Given that her late mother-in-law Princess Diana frequently wore the tiara, it obviously holds sentimental value for the Duchess of Cambridge, but the piece also has a distinguished royal history. Sometimes referred to as the Cambridge Lover's Knot, the tiara is, in fact, a replica of an earlier royal sparkler.
However, the tiara most worn by Kate was Princess Diana's favorite, the Lover's Knot. She has been seen wearing it on several occasions, the first being at the 2015 annual diplomatic reception, and then wearing the item for the same event for three consecutive years.
December 8, 2015. Kate chose the Queen Mary's Lover's Knot tiara for the Annual Diplomatic Reception in 2015, worn with an ice blue gown by Alexander McQueen.
The Lover's Knot Tiara consists of 19 diamond arches capped with lover's knot bows; hanging between each arch are beautiful, white drop-shape pearls. The tiara was commissioned by Queen Mary in 1913, modeled from the Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara, owned by her cousin, Duchess Jutta of Mecklenberg-Strelitz.
The Queen Mary Lover's Knot Tiara is the tiara Kate most gravitates towards, but she also sports the Lotus Flower Tiara from time to time.
While the Princess of Wales has worn the Queen Mary's Lover's Knot and Lotus Flower for previous state occasions, Camilla has chosen the larger Delhi Durbar and Greville Tiara for diplomatic dinners.
When Diana vacated that title, she also apparently vacated the tiara. She was able to keep personal gifts, but not official ones, and that apparently included this tiara. By the time she died in 1997, the tiara had been returned to the palace vaults.
Meghan reportedly wanted to wear an emerald tiara, but the Queen had selected a diamond tiara that had been worn by her grandmother, Queen Mary, in 1932.
The real Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara currently belongs to the family of Georg and Marie Gabrielle von Waldburg zu Zeil. The Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara was gifted to Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel upon her 1818 union to the Duke of Cambridge, King George III's seventh son.
'Unknown Russian origins' was picked up and used to infer that Meghan had wanted to wear the Grand Duchess Vladimir's Tiara with the Cambridge Emerald drops. The Grand Duchess Vladimir's tiara has very clear and documented origins.
Kate Middleton Skips a Tiara for a Flower Crown for King Charles III's Coronation. It is believed the Princess of Wales opted for a more low-key look to match the atmosphere of the scaled-back ceremony. Kate Middleton has arrived at Westminster Abbey for the coronation of King Charles III—and she is not wearing a tiara ...
In 1981, the Queen reportedly loaned the Lover's Knot Tiara to Princess Diana as a wedding gift. Diana opted instead to wear the Spencer Tiara, a family heirloom, on her big day, but the Lover's Knot became one of her favorite pieces, despite being so heavy that it hurt her head.
Thanks to the late Queen Elizabeth II, who owned a total of 20 tiaras, Kate currently has three tiaras on loan: the Cartier Scroll, the Cambridge Lover's Knot, and the Lotus Flower.
As is custom for royal brides, Meghan Markle did not keep her wedding tiara. Since the jewel was on loan from the queen, it was returned to the royal vault after the big day.
Royal protocol dictates that Kate, along with other female members of the family including including Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, Meghan Markle and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, must curtsey to the King and Queen Camilla as they are the most senior members of the family.
The Lover's Knot Tiara: about £1,000,000 (or $1,102,150)
The tiara was originally made in 1914 for Queen Mary with the use of gems from her family's vault.
The answer might surprise you, but their reason for choosing it is heart-warming. Princess Eugenie's wedding day tiara is the most expensive worn in history, according to new research.
Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara: ~$11million
Probably the most expensive tiara in the Royal Vault (that we know of) is the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara.
The Duchess of Sussex had all the freedom to borrow the Spencer Tiara, but she, reportedly, didn't want to get the amount of attention it would have received. The Spencer Tiara has not been worn since the tragic death of Princess Diana.
How did the infamous bridesmaid dress drama start? “Charlotte's dress is too big, too long, too baggy,” Kate's text said, according to Harry.
As many speculated, the bride did indeed wear a small tiara. The “Maidenhair Fern” tiara was handmade for Pippa by Robinson Pelham.
Since they did not actually tie the knot in a church, it was likely not considered custom for the current Queen Consort to wear a tiara. Camilla wore two outfits on her wedding day, both designed by Anna Valentine and Antonia Robinson.
When the former Princess of Wales died, her royal jewels, including tiaras, necklaces, and brooches, were returned to Her Late Majesty The Queen. The late Queen was free to do whatever she liked with the jewels, and reportedly decided to give some pieces to Camilla.
Charlotte is set to receive the iconic Spencer tiara, which previously belonged to her late grandmother, Princess Diana.