A Tiara For Miss Markle Part II: The Duchess of Sussex

Well the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has come and gone and the young couple are now styled as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.  I have to say my guess as to what tiara she would don for the big day was way off, but I was not alone as the tiara selected had not been seen publicly in nearly seventy years.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex wearing Queen Mary's Bandeau Tiara     Image via Daily Star

I present Queen Mary's Diamond Bandeau Tiara (formerly known to royal watchers as the filigree tiara).

Queen Mary's Diamond Bandeau Tiara     Image via The International Order of Sartorial Splendor

The tiara was loaned by the Queen and is a high art deco stunner.  It was commissioned by Queen Mary in 1932 and is centered by a Victorian diamond rose brooch that Queen Mary received as a wedding gift from the County of Lincoln in 1893.  The tiara is divided into eleven flexible sections with an overall geometric pattern of interlacing arcs.

Queen Mary wearing the bandeau to a film premier in 1949     Image via Historic Images

The tiara was seen publicly at a few events up through the late 1940s and then it passed to Queen Elizabeth II upon Queen Mary's death in 1953 and disappeared from view.  While it has been stated that the tiara was designed to accommodate the the County of Lincoln brooch, you can see from the period images Queen Mary was wearing it with a different central stone.  Queen Mary loved versatility with her jewels and often had pieces that could be worn a number of ways and with different configurations of stones.

Queen Mary wearing the bandeau     Image via Royal Jewels of the World

When a royal jewel such as this falls out of use there is the worry/assumption that it may have been dismantled for the creation of another piece.  It is for this reason none of the most skilled royal watchers had this tiara in the running on their prediction lists.  

The use of a sleek and modern tiara seems to be a growing trend among royal brides which is fitting given the simplified clean lines preferred by contemporary brides.  It is a far cry from the romantic, historicist and opulent trends preferred in fashion and the decorative arts of the go-go 1980s and 90s.  The Duchess of Cambridge borrowed the Queen Mother's Cartier Halo art deco tiara for her nuptials to Prince William in 2011 with great effect.

The Duchess of Cambridge on her wedding day and the "Halo" at right    Image via MamaMia

Similarly, Princess Anne's daughter, Zara Phillips wore the starkly modern Meander Tiara for her 2011 wedding to Mike Tindall.  

Zara Phillips on her wedding day in 2011      Image via Pinterest

While technically not art deco this Edwardian neoclassical bandeau has a chic austerity and a low profile perfect for a contemporary bride.

The Meander Tiara seen from left with: Princess Anne, Zara Phillips and Princess Andrew of Greece     Image via SociImage

The Meader Tiara dates to the turn of the century and belonged to Princess Andrew of Greece, Prince Phillips mother and was given to Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding present.  In turn, it was given to Princess Anne in 1972 in whose possession it remains.

There you have it.  A few questions remain.  Is it a lifetime loan?  Will the Duchess of Sussex have access to other pieces as needed?  Only time till tell.

The Duchess of Sussex on her wedding day    Image via the Telegraph     

Until next time--AR

A Tiara For Miss Markle

I have long neglected this blog but as the nuptials of Prince Harry and our Miss Meghan Markle are upon us I thought I would chime-in regarding the possible tiara she may wear on the big day.  The post regarding the wedding tiara for the Duchess of Cambridge remains my most read post to date.  I am motivated to write due to the vast amount of sensational and incorrect information that is floating about.  The majority of news outlets on both sides of the Atlantic are putting forth tiaras that are now more closely associated with the Duchess of Cambridge and I believe this to be an obvious oversight.  Namely the Cambridge Lover's Knot and the Queen Mother's Lotus Flower tiara.

Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara         Image via The Royal Digest

As we know, the Lover's Knot is most closely associated with Princess Diana but it has a deeper history.  It was commissioned in 1914 by Queen Mary who, in a nostalgic vein, wanted to recreate the lover's knot tiara that belonged to her grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse. Originally each knot was surmounted by an oval pearl to mirror each drop below but by 1935 it was simplified to its present form. Queen Mary passed it to her granddaughter Queen Elizabeth II who in turn presented it to Diana upon the occasion of her marriage to Prince Charles. Most recently it has been worn to state events by the Duchess of Cambridge which is why I feel it would be a misstep to have it as a centerpiece of Miss Markle's big day.

