, allowing the Duchess of Cambridge to borrow it in 2015, when she wore it for a banquet during the state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara
It should come as no surprise that one of Kate's most frequently worn tiaras is one named after her duchy. However, there are more sentimental reasons for this choice [4]. The Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara was also a favourite of Princess Diana [5]. The Princess of Wales wore the tiara to a number of occasions after her marriage, including the state opening of Parliament.
The Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara
The tiara was made for Queen Mary (Queen Elizabeth II's grandmother) by Garrard in 1914 and was based upon a tiara worn by her grandmother Princess Augusta of Hesse. The history of the stones included in it is particularly interesting: the pearls originally came from the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, which many people will recognise as the crown Queen Elizabeth II wears in many portraits found on stamps and currency across the commonwealth. That tiara originally had pearls on top, but Queen Mary had them changed for diamonds and used the pearls in her new version of the Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara.
The Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara
The tiara features those pearls as hanging pendants surrounded by diamonds and is set in silver and gold. It's been said that it caused Princess Diana to suffer headaches because it is so heavy and ornate. However, this hasn't stopped Kate from wearing it on a number of occasions.
The Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara
The last time Kate wore this instantly recognisable design was during the state visit by President Donald Trump [6] in June 2019.