Fans were recently treated to old photos of Meghan Markle wearing a tiara at her prom, but it'll be a few months yet before we see Prince Harry's fiancée donning another extravagant headpiece. The reason is simple; unmarried women do not traditionally wear royal tiaras. HELLO!'s Acting Royal Correspondent Tracy Schaverien explained: "We won't be seeing Meghan in a tiara until her wedding day as royal etiquette dictates that only married ladies can be loaned the Queen's jewels.
"Back in the day, a tiara was a status symbol for aristocratic ladies and a sign that they were married and unavailable to suitors. The first time Kate was seen in a tiara was at her wedding in 2011 – although she has worn several since – and it will be the same for Meghan. There are various possibilities about which one she might wear and I wouldn't be surprised if there is a connection to Princess Diana." Tracy continued: "Once she's married and officially a member of the royal family we're likely to see Meghan wearing tiaras at events such as state banquets, as the other royal ladies do."
Royal etiquette dictates that only married ladies can be loaned the Queen's jewels
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.
It's highly unlikely that Meghan will wear the same tiara; in fact, she may opt for something completely new. Ella Kay, writer and editor of The Court Jeweller, told HELLO! magazine: "I have a feeling that if she wears a tiara, it may be a new piece created for her rather than a royal loan. That would follow the examples set by other brides of younger royal sons, such as Sophie Rhys-Jones and Sarah Ferguson.
Kate wore the Cartier 'Halo' Tiara at her wedding
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"I imagine we will see Meghan borrowing numerous pieces from the royal vault during her marriage, but I think she may opt for a new royal tiara made just for her this time around. If we do see Meghan wear an existing royal tiara for her wedding, I'd like to see her pull something unusual out of the vaults, like the Queen Mother's Art Deco Bandeau from Cartier, which consists of a trio of gem-set bracelets on a frame. That piece would fit nicely with her modern, unfussy style."