The Cambridge Lover's Knot seen from left with: Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana and the Duchess of Cambridge         Image via the Daily Mail

I have similar thoughts regarding the Queen Mother's Lotus Flower Tiara.  Also known as the Papyrus Tiara, it was fashioned from a necklace that was given to The Queen Mother on the occasion of her wedding to Prince Albert (later George VI) in 1923.

The Lotus Flower Tiara and the necklace from which it was fashioned   Image via WhatKateWore.com

The Queen Mother loaned the tiara to Princess Margaret and it became a fixture in her repertoire.  Princess Margaret in turn loaned the tiara to her daughter-in-law Serena Stanhope on the occasion of her marriage to Viscount David Linley.  The fact that the Lotus Flower has been regularly loaned to the Duchess of Cambridge has solved an age old mystery.  It was long assumed that the Queen mother likely gave the  Lotus Flower to Princess Margaret outright, but it is now clear that is was a lifetime loan and was returned to the royal vaults after the Princess' death in 2002 and thus falls under the purview of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Lotus Flower seen from left with: The Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Serena Viscountess Linley and the Duchess of Cambridge    Image via the Daily Mail

Again, since the Lotus Flower has been loaned to the Duchess of Cambridge for recent state functions it would lack special significance for Miss Markle's wedding.

The Spencer Tiara     Image via The Order of Splendor

Time Magazine, as well as other outlets, has put forth the Spencer Tiara as a candidate as it would be a sentimental nod to Princess Diana who wore it on her wedding day to Prince Charles in 1981.  The tiara is a historic piece from the Spencer family and was worn at the weddings of both of Diana's older sisters and by her sister-in-law Victoria Aitken.

The Spencer Tiara seen from left with: Lady Jane Spencer, Lady Sarah Spencer, Princess Diana, and the former Victoria, Countess Spencer       Image via The Royal Watcher

It has seen many a wedding, which in itself is not such a bad thing but it is the property of Princess Diana's brother, Charles the 9th Earl Spencer which could add a wrinkle.  Since it is the 9th Earl's property the royal couple and the British Royal Family would have no control over its later use and exhibition which could prove unseemly.  In addition, the 9th Earl has five daughters of his own who will likely lay claim to use of the tiara for their respective wedding days down the road.

Since the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's union and subsequent children, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not be "main line" royals in the strictest sense.  Meaning there is little likelihood that Prince Harry would ever been King.  The Queen Mother and especially Queen Elizabeth II have been very forward thinking about the core collection of jewels, consolidating them for the working Royals of the main line, making loans of some pieces and purchasing others as outright gifts, thus ensuring that historic pieces will remain for the use of the current monarch.  Such was the case when Princess Margaret wed Anthony Armstong-Jones in 1960.  Princess Margaret at this point was no longer "main line" and already had use of many historic pieces as a young woman, therefore instead of something leaving the core collection the decision was made to buy her a tiara.  Thus enters the Poltimore Tiara.

Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong-Jones on their wedding day   Image via Country Life

The tiara is a Victorian piece by the then court jeweler Garrard dating to the 1870s.  You can read more about its history here as it was sold at Christie's for a whopping $1.7M along with the rest of Princess Margaret's estate in 2006.

The Poltimore Tiara       Image via Tiara Mania

Similarly, when Queen Elizabeth's son, Prince Andrew, wed Sarah Ferguson in 1986 the decision was made to purchase a tiara rather than have one leave the core collection.  Thus enters the York Diamond Tiara.

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson on their wedding day      Image via the Daily Mail

Again the Queen purchased a Garrard piece, this time a tiara with scrolling foliage surmounted by a brilliant cut diamond.

The York Diamond Tiara        Image via The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor

The tiara was a fixture in Sarah's brief career as a royal and was last seen publicly in 2001.  Perhaps we shall see it again when her daughter, Princess Eugenie, weds later this fall.

