London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Mar 29, 2026

The Most Epic Royal Jewelry in History

The Most Epic Royal Jewelry in History

For the British royals, jewelry is no mere adornment. From the stones to the settings, everything has significance–be it a political power play, a family heirloom or a national treasure.

Here, we take a closer look at the tiaras, earrings, rings, and neckpieces that make up the royal collection.

                        

The Queen Mary Fringe Tiara


Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne both wore The Queen Mary Fringe Tiara on their wedding days, and Her Majesty loaned the piece to her granddaughter, Princess Beatrice of York, for her intimate wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. The tiara, which many believe was selected due to both it's sentimental significance and its all-diamond design, which complemented the bride's Norman Hartnell gown also on loan from the Queen, marks the first time a modern royal bride has donned a tiara worn by another ancestral royal (let alone two) for her wedding day. According to Town & Country, given Beatrice and Edo's postponement of a larger-scale celebration due to the pandemic, the Queen likely chose this piece with far greater symbolism in mind: to signify the royal family's history, as well as solidarity, strength, and endurance.

                            

The Cartier Halo Scroll Tiara


The tiara worn by the Duchess of Cambridge on her wedding day was on loan from the Queen and was originally a wedding anniversary gift from King George VI to his wife Elizabeth (also known as the Queen Mother) in 1936. The Queen Mother then gifted it to the Queen on her 18th birthday. It contains over 1,000 diamonds and was also worn occasionally by Princess Margaret.

            

The Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau Tiara


The showstopping bandeau tiara worn by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, on her wedding day was made by Garrard in 1925 for the Queen's grandmother, Queen Mary. It originally had a sapphire centerpiece, but it has since been changed to a diamond. It was loaned to Meghan by the Queen for her wedding day. The tiara was also worn by the late Princes Margaret, the Queen's sister.

            

The Delhi Durbar Tiara


The Delhi Durbar tiara is one of three on loan from the Queen to her daughter-in-law Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Made by Garrard, it was originally made for Queen Mary in 1911 for a celebration in Delhi to mark the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary as Emperor and Empress of India.

            

The Greville Tiara


The Greville tiara was made by Boucheron for Dame Margaret Helen Greville in 1920. It is also known as the Boucheron Honeycomb tiara, and is worn here by Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Greville left the tiara to the Queen Mother when she died in 1942, and upon the death of the Queen Mother in 2002, the Queen inherited the headpiece. It is now one of three tiaras on long-term loan to Camilla, who married Prince Charles in 2005.

            

Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara


Also known as Queen Mary's Lover's Knot tiara, this diamond and pearl headpiece was commissioned by Queen Mary in 1913 when she had asked British jeweler Garrard to replicate a tiara owned by her grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel. It was inherited by the Queen, who gave it to Princess Diana when she married Prince Charles, but it was returned to the Queen after the couple divorced in 1996. Today it is owned by the Queen and remains a favorite with the Duchess of Cambridge, who borrows it for special occasions.

            

The York Tiara


The York tiara was worn by Sarah Ferguson when she married Prince Andrew in 1986, and was a wedding gift from the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Made by Garrard, Fergie hid it under a flower crown for her journey to Westminster Abbey. She has since split from Andrew, but retains ownership of the tiara. It is the piece most likely to be worn by her daughter, Princess Eugenie, on her wedding day.

            

Princess Andrew's Meander Tiara


This tiara was a wedding gift to the Queen from her mother-in-law, Princess Alice of Greece and Denmark. The Queen gave it to her daughter Princess Anne in 1972, who wore the tiara in her engagement photos with Captain Mark Phillips. It was also worn by Princess Anne's daughter, Zara Tindall, on her wedding day in 2011.

            

Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara


The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara is the headpiece most frequently worn by the Queen–it's even featured in her portrait on British currency. The tiara was a wedding gift from her grandmother, Queen Mary, and the first she owned herself. The tiara was originally a wedding gift for Mary when she married the Duke of York, who later became George V, in 1893. It was from the girls of Great Britain and Ireland, and commissioned by a committee lead by her friend, Lady Eve Greville.

            

The Cubitt-Shand Tiara


This tiara was worn by Laura Lopes, the daughter of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, for her wedding in 2006. Camilla also wore it for her first wedding to Andrew Parker-Bowles, and has been pictured in it as recently as 2015.

            

The Burmese Ruby Tiara


The Queen had the Burmese Ruby tiara made by Garrard in 1973. It features 96 rubies that were gifted to her by Burma (now Myanmar) when she married the Duke of Edinburgh in 1947. The diamonds were also a wedding gift, from the Nizam of Hyderabad, the monarch of the Indian state of Hyderabad.

