Diamond Tiara Tournament: Vasa vs Greville

Will it be the symbol-packed Norwegian tiara or the mighty British honeycomb?

This small but dazzling diamond tiara was a wedding gift from the city of Stockholm to Princess Martha of Sweden on her marriage to the future King Olav V of Norway in 1929. The tiara’s name comes from Martha’s royal heritage from the old Vasa dynasty of Sweden. The tiara was subsequently worn by both of the current king’s sisters. It belongs to Princess Astrid, who has indicated that it will remain with the royal family after her eventual death — hopefully a very long time from now!

After the Queen Mother inherited this diamond honeycomb tiara from Mrs. Greville in the 1940s, it swiftly became one of her signature pieces. Today, the same is true of its current wearer, the Duchess of Cornwall, who has both the presence and the hair to carry off such a major tiara.