The Queen could also choose to adapt a minor historic piece as a gift or lifetime loan as she did when her son Prince Edward wed Sophie Rhys-Jones (later Countess of Wessex) in the summer of 1999.  Thus enters the Wessex Tiara.

Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones on their wedding day     Image via The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor

The Tiara itself is comprised of four scrolling elements (three with anthemions) cobbled onto a golden frame.  It has height and thus impact but has always seemed a bit awkward in my humble opinion.  At the time of the marriage its origins were unknown, but that mystery has been solved.

Countess of Wessex's Tiara    Image via The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor

As it turns out, the four ornaments were from Queen Elizabeth's personal collection and were once part of Queen Victoria's "Regal Circlet" dating back to 1850s.  Unfortunately for us the circlet was unmounted in the 1930s but its frame survives in the Museum of London.

Queen Victoria's Regal Circlet    Image via The Royal Collection Trust

Now bear with me, it is hard to see where this all fits in but if you examine the rest of the diadem's box you see resting spots for the anthemion ornaments which could have been swapped out for the other elements on the circlet.

The Regal Circlet with its fitted box, at right photoshopped with the Wessex elements inserted.   Images via Pinterest

As you can see, considerable effort was extended for a limited return, however the provenance does make for an interesting story.

It is my feeling that the Queen will purchase a piece for Miss Markle which would fit the established trend laid out above.  But, if she were to choose a historic piece I think the Strathmore Rose Tiara would be very fitting.

The Strathmore Rose Tiara      Image via The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor

The Strathmore was given to the late Queen Mother by her parents upon the occasion of her marriage to Prince Albert on April 26, 1923.   It consists of a band of foliage surmounted by five pave diamond roses.  The tiara was in fairly active use while the Queen Mother was Duchess of York but receded into the background when she became Queen.

The Queen Mother wearing the Stathmore Rose in the 1920s    Image via the Daily Express    

It is believed to have passed to the present monarch when the Queen mother died in 2002.  It hasn't been in use in decades but its survival is known from fairly recent color photographs.  It would be a fitting choice for Miss Markle as it is youthful, romantic, historic, and hasn't been associated with another royal since the first part of the 20th century.  For other historic outliers not in present use  consult my previous post about the wedding of the Duchess of Cambridge but my instinct is that a tiara will be purchased.  At any rate we will know very soon.

Until next time--AR

Duchess of Cambridge Steps out in First Tiara since Wedding

Hello Dear readers.  It has been quite some time since I have posted on this subject, but the Duchess of Cambridge has waited over three years for the privilege of attending another "tiara" event.  On December 3rd the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were guests of the Queen at Buckingham Palace for a diplomatic reception.  Unfortunately, no formal state portraits have surfaced, just this partially obscured press image as she arrived with Prince William.

While this tiara did not make my official list as a contender for her wedding, it was mentioned as an outlier because of its associations with Princess Margaret and recent use in another royal wedding.
The tiara is known as the Papyrus Tiara and was fashioned from a necklace that was given to The Queen Mother on the occasion of her wedding to Prince Albert (George VI) in 1923.

The Queen Mother (while Duchess of York)  Image via A Tiara A Day

Image of the tiara and the wedding necklace from which it was created Image via whatketewore.com

Evidently the queen mother presented the Papyrus Tiara to Princess Margaret prior to her wedding to Anthony Armstrong-Jones in 1960.  It became a mainstay for Princess Margaret over the years.

Princess Margaret wearing the Papyrus Tiara Image via theroyalpost.com

Princess Margaret in-turn loaned it to her future daugher-in-law Serena Stanhope for her wedding to Viscount David Linley in 1993.

