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The tradition of tiaras began during the Greek and Roman empires, when high-ranking men and women wore headpieces as symbols of their status. But it was Napoleon who made them truly en vogue: with the aim of presenting his court as the most magnificent in 19th-century Europe—and to associate himself with the ancient emperors of the past—he commissioned a number of fantastical headpieces for his wife, Josephine. Soon enough, all the noblewomen of their court began to follow her fashionable neoclassical suit, as did the rest of the grand houses of Europe.
Today, a number of royal women wear the precious diamond diadems on grand state occasions or for their weddings. Queen Elizabeth, for example, appeared on her banknotes in the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara once owned by her great-grandmother Queen Mary, while Princess Eugenie’s 2018 wedding saw her don the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik tiara, rumored to cost a whopping 17 million dollars due to its 93.7-carat center emerald. Meanwhile, the internet was abuzz when the Princess of Wales wore the forgotten Strathmore Rose Tiara for a 2023 banquet in honor of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon Hee. Often, the pieces are products of the exquisite and grand work of great jewelry houses such as Garrard, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Boucheron. Then there's the Swedish royals, who regularly debut grand tiaras at the annual Nobel Prize banquet in Stockholm.
Below, find some of the greatest royal tiaras in European and British history.
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The Strathmore Rose Tiara
The Strathmore Rose Tiara was a wedding gift given to the Queen Mother by her father, Lord Strathmore, before she married the Duke of York in 1923. Designed to look like a garland of wild roses, the diamond flower crown was originally purchased from London-based jewelers Catchpole & Williams. Most recently, it was worn by the Princess of Wales at a state dinner for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon Hee.
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The Danish Ruby Tiara
Dating back to the Court of Napoleon and originally made for Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte (the future king of Sweden) and his wife, the Danish Ruby Tiara is designed in a way that the rubies resemble berries. It came to Denmark in 1869, after the original owner’s descendant married the King of Denmark.
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George IV State Diadem
Made for the coronation of King George IV in 1820, the state diadem has been worn by every queen and queen consort since. Comprised of 1,333 diamonds, its central diamond is four carats.
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Queen Mary’s Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara
The Great Britian and Ireland tiara was given to Queen Mary in 1893 for her wedding day. Fifty years later, the Queen gave the tiara to her granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth, as she married Prince Philip.
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The Lover’s Knot tiara
The Lover’s Knot tiara was commissioned for Queen Mary in 1913 from Britain's House of Garrard. It consists of diamonds and a collectsion of 19 hanging pearls, all set in silver and gold. Later it was handed down to Queen Elizabeth. She then eventually lent it to her daughter-in-law, Princess Diana.
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The Poltimore tiara
Made in 1870 by the House of Garrard in London, the Poltimore tiara is the epitome of the Victorian-era jewelry style, with the diamond scrolls evoking flowers and nature. The fantastical creation is named after its first owner, Lady Poltimore; in 1959, it was purchased by Prince Margaret at auction.
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Greville Emerald Kokoshnik tiara
The diamond and emerald headpiece, made by the French jeweler Boucheron in 1919, is just under 100 years old. The center jewel is estimated to be over 93 carats.
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Belgian Sapphire tiara
As the name implies, the Belgian Sapphire Tiara once belonged to Princess Louise of Belgium. The queen purchased it herself through auction in the 1970s.
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Fleur de Lis tiara and Brazilian Aquamarine tiara
The Fleur de Lys tiara, worn here by Queen Letizia, features the floral emblem of the Spanish royal family’s house.
In 1953, Brazil gifted diamond and aquamarine gems to Queen Elizabeth in honor of her coronation. A few decades later, the queen asked Garrard, the crown jewelers, to make them into the tiara seen here.
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Queen Mary’s Bandeau Tiara
The center of Queen Mary's Bandeau Tiara, made in 1932, is a detachable brooch of 10 brilliant diamonds. Famously, the Duchess of Sussex wore the diadem on her wedding day to Prince Harry.
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Cartier Halo tiara
The Cartier Halo tiara, worn most recently by the Duchess of Cambridge on her 2011 wedding day, is comprised of 739 brilliant cut diamonds and 149 baguette diamonds. It was originally made by the famous jeweler in 1936 for the Queen Mother.
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Baden Fringe tiara
The Baden Fringe tiara, worn here by the Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, consists of 47 rays of diamonds. Its origins date back to the 1880s.
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Six Button tiara
The “buttons” on the Six Button tiara are designed to resemble flowers. Princesses Victoria, Madeleine, Christina, and Sofia of Sweden have used the tiara for formal affairs several times as working royals.
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The Lotus Flower tiara
This tiara was crafted from a necklace given to the Queen Mother as a wedding present. In later years, it has been worn by Princess Margaret and the Duchess of Cambridge.
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The Stuart tiara
The centerpiece of the Stuart tiara? A 39.75-carat diamond that once belonged to England’s King William II and Queen Mary II. Here, it is worn by Queen Máxima of the Netherlands.
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Palmette Tiara
Princess Sofia, the wife of Sweden’s Prince Carl Philip, received the Palmette Tiara for her wedding day. The most distinctive aspect? The gemstones atop, which can be changed: Sofia has worn both emeralds and blue topaz to formal events like the Nobel Prize Banquet.
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