Tiaras

[Boxowine]

Can we talk about tiaras now? Do you think that Queen Camilla will ever wear the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland? It's so iconic I just can't picture her doing so.

The Persian Turquoise is a proper Princess Tiara isn’t it? And that’s quite a hair piece PM is sporting to show it orf!

The Duchess of Gloucester’s collection really is extraordinary - probably better than some other European monarchies.

She ended up in this position first because Queen Mary was keen to ensure all her daughters-in-law had a collection of tiaras that befitted their status (and Mary had a lot of tiaras!) so Princess Alice of Gloucester got several as wedding presents. Then the current Duchess’ husband ended being the sole heir of his parents after his older brother was killed in a plane crash aged just 30, and so the collection wasn’t split up. Also, his family being well off financially, they never had to sell the contents of their vault. Princess Marina by contrast was left a war widow with three young children and had to sell a lot of her family jewellery to stay afloat.

I’ve always loved this picture of the Duchess playing around with one of her daughters as a baby and a priceless Cartier tiara. As you do…😉

If you had to be any royals it would be the Gloucesters, wouldn't it? They seem to just get on with things, full working members, and have the privilege without being under the media microscope.

The Gloucesters and the Kents are one model of what happens to the 'spares' if they stay with The Firm.

Eldest son abdicated, second son became monarch, then a daughter and three more sons. Daughter and youngest son had no offspring (Prince John dying in his early teens) but the other two sons had DC who went on to become minor working Royals, doing a lot in the 60s and 70s - when they were just as well known as the Queen's youngest three DC in the 80s and 90s. And with access to Royal jewels for representative occasions, plus receiving gifts.

In another 20 0r so years, the current 'spare' DC will be just as remote IYSWIM, and people will forget why the Yorks are Princesses, and not be sure how Viscount Severn and Lady Louise it in at all (not dissimilar from not knowing much about the current Viscount Linley or who the Chattos are)

I've just googled this one and it's amazing, my new favourite!' I've been lurking for all the jewellery related Royal threads for a while and love the amount of knowledge some of you have.

Gratuitous tiara picture

The Oriental is a real beauty. It reminds me of the Poltimore a bit (apologies, can't copy a picture but this is interesting in showing it in its necklace/brooch form)

orderofsplendor.blogspot.com/2011/12/readers-top-15-tiaras-7-poltimore-tiara.html

it fascinates me that so many of these pieces are multifunctional and take apart to be other things. Wonderful craftsmanship. It seems a bit sad that it is out of the family, having been so associated with Margaret, but understandable (although I'm sure they would have had to tear it from Queen Mary's cold hands had she been around!)

Oh, this thread has opened a whole new world for me!

Has anyone seen tiaras worn in real life? I don't think photos do them justice - they just look like costume jewellery. I must admit I often gaze admiringly in the window of Bentley & Skinner on Piccadilly when I'm passing. Are there still some on display at Kensington Palace? But all the same, I imagine seeing them static isn't as good as seeing them worn and catching the light as the wearer moves?

Maybe that one could be Sophie's.

The Oriental gives me Queen vibes because of its shape similar to a standard crown 👑

I'd also like to see a tiara like this in person 🤣 think the RF could do a fashion show for us.

As long as Sophie gets first dibs!😂

Looking at some of Albert's lovely creations for Victoria, I can really understand why she was so keen on him. I'm sure there were other reasons, but he had a real gift for design.

(Eyes DH speculatively, hoping for tiara genius to show itself. Nah)

Thank you this thread I never knew there were so many Tiaras. I'd love a Royal Jewels photo book instead of all these gossip ones!

Do you mean a hard-back book with photos of all of the tiaras, and a description? 10 years ago I bought a book in one of the royal shops. It had a page or two for all of the years of the Queen's reign up to then and a bit extra about jewellery that she was wearing in that page's photo, or a gift that she was given by a head-of-state. It really isn't beyond possibility that the royal merchandise machine could make a book about the tiaras. Do you think it would sell?

It really isn't beyond possibility that the royal merchandise machine could make a book about the tiaras. Do you think it would sell?

<fumbles in bag for credit card>

Never seen one worn in person but there are three tiaras on display in Kensington Palace, an emerald tiara designed by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria and two diamond tiaras from the family of the Duke of Fife. The kokoshnik is labelled as being 'on long term loan', which I assume means that the Fife tiara has been given up in lieu of taxes. You can see them catching the light - probably not quite the same as seeing the tiaras being worn in person but well worth it in my opinion. I lingered so long in front of the display cabinet the guards started giving me meaningful looks 😂

www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/whats-on/queen-victorias-tiara/#gs.dq0jtw

I think there is niche market on here at least!

"It really isn't beyond possibility that the royal merchandise machine could make a book about the tiaras. Do you think it would sell?"

YES

I seem to remember a royal style thread in which people bagsied tiaras and parures, does anyone still have the list? Would love to know what I claimed, see if I need to fight any of the newly promoted generation of royals for it. :D

@FelicityBeedle
This is the thread
www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/4638197-royal-style-elizabeth-may-be-gone-but-her-diamonds-are-forever?page=4&reply=120280991

@Tassen Thank you for the link, this was a wee while ago though. I’ll do some digging through my post history

Found it! It’s the Burmese parure, I’ve recently went more chestnut hair wise though so I’m not sure the red will suit me as well.

What a lovely thread. So interesting.

Queen Alexandra had a famous amethyst tiara that is supposed to be spectacular. Hopefully it will soon make a reappearance.

@Boxowine I found this article about Queen Alexandra's amethyst tiara
gemvoyager.com/queen-alexandra-mystery-tiara/

@Tassen Thanks! I don't have the dexterity to manage links from my phone. I fell down a rabbit hole googling tiaras last week. There are several that haven't been seen in decades. Smaug's lair, maybe?

Ooooohhh, so many sparkles!