Hugh Grosvenor, the 7th Duke of Westminster, is set to marry his fiancée Olivia Henson and their wedding promises to be the event of the year.
As Britain's most eligible bachelor under 40 ties the knot, around 400 guests, including his close friend the Prince of Wales, will gather to celebrate the grand occasion.
Naturally, everyone is buzzing about what his bride Olivia will wear, and more specifically, if she'll don a family tiara. The current Dowager Duchess of Westminster, nee Natalia Phillips, has deep connections with the British royal family and is even a godmother to the Prince William. Her jewellery collection is nothing short of spectacular, with the Bagration Spinel Tiara and Parure being the 'crown jewels' of her arsenal.
But which one will Olivia pick for her wedding day? The couple is set to marry on Friday, June 7, and if Hugh's bride follows family tradition, an exquisite tiara might just make a dazzling comeback, so we had a look at her options...
The Duke and Duchess of Westminster's Family Tiara Collection:
The Bagration Spinel Tiara:
Speculation is rife about the possible appearance of the Bagration Spinel Tiara, a stunning piece last seen on her future mother-in-law, the Duchess of Westminster, on her own wedding day. The wedding of the Earl Grosvenor and Natalia Phillips in 1978 was a star-studded affair, attended by royalty and notable guests including Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, Lord Mountbatten with his granddaughter India Hicks as a bridesmaid, and the Earl and Countess of Lichfield. The ceremony at St. Mary’s Church in Luton was followed by a reception at Luton Hoo, the bride's family estate.
The Bagration set features pear, cushion, and round spinels set in a stylised scroll diamond motif, including a tiara, necklace, earrings, and a comb. These pieces date back to the early 19th century, likely crafted by the famed Fossin of Chaumet, with the necklace and earrings added around 1840.
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The origins of this stunning set trace back to Princess Catherine Bagration, niece of the legendary Prince Potemkin. Known for her beauty and adventurous spirit, Princess Catherine inherited the jewels but their whereabouts were unknown until they resurfaced at a Christie's auction in Geneva in 1973. The set was bought by S.J. Phillips and later acquired by the future 6th Duke of Westminster in 1977 as an engagement present for his future bride. Natalia, with her own Russian heritage, wore the tiara for the first and only time at her wedding to the then 'Earl Grosvenor' at St. Mary’s Church in Luton in October 1978.
Over the years, the tiara and parure have been featured in books and exhibitions, showcasing their Russian heritage. "Most recently, the Bagration Spinel Tiara went on display at the Sotheby’s Platinum Jubilee Exhibition: ‘Power & Image: Royal & Aristocratic Tiaras’ in 2022," explains The Royal Watcher who duly speculate there is a fair chance it will be "worn again soon, possibly at the Duke's wedding."
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The Rosebery Tiara:
The illustrious Rosebery Tiara, originally from the collection of Rothschild heiress Hannah, Countess of Rosebery, has graced many heads within the Westminster family. The elegant Duchess Natalia Grosvenor donned this exquisite piece at a banquet in the 1980s.
It even had its moment of glamour during a photoshoot featuring the major pieces of the Westminster collection ahead of its 2011 Christie's auction. That same year, the tiara fetched a hefty £1,161,250 at auction to an unknown buyer. Perhaps this mystery owner, moved by sentimentality, might consider lending it to Olivia for a special occasion?
Harewood Fringe Tiara:
The Harewood Fringe Tiara, crafted around 1890, became a dazzling wedding gift to Princess Mary (daughter of King George V and Queen Mary) upon her marriage to Viscount Lascelles in 1922, courtesy of her in-laws the Earl and Countess Inchcape. This glittering treasure was displayed to the public at St James’ Palace alongside the Harewood Scroll Tiara and Queen Victoria’s Sapphire Tiara.
Princess Mary quickly made the Diamond Fringe Tiara her signature piece, famously wearing it in a series of early 1920s portraits, elegantly paired with diamond rivieres and a brooch. The tiara’s allure even transcended time, being recreated for the character of Princess Mary in the Downton Abbey film set in the late 1920s.
After Princess Mary passed away in 1965, the tiara went under the hammer at Christie’s in 1966, eventually finding a new home with the Dukes of Westminster. Although the current Dowager Duchess, Natalia Grosvenor, has never been seen wearing it perhaps it will dazzle us once more at the upcoming grand Westminster wedding.
The Myrtle Wreath Tiara:
The Myrtle Wreath Tiara is a standout gem from the Westminster collection, crafted in 1906 by the illustrious Russian jeweler Fabergé. This piece, one of the most frequently worn tiaras by the Grosvenor family. Commissioned for the wedding of Lord Hugh Grosvenor and Lady Mabel Crichton in 1906, it has remained a beloved centrepiece of their collection ever since. Designed to emulate the timeless elegance of a wreath or laurel of leaves - this tiara pays homage to ancient traditions where myrtle wreaths honoured Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. Thus, its return for the upcoming wedding of Hugh and Olivia would be particularly apt.
The tiara was crafted in Fabergé's workshops by Finnish jeweller Albert Holmström, who worked with the company from 1903 to 1917. Adorned with brilliant diamonds, it features two sprays of myrtle leaves and berries, with stalks of engraved red gold and leaves in a rubbed-over silver setting. In 2004 Hugh's sister Lady Tamara Grosvenor, chose this stunning tiara for her wedding to Edward Bernard Charles van Cutsem. She paired the Fabergé Myrtle Wreath Tiara with floral diamond earrings, making for a truly enchanting bridal jewellery set.
Lady Leonora's Bridal Tiara
During her 1975 wedding to the Earl of Lichfield, Lady Leonora (aunt to Hugh Grosvenor and daughter of Robert Grosvenor, the 5th Duke of Westminster) dazzled in a Diamond Tiara adorned with foliate clusters. The ceremony took place at Chester Cathedral, conveniently close to the Westminster family’s grand Eaton Hall estate.
Upon her marriage she became the Countess of Lichfield and despite her later divorce, the Countess kept the tiara. She cleverly repurposed it as a necklace for Queen Elizabeth's 80th Birthday Party at the Ritz in London in 2006.
Will Olivia Henson uphold a glittering family tradition and wear any of these tiaras? We can't wait to find out.