Viscount David Linley and Lady Serena Stanhope on their wedding day  Image via theroyalforums.com

The Duchess of Cambridge now wearing this tiara has settled an ongoing debate.  It is now clear that the tiara must have been a lifetime loan to Princess Margaret and was returned to the royal vaults upon her death in 2002.  I hope to see the Duchess adorned in many more family gems in the future.  One last look before we go....until next time.--AR

Papyrus Tiara circa 1923   Image via Pinterest

Zara Phillips: Another Tale of Tiaras

I do apologize for my month long absence. I was under the mistaken conclusion that my schedule would miraculously clear once the auction season drew to a close but alas I have been busier than ever....neglecting you kind readers. I am currently on the road but had to stop to post about Zara Phillips' wedding that is taking place tomorrow! Miss Phillips is Queen Elizabeth II's eldest granddaughter and the only daughter of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips. Zara's impending nuptials have been referred to as "the other Royal wedding" after the global phenomenon that was William and Catherine's ceremony on April 29th. I would expect that Zara's wedding to rugby player Mark Tindall should be a low-key affair. Princess Anne's desire for privacy was definitely passed on to her similarly athletic daughter. Mark Phillips never accepted a title from the Queen and it is reported that Princess Anne refused honorary titles for for her children so they could have a more normal life away from public scrutiny. Thus Zara and her brother Peter are the Queen's only grandchildren without titles. This apparent informality is most evidenced by the happy couple's engagement photo.

With this level of comfort one wonders if the sporty Zara will opt for a tiara at all. I for one hope she does. She will likely not have as many options open to her as Kate but below find my short list of the strong contenders:

1. Princess Anne's Festoon Tiara

This could very well be the likely bet as is a romantic and low profile belle epoch stunner. The tiara is the personal property of Princess Anne so the loan would be quite simple. It was presented to Princess Anne by the World Wide Shipping Group in 1973, the year of her marriage. My only caveat would be that Princess Anne already loaned the festoon to her son Peter's bride, Autumn Kelly, on the event of their marriage in May of 2008. Since that was in the fairly recent past and was highly publicized I do hope she opts for another piece....but I digress.

2. Princess Andrew of Greece's Meander Tiara

This classically inspired bandeau tiara is also the personal property of Princess Anne making Zara's access as easy as the festoon. The overall look is a bit severe but Anne has carried it off successfully throughout the years. The tiara was a wedding present from Prince Phillip's mother, Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark, to the future Queen Elizabeth II. And while the Greek key and palmette motifs are a distinct nod to Prince Phillip's Hellenic line, the Queen never wore it publicly. It was subsequently given to Princess Anne in 1972, a year prior to her engagement and subsequent marriage. Other royal watcher's feel that this would be a great choice, steeped in family history but I am not so convinced due to its stark geometry. It may however be the default since the festoon was so recently trotted out at a royal wedding.

3. Fringe Tiara

Historically this would be a strong choice. It was created in 1919 using diamonds that had been part of a tiara/necklace given by Queen Victoria to Queen Mary on the occasion of her marriage in 1893. Queen Mary gave it to the Queen Mother when she ascended the throne in 1937. The Queen Mother lent it to both her daughter Princess Elizabeth and granddaughter Princess Anne on their respective wedding days. It may be a bit severe in design but it is definitely no stranger to a royal wedding. For me, it would be very fitting Zara to wear her mother's and grandmother's wedding tiara but as you can tell I have a flair for nostalgia. This would however require a loan from the Queen which shouldn't be out of the question as she most recently loaned Catherine the Cartier Halo Tiara for her wedding to Prince William.

Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne wearing the Fringe on their respective wedding days.

As the big day is tomorrow we have precious little time to make broader guesses. If you wish to torture yourself you can always refer to Catherine's tiara list that I obsessed over for countless months. The couple is wedding at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh but the event will not be televised so we will have to wait for the stills to hit the internet. I wait with baited breath!

UPDATE:
Well the big event has come and gone and as I suspected Zara wore option 2, the Meander tiara. While it is a bit stiff she wore it well and the overall look was beautiful.

Royal Tiara On The Block At Sotheby's

I spent the latter part of the afternoon scouring the major auction house websites to find the highly anticipated June design sales. Unfortunately they will not drop until next week, but my inquiries did not leave me empty handed. Thankfully, it was on Sotheby's main page I came across this lovely emerald laden stunner.

