Inside Kate Middleton’s breathtaking £7.5m tiara collection & why Meghan Markle was ‘denied’ first choice for wedding
BEING a member of the royal family has some very luxurious perks, including having access to some of the nation’s most impressive jewels.
Princess Kate has had the opportunity to wear some very impressive tiaras during her time in the royal spotlight.
However, it may surprise some royal fans to learn that she doesn’t own her tiaras.
Jewellery expert Leroy Dawkins told Fabulous: “When it comes to tiaras Princess Catherine has a wide choice available for her to choose from.
"Although she does not own any tiaras herself she gets to loan some of the most spectacular tiaras in the world which previously belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II and now belong to her father-in-law King Charles.
"Some may ask has she or will she ever wear the Spencer Tiara?
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"The answers to this question is probably no as the Spencer tiara is normally only worn by descendants of the family."
Meghan's tiara drama
In Prince Harry's Spare memoir, he described how the late Queen and her royal dresser, Angela Kelly, presented five tiaras to Meghan Markle to choose from for her wedding day.
Harry claimed one “stood out from the others” and “looked like it was made for Meg,” but she wasn't able to wear it.
The Duke of Sussex claimed Angela told him the tiara could not leave the palace without “an ordinance and police escort", with Harry saying it seemed "a little exaggerated" but they agreed as “time was running out."
Harry said: “It was obvious they were putting up obstacles, but why? It didn’t occur to us what motives they might have."
Typically tiaras are worn by women for official occasions such as diplomatic receptions, state banquets, white tie walls and the state opening of Parliament so it is possible we could see Meghan wear a tiara again.
Here are the tiaras we've seen Kate wearing over the years...
The Cartier Halo Tiara
Estimated worth: £800,000 to £1million
Millions watched around the globe as Prince William tied the knot with university sweetheart Kate in 2011.
For the historic event, Kate chose the glittering Cartier Halo Tiara, which has over 1,000 diamonds - 739 brilliant-cut diamonds and 149 baguette.
The Cartier Halo tiara was first commissioned by George VI in 1936, three weeks before he ascended the throne, who gave it to Queen Mary.
It was then gifted to Queen Elizabeth II on her 18th birthday and inherited by Princess Anne, who has worn it several times in its history.
The Lover's Knot Tiara
Estimated worth: £2million
One of the most recent times we’ve seen the tiara was in 2023 when Kate wore it to the Diplomatic Reception, alongside a pink Jenny Packham dress.
The Lotus Flower Tiara
Estimated worth: £4million
This beautiful headpiece has been spotted a number of times in recent years with Princess Kate often wearing it at various royal engagements.
Like with many of the royal tiaras, this one was originally a pearl and diamond necklace, but was made into the Lotus Flower tiara in 1923 by request of the Queen Mother.
She had been given the necklace by her husband, King George VI, in 1923 as a wedding gift.
Princess Margaret inherited the tiara from her mother in 1959, just before she married Antony Armstrong-Jones and and regularly wore it with a beehive in the 60s.
She also loaned it to her daughter-in-law, Serena Stanhope, for her wedding to Margaret’s son, Viscount Linle in 1993.
However, we first saw Kate wearing it at the annual Diplomatic reception in 2013.
She also opted for it at the China State banquet in 2015, and more recently at the 2022 Diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace.
The Strathmore Rose Tiara
Estimated worth: £500,000
One of the other spectacular headpieces we’ve seen Kate wear is the Strathmore Rose Tiara.
The stylish royal debuted the tiara at the South Korea state banquet in 2023, and wore it with an ivory Jenny Packham gown with caped shoulders.
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The late Queen Mother was given the tiara as a wedding gift from her father, Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, in 1923.
Upon her death, it was passed down to the late Queen, but wasn’t worn in public for decades, until Kate’s spellbinding appearance.