            

The Festoon Tiara


The Festoon tiara belongs to Princess Anne, who loaned it to her daughter-in-law, Autumn Phillips, for her wedding day. The tiara was originally gifted to Anne in 1973 by the World-Wide Shipping Group after she christened one of its ships.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Thousands Rally in London to Oppose Rise of Far-Right Movements
Hong Kong Official Rejects Allegations of Surveillance Orders Targeting UK-Based Dissidents
PayPal Expands Cryptocurrency Services to Allow UK Users to Buy and Sell Bitcoin
UK Minister Challenges Reform Party’s ‘Pro-Family’ Agenda as Debate Intensifies
Concerns Grow Over Meningitis Risk Among UK Students Amid Warning Signs of New Outbreaks
Japanese Grand Prix 2026: Schedule, UK Start Times and Full Broadcast Details
Electric Vehicles Seen as Strategic Solution to UK Fuel Reserve Concerns
Rise of Lone-Actor Threats and Online Radicalisation Drives New Wave of Antisemitic Attacks in the UK
Canada Advances Plan to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations in Election Campaigns
UK Faces Looming Medicine Shortages as Iran Conflict Threatens Supply Chains
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak in the U.K. Highlights Urgent Need for Vaccination
Fresh Claims Emerge Over Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit as Insider Speaks Out
NATO Assessment Indicates UK Defence Spending Has Fallen Below Alliance Average
FTSE 100 Slips as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Investor Sentiment
UK Economy Begins to Feel Early Impact of Iran Conflict as Policy Challenges Intensify
Russian National Jailed in UK After Assault Case Linked to Barron Trump’s Alert
Energy Price Surge Accelerates Shift Away from Fossil Fuels in UK Homes
UK Museums House More Than 260,000 Human Remains, New Report Reveals
Surging UK Gilt Yields Reflect Inflation Pressures and Fiscal Uncertainty
UK Issues Updated Guidance on Children’s Screen Time with Focus on Balance and Wellbeing
UK Migration Figures Show Shifting Trends Across Asylum, Visas and Channel Crossings
UK Watchdog Launches Probe into Five Firms Over Alleged Fake Reviews and Ratings
Jaguar Land Rover Halts Production at UK Plant Amid Supplier Disruption
UK Police Reverse Position, Confirm Arrests Will Resume for Palestine Action Protests
UK Small Businesses Face Europe’s Steepest Cost Pressures, New Survey Reveals
US Envoy Urges UK to Proceed with King’s Visit Amid Diplomatic Sensitivities
FTSE 100 Drops Over One Percent as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Markets
UK CO2 Plant Set to Reopen as Authorities Move to Safeguard Supplies Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Urges Stronger Defence Investment as He Questions Allied Naval Capabilities
New COVID Variant Detected in UK Raises Concerns Over Vaccine Effectiveness
FTSE Russell Moves to Standardise Free-Float Rules for UK and International Listings
HBO Max Launches in UK and Ireland, Marking Major Step in Global Streaming Expansion
UK Signals Readiness to Seize Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Vessels in Escalation of Sanctions Enforcement
Escalating Middle East Conflict Seen as Major Threat to UK Economic Stability
Early Challenges Mark Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit
UK Government Rejects Cover-Up Claims After Theft of Former PM Aide’s Phone
Cyprus Opens Strategic Talks with UK Over Sovereign Base Areas
UK Faces Risk of Sharp Inflation Surge Despite Stable Pre-Crisis Figures
UK Police Arrest Two Over Suspected Antisemitic Arson as Iran Link Investigated
UK Inflation Holds at Three Percent Ahead of Oil Price Shock from Iran Conflict
UK Fuel Prices Face Upward Pressure as Global Oil Trends Raise Cost Outlook
Girlguiding UK Sets September Deadline for Membership Policy Change Affecting Trans Participants
Germany and UK Accelerate Wind Power Expansion to Strengthen Energy Security
UK Moves to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations to Political Parties Over Foreign Influence Concerns
UK and Turkey Finalise Major Air Defence Agreement Worth Billions
Apple Introduces Mandatory Age Verification for iPhone Users in the UK
Diverging Views Emerge Over Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Appearance
Trump Signals Frustration with UK Leadership Amid Diverging Approaches to Iran Conflict
UK Government Takes Control of Hunterston B as Landmark Nuclear Decommissioning Begins
UK Public Inflation Expectations Jump Sharply in March, Raising Pressure on Bank of England
×