Queen Camilla's regal beauty was a spectacle on Wednesday night as she and King Charles attended a reception and dinner at Mansion House in honour of their first official visit to the City of London since the Coronation.
Her Majesty, 76, was impeccably dressed in her black embroidered gown by Bruce Oldfield, a repeat from her unrivalled wardrobe.
Most mesmerising, however, was the royal's surprising choice to wear the Queen Mary's Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara, which was one of the most prized diadems in the late Queen Elizabeth II's personal collection.
Nobody could have predicted Queen Camilla's move to wear such an accessory, given that the wearing of tiaras amongst the royal ladies has been largely scaled back in recent years to reflect a "more relatable" monarchy.
The history behind the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara
© GettyThe glittering royal heirloom made its debut in 1893 when it was presented as a wedding gift from the 'Girls of Great Britain and Ireland' to the Duchess of York, later Queen Mary.
It was purchased with £5,000 raised by a committee chaired by Lady Eva Greville, who became one of Queen Mary’s ladies-in-waiting.
In line with the current inflation rate, purchasing the tiara with today's money would make the tiara approximately £792,315.
© GettyThe breathtaking diamond accessory, which was gifted to Queen Elizabeth II on her wedding day by Queen Mary, became one of the late monarch's most recognised tiaras. She wore it continually throughout her reign and famously wore it on certain prints of British banknotes and coins.
© GettyMany royal style watchers, beguiled by Queen Camilla's spellbinding tiara debut, shared their hopes for the Princess of Wales to have worn the tiara instead.
Typically, the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara has been reserved exclusively for Queens and Queen Consorts, so while it may not be in Princess Kate's possession for some years, there may well be a time when the wife of Prince William gets to wear the priceless diadem.
© Getty"She looks lovely, but I was not emotionally ready to see that tiara on someone else," penned a royal fan on Instagram page @royalfashionpolice.
"Oh wow, I didn't see that coming. Looks lovely," added another. "This is my favourite of all British Royal Family tiaras!" chimed in a third fan, while a fourth penned: "Wonderful to see the jewels becoming a part of the next generation."
Listen to HELLO!'s A Right Royal Podcast and find out which haunted royal residence Queen Camilla refused to enter...
