10 Magnificent, Sparkling, Royal Tiaras

In honor of National Princess Week, we present you tiaras fit for a princess! We even have Kate Middleton's!


-PJ Gach, BettyConfidential.com


kate middleton
kate middleton

What's a princess or a queen without her tiara? Even toddlers fight over them! Since it's National Princess Week, we've rounded up 10 amazingly gorgeous tiaras to swoon over.

Here's some tiara trivia for you: Queen Elizabeth II has the largest and most valuable collection of tiaras in the world. She's inherited most of them and no, she won't lend them out.

Most royals only wear tiaras at either state or very formal functions. You won't find a princess wearing a tiara pumping gas. Some tiaras are owned by the country and are loaned out" to royalty. You don't have to be a princess or a queen to own one. Many royal families, dukes, earls, viscounts and the like have family tiaras that are passed down generation to generation. Some, like the Portland Sapphire Tiara (number 10 on the list), are sold at auction to pay for death duties.

There are also very, very, very wealthy individuals who collect tiaras. In American society, a leading socialite, generally of a certain age, may wear a tiara at a ball. That tiara is sometimes a necklace that has had a wire strung through it and voila! Instant tiara. Tiaras are pronounced "tee-ara." Don't let anyone tell you differently.

Most tiaras have limited flexibility and the design doesn't go all the way around it. Think of them as very fancy, expensive headbands. They're usually sized specifically for the wearer, if it doesn't fit, then it's worn higher (or lower) on the head by the wearer. Now that sounds uncomfortable! They are lined in velvet for comfort, which I'm sure helps.

1. Cartier Halo Tiara

cartier halo tiara
cartier halo tiara

The tiara that Kate Middleton wore on her wedding day is the Cartier Halo Tiara, made in 1936. It has has 800 diamonds and was created in London and was originally bought by the Duke of York for his duchess. That couple later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother). It's also been worn by Princess Anne, Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth II.

2. The Burmese Tiara

burmese tiara
burmese tiara

It was made for Queen Elizabeth II in 1973. The design is a wreath of flowers. There's a cluster of rubies in each flower. The tiara has 96 rubies and was a gift from the Burmese people.

3. Marie-Therese, Duchesse d'Angouleme Emerald and Diamond Tiara

marie therese duchess d'angouleme tiara
marie therese duchess d'angouleme tiara

The tiara was commissioned by the Duc d'Alngoueme, Louis-Antoine, for his wife, The Duchess Marie-Therese. She was the eldest daughter of Emperor Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette. It was created by French Royal jewelers Evrard and Frederic Bapst in 1819. It has over 1000 diamonds. The center of tiara as a large cushion shaped emerald that's surrounded by 18 diamonds. There are 40 emeralds placed throughout the piece. The total carat weight for the emeralds is 79.12.

4. Aquamarine and diamond kokoshnik tiara

aquamarine and diamond kokoshnik tiara
aquamarine and diamond kokoshnik tiara

This stunning aquamarine and diamond tiara was made in 1900 and owned by Tsarina Alexandra. There was also a matching necklace, brooch and earrings. A full set of matching jewelry is called a parure.

5. Vladimir Tiara

vladimir tiara
vladimir tiara

The Vladimir Tiara was smuggled out of Russia during the revolution by a British diplomat. It was made around 1890 and was owned by the Grand Duchess Vladimir, aunt of Tsar Nicholas II. It was bought by Princess Nicholas of Greece, the Grand Duchess' daughter in 1921. She replaced the pearls with the Cambridge emeralds. The below tiara is what it looks like with pearls.

vladimir tiara with pearls
vladimir tiara with pearls

6. Cartier London citrine and diamond tiara

cartier london tiara
cartier london tiara

It was made for the coronation of George VI in 1937. The center stone can be removed and worn as a brooch.

7. Cameo Tiara

cameo tiara
cameo tiara

This tiara was worn by Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden when she married her longtime beau, Daniel Westling. The tiara is made from gold pearls and has 7 cameos. The center cameo is a mother and child, symbolizing the crowning of love. There are portrait cameos of a man, a woman, a goddess with a putti on her lap and a man holding a staff.

8. Antique ruby, sapphire and emerald tiara

lily safra tiara
lily safra tiara

The center of the tiara is two birds of paradise. The stones are set in silver and the tiara is Russian in origin. It was part of a jewelry collection by Mrs. Lily Safra and is on auction at Christies if you're interested.

9. Danish ruby parure tiara

danish ruby parure bacon
danish ruby parure bacon

The tiara was bought for the coronation of Bonaparte by the future King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden for his wife, Queen Desideria. When Louise, the Princess of Sweden married Frederick VIII of Denmark in 1869, she received the tiara as a wedding gift from her grandmother, Queen Josephine of Sweden. The present Crown Princess Mary of Denmark wears it during state events and very formal occasions. The tiara is comprised of pearls, diamonds and yup, rubies. Matching ruby brooches were added to the orginal tiara, making it very, very big. You can see a photo of the Crown Princess Mary wearing it in our Kate Middleton + 7 More Stunning Real Life Princesses article.

10. The Portland Sapphire Tiara

portland sapphire tiara
portland sapphire tiara

This baby went to auction in 2008 and sold for $1,188,239! It's made from Burmese and Ceylon sapphires, diamonds and pearls. It's British, it was made by E. Wolfe and Company for Gerrard. The tiara was given by the 6th Duke of Portland (William Cavendish-Bentinck) to his wife, Winnifred Dallas-Yorke shortly after they married in 1889.

Tell us: Which tiara is your favorite?




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