The Most Expensive Royal Jewellery

1 Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara

It's one of the most recognisable tiaras for modern royal watchers. Most closely associated with Princess Diana, it began its life in 1913 when Queen Mary asked Garrard & Co. to make a copy of a tiara owned by her grandmother. After Queen Mary's death, it passed down to Queen Elizabeth, who gave it as a wedding gift to Princess Diana.

It returned to the royal collection following Diana's death, and it's most recently been seen being worn by her daughter-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge. The exact value has never been confirmed, but estimates are typically in the £700,000 to £2 million range.

1 / 6

2 Cullinan III & IV Brooch

Image Source: Getty / Peter Macdiarmid

The massive brooch is made from two of the diamonds cut from the Cullinan Diamond, the largest gem-quality diamond ever found. The Cullinan III & IV brooch consists of the third- and fourth-largest diamonds cut from it: a 94.4-carat clear pear-shaped stone, and a 63.6-carat cushion-shaped stone. Although the exact value of the brooch is unknown, the original Cullinan diamond was valued at over £1.5 million.

2 / 6

3 Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara

Image Source: Getty / Danny Lawson

The tiara, which was never worn until the 2018 wedding of Princess Eugenie, originated in a bequest from Dame Margaret Greville to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. It was first created in 1919 and features diamonds and emeralds set in platinum, including a 93.7-carat oval-shaped emerald in the centre. Queen Elizabeth II has never worn the tiara, but lent it to her granddaughter Eugenie for her wedding to Jack Brooksbank. Jewellery experts estimate its worth to be somewhere between $5 million and £10 million.

3 / 6

4 Queen Mary Bandeau Tiara

Image Source: Getty / Jonathan Brady

Originally made for Queen Mary (Queen Elizabeth's grandmother), the bandeau tiara consists of a diamond brooch set in the middle of a detachable, eleven-section band. The brooch was originally a gift to Queen Mary, and she had the tiara made in 1932 to display it. It was most recently seen as Meghan Markle's wedding tiara in 2018, which she selected from the tiaras the Queen offered to lend her. According to jewellery expert Deborah Papas, the tiara is worth an estimated £2 million.

4 / 6

5 Cartier Halo Scroll Tiara

Image Source: Getty / Ferdaus Shamim

As you might have guessed by its name, this tiara was made by Cartier and is actually a more recent addition to the royal jewel collection. Queen Elizabeth's father bought it for his wife only weeks before they became king and queen in 1936. It was gifted to Elizabeth on her 18th birthday, then lent around the royal family, including to Princess Margaret and Princess Anne. Most recently, it was the wedding tiara chosen by Kate Middleton at her 2011 wedding. Papas estimates the worth of this tiara to be between £750,000 and £1.25 million.

5 / 6

6 Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara

Image Source: Getty / Peter Macdiarmid

As its name suggests, this tiara has its roots in Russian royalty. During the Russian Revolution, the tiara was rescued, along with other priceless jewels, and smuggled out of the country. Eventually, the Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna (mother of Princess Marina of Greece, who later became the Duchess of Kent) sold the tiara to Queen Mary in 1921. The tiara originally featured diamonds and pearls, but Queen Mary had it altered to accommodate 15 Cambridge emeralds; the original pearls can be switched in still, and Queen Elizabeth II has worn the tiara on several occasions.

In 1921, Queen Mary purchased it for £28,000; adjusted for inflation that price would be £360,000. The value, of course, has increased even more than just inflation, so the current value of the piece is likely much more than that!

6 / 6