The Court Jeweller

Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Diamond Tiara Tournament: Mary’s Fringe vs Floral Aigrette

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Will it be the fringe or the flowers?

Benjamin Wheeler/Press Association, Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara vs. The Danish Floral Aigrette
Benjamin Wheeler/Press Association

Queen Mary commissioned this classic diamond fringe tiara in 1919 as an alternative to the older and more unwieldy Queen Adelaide Fringe. The new fringe tiara later became a favorite of the Queen Mother, who loaned it to a pair of royal brides: Queen Elizabeth II in 1947 and Princess Anne in 1973. In 2020, it was used as a bridal tiara again by the Queen’s granddaughter, Princess Beatrice of York.
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Some believe that this incredible, flexible floral ornament originally belonged to Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia, grandmother of King Frederik IX. We know for sure, though, that in the 1960s it belonged to a famous Danish-American tenor, Lauritz Melchior. He sold it to King Frederik in 1963, and it’s been sparkling on the heads of Queen Ingrid and Queen Margrethe II ever since. Queen Margrethe is especially inventive in the ways she wears the three-sectioned tiara.

Diamond Tiara Tournament: Dutch Laurel Wreath vs Queen Mary’s Bandeau

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Two classic bandeaux face off in this competition!

Michel Porro/Getty Images, JONATHAN BRADY/AFP via Getty Images

The Dutch Laurel Wreath Tiara vs. Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau
Michel Porro/Getty Images

The Dutch royal vault is the home of this classic diamond laurel wreath tiara, which is inspired by the wreaths worn to represent victory and power in the ancient world. The small profile of the tiara has made it an excellent “starter” tiara for Dutch princesses, especially Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands. It’s also become a popular wedding tiara for members of the family, having been worn by both Princess Laurentien and Princess Maria Carolina at their weddings.
JONATHAN BRADY/AFP via Getty Images

Queen Mary had this sleek diamond bandeau made in 1932 to showcase the County of Lincoln Brooch, which she’d received as a wedding present in 1893. Mary wore the tiara occasionally, but in May 2018, it garnered major attention when it was worn as a bridal tiara by the Duchess of Sussex.