SAEDNEWS: Kate Middleton, now the wife of the Prince of Wales, has been seen at many official events wearing a very beautiful tiara. This choice is often interpreted as a tribute to her mother-in-law, Princess Diana.
According to a news and analysis report by Saed News Agency, Kate Middleton, now the wife of the British heir to the throne, has been seen at many official events wearing a beautiful tiara. Many believe her choice of this piece is a tribute to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.
However, the history of this beloved tiara is far more fascinating. Not only Kate Middleton and Princess Diana have worn it, but Queen Elizabeth II and her grandmother, Queen Mary, also used this tiara.
The name of the tiara currently worn by Kate Middleton is The Queen Mary Lover’s Knot Tiara. It was originally commissioned by Queen Mary, the grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II.
Queen Mary was inspired by a much older tiara that had once belonged to a royal relative, Duchess Augusta of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Since she had no way of inheriting or acquiring the original piece, in 1913 she asked the royal jeweler Garrard to create a similar design for her.
The original piece was known as the Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara, which entered the British royal family around 1818. It is believed to have been a gift from the House of Augusta to a royal bride. The tiara was used in important royal ceremonies, including the coronation of Queen Victoria in 1838.
In 1843, it was passed down as a gift to the eldest daughter, an ancestor of Queen Mary. Later, it changed hands within European royalty, eventually belonging to Princess Jutta of Montenegro. Following political changes and the collapse of the Montenegrin monarchy, the tiara was likely sold during exile and later appeared at a Christie’s auction in Geneva in 1981. It was then purchased by a British aristocratic family and remains in private ownership.
In 1913, Queen Mary commissioned Garrard to design a new tiara inspired by this historic piece.
The original version of the Queen Mary Lover’s Knot Tiara featured a row of upright pearls along the top. This was later replaced with diamonds, creating the modern version seen today.
After Queen Mary’s death in 1953, the tiara was inherited by Queen Elizabeth II. In 1981, she gifted it to Princess Diana as a wedding present.
Following Diana’s divorce in 1996, the tiara was returned to the royal collection, as it was considered a piece tied to her royal title. It remained unseen until 2015, when it reappeared on Kate Middleton during an official event.
Since then, Kate Middleton has frequently worn the tiara at major royal ceremonies. The most recent appearance was on June 1, 2023, at the wedding of the Jordanian Crown Prince.
