Meghan Markle looked sensational on her wedding day in a beautiful bridal gown by Givenchy. The new royal was expected to wow in her couture dress and she did just that as she entered Windsor Castle to marry Prince Harry on Saturday. But it wasn't just the bride's gown which delighted onlookers - Meghan wore a tiara for the first time since meeting Harry.
The Suits star chose the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiara to complement her dress and she certainly made the right choice; the dazzling jewelled headpiece transformed her into a true royal bride. Meghan's tiara holds special meaning as it was loaned to her by Prince Harry's grandmother the Queen for her wedding.
The Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiara is a little-known piece which was first created for the Queen's grandmother Queen Mary back in 1932. It features a detachable brooch, given to Mary as a wedding present in 1893 by the County of Lincoln. The beautiful tiara features a stunning floral-shaped suspended brooch in the centre made of one large round diamond and surrounded by nine smaller diamonds.
The bandeau part of the tiara contains 11 intricate glittering sections, including ovals and pave set with large and small diamonds. Queen Mary bequeathed the bandeau and brooch to the Queen on her death in 1953.
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Royal fans had wondered if Meghan would pay tribute to her late mother-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales, by wearing the tiara she wore on her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981. Following her wedding, Diana returned the stunning family tiara to her brother Earl Spencer, so many speculated that Harry may have asked his uncle if he could borrow it for Meghan. But instead, Meghan chose to wear a piece from the Queen's personal collection, a lovely tribute to her Majesty.
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Loaning of iconic jewellery for grand occasions is something that happens a lot in the royal family. It is customary for the Queen to lend royal brides a headpiece from her private collection. When Kate married William in 2011, she borrowed the Cartier 'Halo' Tiara. It originally belonged to the Queen Mother, who passed it down to the Queen on her 18th birthday. It was also worn by Princess Margaret and Princess Anne, but hadn't been seen publicly for decades until Kate wore it on her wedding day.