While tiaras are one of the most iconic status symbols for women in the royal family, the headpieces are reserved for extremely special occasions. There are some strict protocols that dictate when it’s appropriate to don a tiara: Kate Middleton, for example, wears hers no more than twice a year. However, it seems like the new Princess of Wales is poised to don a tiara soon—her very first since Queen Elizabeth’s passing.
Kate Middleton Owns Three Tiaras
Whether you’re born royal or you marry into the family, your first official “tiara moment” will most likely be on your wedding day. The first time Kate Middleton donned a glamorous headpiece was at her 2011 wedding to Prince William. For the special occasion, Queen Elizabeth II lent Middleton the Cartier Halo tiara.
The gorgeous piece is set with 739 brilliant-cut and 149 baton-cut diamonds. Middleton has yet to re-wear the stunning jewels, but since tiaras are traditionally lifetime loans, it’s assumed that she still owns the headpiece.
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In 2013, Middleton donned the Lotus Flower Tiara for the first time. The tiara was originally fashioned as a necklace for the Queen Mother who then passed it down to her daughter, Princess Margaret. The princess wore it often until her death in 2002. The jewels remained in the royal vault for over ten years before the queen gifted them to Middleton, who’s worn the tiara twice since.
Still, neither of these headpieces seems to be the princess’ favorite. That honor is reserved for Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot tiara. Middleton first donned the iconic headpiece in 2015, and immediately drew a flurry of attention.
The Lover’s Knot was a favorite of Princess Diana’s, so royal watchers immediately recognized the piece. Middleton has since worn the Lover’s Knot more than any other tiara—a total of eight times to be precise.
Kate Middleton Poised For Next ‘Tiara Moment’
The COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to the many formal receptions that the royal family used to host. The very last time that the public saw Kate Middleton in a tiara was in December of 2019. So, there’s a reasonable amount of excitement for the upcoming banquet to honor President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa. King Charles will receive the political figure in late November, marking his first state visit as king.
While there’s no guarantee that the Princess of Wales will don a tiara for the event, state banquets are the most common occasion for royal women to wear the headpieces. However, it remains unclear which tiara she’ll choose. It’s reasonable to guess she’ll select Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot since it’s not only her clear favorite but it was also preferred by the last Princess of Wales as well.
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That being said, we have to remember that Queen Elizabeth harbored an endless collection of jewels, including at least a dozen tiaras. There’s some conflicting information as to who will actually inherit the queen’s legendary jewelry collection. There’s a general consensus that certain pieces will be gifted to various members of the royal family while the bulk will fall to Queen Consort Camila, although the details will likely remain a private matter.
So, there’s a very real chance that Middleton will don one of Queen Elizabeth’s personal tiaras for the upcoming banquet. No matter which tiara Middleton chooses, we can expect the princess to look as regal as always.
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