Diamond Tiara Tournament: Alexandra’s Kokoshnik vs Stuart

The Final Four of our Diamonds Are Forever Tiara Tournament begins right now!

This classic diamond tiara was inspired by a kokoshnik owned by Queen Alexandra’s beloved sister, Empress Marie Feodorovna of Russia. Alexandra received hers as a silver wedding present from a group of aristocratic women. Later worn by Queen Mary, it’s graced the Queen’s head since 1953, and has been a fixture at galas and state banquets during her reign.

This grand Dutch royal tiara dates to 1897, but the biggest diamond in it, the forty-carat Stuart Diamond, has been in royal hands since the seventeenth century. The sparkler was a favorite of the late Queen Juliana, and in recent years, Queen Maxima has begun wearing in public, too.