London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jun 27, 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 Made by Garrard, it was originally made for Queen Mary in 1911 for a celebration in Delhi to mark the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary as Emperor and Empress of India.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
Thames Water and Energy Operators Warn of Peak Demand Risks During UK Heatwave
Government Conference Highlights Push for Evidence-Led Policy Across UK Public Sector
Insolvency Service Reports Improved Confidence in UK Insolvency System
Security Industry Authority Finds Widespread Safety Failures in UK Night-Time Economy
Nigel Farage Expands Anti-WHO Campaign Into United States With New Lobbying Structure
Home Secretary Seema Mahmood Unveils New Safe Routes Plan for Asylum Seekers
UK Government Warns of Peak Electricity and Water Pressure Amid Ongoing Heatwave
New Nuclear Plant in Wales Named Gwyndod Power Station as Energy Strategy Advances
UK Announces First Major Hydropower Projects in Four Decades to Expand Renewable Capacity
Thirteen Men Charged in Major UK Sexual Abuse Case as Investigation Continues
UK Launches Cross-Sector Climate Security Taskforce Linking Environment and National Security
UN Secretary-General António Guterres Calls for Urgent Global Methane Emissions Cuts in London
World Bank Approves $1 Billion UK-Backed Financing Package for Ukraine Recovery
UK Pledges Emergency Aid and Rescue Team Deployment to Earthquake-Hit Venezuela
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75 Percent for Fourth Straight Meeting
Record-Breaking Heatwave Puts Strain on UK Health Services and Energy Networks
London Ambulance Service Sees Record Emergency Demand as Heatwave Intensifies
British Chambers of Commerce Warns of Prolonged Weak Investment Climate Through 2027
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates as Inflation Risks Persist
UK Construction Sector Faces One Percent Contraction Amid Cost and Investment Pressures
Former DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson Convicted of Sexual Offences
Church of England Appoints Dr Linsay Cunningham to Lead Faith and Public Life Division
UK Armed Forces Day Marked Nationwide With Events From Aberdeen to the Scilly Isles
Rising Tensions in Edinburgh Prompt Joint Warning From Scottish Local Government Leaders
UK Construction Sector Forecast to Contract One Percent in 2026 on Cost Pressures
UK Parliament Backs 87 Percent Emissions Cut as Government Deepens Electrification Drive
British Chambers of Commerce Forecast Weak UK Growth as Investment and Demand Slow
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75 Percent Amid Energy and Inflation Uncertainty
London Ambulance Service Reports Record Surge in Life-Threatening Emergency Calls During Heatwave
UK Parliament Approves Legally Binding 87 Percent Emissions Cut Target by 2040
United Kingdom Records Third Consecutive Day of Record June Heat as Europe Faces Worsening Heatwave
Robert Jenrick Defends £5 Million Donation to Nigel Farage Amid Political Scrutiny
Plymouth Museum The Box Wins 2026 Art Fund Museum of the Year Award
UK Government Faces Backlash Over Plans to Use Former Military Sites for Asylum Accommodation
Labour Party Faces Pressure Over Cabinet Stability as Senior Figures Clash on Policy Direction
Heathrow Airport Forecasts Passenger Decline in 2026 as Costs and Climate Disruption Mount
UK Energy Regulator Approves Expansion of Long-Duration Storage to Boost Power System Resilience
Crown Estate Reports Third Consecutive Year of £1 Billion Profit as Debate Over Royal Finances Intensifies
Teenager Charged With Murder in Wales Following Death of 14-Year-Old Boy
Nottingham University Hospitals Maternity Failures Trigger Calls for Public Inquiry Into Patient Safety
EasyJet Rejects £4.9 Billion Takeover Offer From Castlelake but Keeps Door Open for Further Talks
Record Heatwave Triggers UK Transport and Infrastructure Strain as Heathrow Revises Passenger Forecast Downward
Ofgem Approves Sixteen Long-Duration Energy Storage Projects to Strengthen UK Grid Stability
Labour Government Faces Internal Tensions Over Cabinet Decisions and Net Zero Policy Direction
British Food and Drink Exports Fall to Decade Low Amid Trade Friction and US Tariffs
Great Britain Grid Operator Spends £10 Million to Stabilize Electricity Supply During Heatwave Demand Surge
UK Parliament Committee Calls for Urgent National Adaptation Strategy as Extreme Heat Strains Public Infrastructure
Record-Breaking Heatwave Pushes England’s National Health Service to Critical Incident Status as Hospitals Struggle With Surge in Emergencies
UK Government Launches Review of Voluntary National Insurance Contributions System
UK Planning Inspectorate Reports Key Infrastructure and Planning Milestones in Annual Review
×