The Court Jeweller

Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Diamond Tiara Tournament: Queen Sofia vs Anne’s Festoon

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This contest matches up festive tiaras from Sweden and Britain!

JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images, CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/AFP via Getty Images

Queen Sofia’s Tiara vs. Princess Anne’s Festoon Tiara
JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images

This unique diamond sparkler, which is also sometimes called “the Nine-Prong Tiara,” originally belonged to Sofia of Nassau, the wife of King Oscar II of Sweden. The tiara is reportedly a very difficult piece to wear, as it is heavy and inflexible with a rigid base, but it has become one of Queen Silvia’s favorite tiaras. She even selected it for the wedding of her younger daughter, Princess Madeleine, in 2013, and she often chooses it for the annual Nobel Prize ceremony and banquet.
CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/AFP via Getty Images

This delicate diamond festoon tiara was given to the Princess Royal in 1973 when she christened a ship. (Not a bad thank-you present!) It’s intricate and pretty, which made it a perfect wedding tiara for Anne’s daughter-in-law in 2008.

Diamond Tiara Tournament: Greville vs Dutch Ears of Wheat

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Will it be the massive diamond sparkler or the delicate heirloom ears of wheat?

Chris Jackson/Getty Images, Harry Pot/Anefo/Nationaal Archief/Wikimedia Commons

The Greville Tiara vs. The Dutch Ears of Wheat Tiara
Chris Jackson/Getty Images

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.
Harry Pot/Anefo/Nationaal Archief/Wikimedia Commons

The ears of wheat that make up this tiara were originally a set of eight diamond and silver brooches owned by Grand Duchess Catherine Pavlovna of Russia. They were inherited by her daughter, Queen Sophie of the Netherlands, and later set on a tiara frame. The versatile tiara has been worn as a bridal diadem by an impressive seven Dutch royal brides in recent years.

Diamond Tiara Tournament: Baden Palmette vs Vasa

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Two Scandinavian sparklers are matched up in this contest!

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The Baden Palmette Tiara vs. The Vasa Tiara
KELD NAVNTOFT/AFP via Getty Images

This diamond sparkler features a palmette design that resembles romantic hearts. It was made in Germany in the middle of the nineteenth century and given by King Wilhelm of Prussia to his daughter, Grand Duchess Louise of Baden. When her daughter, Victoria, married the future King Gustaf V of Sweden, the tiara came to Scandinavia. Queen Ingrid brought the jewel to Denmark, where it’s worn by Queen Margrethe II today.
Wikimedia Commons

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!