I must admit I was hesitant to write about another royal jewel so quickly after my coverage of the recent royal wedding. But I figured you may be up for a bit of sparkle this weekend. Sotheby's describes this aristocratic diadem as "A Magnificent and Rare Emerald and Diamond Tiara, Formerly in the Collection of Princess Katharina Henckel Von Donnersmarck, Circa 1900." The base of the tiara is of a lovely foliate design and par four the course as far as high-end Belle Epoque jewels go. However, it is the approximately 500 carats of polished emeralds comprising 11 pear shaped spikes that set it apart from the pack.

The catalogue goes to great, yet measured, lengths to assert that the emeralds

probably/ possibly/ perchance belonged to Empress Eugenie of France from a group of 25 such polished emerald drops sold from her personal collection in 1872. Historical layering such as this adds to the mystique and hopefully the end result but I am a stickler for hard facts and always find it a bit too fluffy when dealing with a masterwork that can really sand on its own, but hey that's just me. What is certain is that the emeralds are of Colombian origin and are polished in the Indian tradition, likely in the 17th or 18th century. While the overall effect is striking I have always found the mixing of globular cabochon stones and brilliant cut diamonds to be a tricky affair....lest they look like shiny gum balls wed to a refined base. The present lot is just on the cusp of looking top-heavy, but only just. Queen Elizabeth's Grand Duchess Vladimir tiara utilizing the Cambridge emeralds is a bit more successful but who is counting really....well I guess I am since it is one of my favorites from her collection.

Queen Elizabeth's Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara

The catalogue also asserts that the tiara is (yet again) "possibly" the most important to appear at auction in 30 years (since it was last sold by the heirs of Princess Katharina Henckel Von Donnersmarck via Sotheby's Zurich in 1979). This glosses over Christie's great success selling the fabled Portland tiara just last December and the Poltimore tiara that they sold from the Estate of Princess Margaret in 2006.

The Poltimore Tiara Sold Christie's 13 June 2006 ($1,7o4,576)

The Portland Tiara Sold Christie's 1 December 2010 ($1,188,239)

Granted, the Donnersmarck tiara with its 11 large emeralds may pack more of a punch in intrinsic value, but the importance of the provenance is debatable when compared to the Portland or the Poltimore. That said, I wish Sotheby's well as the estimate range is a stellar $5.3-10.6 million. We will have to wait until next week to see where it ultimately lands. I leave you with this press image which gives you a better sense of the tiara's scale and the greater distance obscures the natural imperfections in the in the emeralds which can be distracting when viewed too closely.

UPDATE: The tiara sold on May 17th for an astounding $12.7 million becoming the most expensive tiara ever sold...

Catherine Middleton Wears the Halo/Scroll Tiara!

Well at long last dear readers we are here. Catherine and William are married and we finally know all the details as they were revealed before our eyes. Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen designed the gown which took a page right out of Grace Kelly's playbook. Well played Miss Middleton... now the Duchess of Cambridge. The tiara she wore was one of my personal favorites from the list of contenders. We knew it as the "Scroll" tiara, but the palace has confirmed that it is actually known to the British Royal Family as the Cartier Halo tiara. We now know that the tiara was purchased by the Duke of York (King George VI) for the Duchess of York (the Queen Mother) in 1936. It is a rolling cascade of scrolls that converge in a central ornament surmounted by a brilliant diamond. We now know that the tiara was given to Queen Elizabeth II for her eighteenth birthday and she has subsequently loaned it to both her sister Princess Margaret and her daughter Princess Anne.

Image of the Halo from the Cartier Archives

The Halo tiara is a youthful feminine tiara with absolutely zero severity. The paisley like scrolls picked-up the lace details of her dress. An absolutely perfect choice.

Detail with gauzy veil in play, perfection!

The Queen Mother wearing the the Halo tiara with King George VI.

Collage of pictures of the stunning Princess Margaret wearing the Halo to various engagements in the 1950s.

Collage of pictures of Princess Anne wearing the Halo to state events in the 1960s/early 1970s.