The Duchess of Edinburgh wowed royal fans when she wore the Lotus Flower Tiara for the first time to the Japan State Banquet at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening.
The diamond floral-themed headpiece was last seen on the Princess of Wales at the Diplomatic Reception in 2022, who was absent from the glittering event amid her ongoing cancer treatment.
Sophie's appearance in the tiara sparked questions from royal watchers on social media about who the tiara actually belongs to.
Lauren Kiehna of The Court Jeweller explains why the Princess of Wales does not actually own the jewels and they are not part of her personal collection.
She tells HELLO!: "All four of the tiaras worn by the Princess of Wales belong to the sovereign. They were offered to her as loans, first by Queen Elizabeth II, and more recently by King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Kate has also been loaned other pieces of jewellery, including necklaces, brooches, and earrings, for important occasions."
© GettyLauren adds: "The Lotus Flower Tiara that the Duchess of Edinburgh wore on Tuesday originally belonged to the Queen Mother. Now it belongs to King Charles III. Kate has worn it as a loan from both the late Queen and the current King and Queen, but it has never been her personal property.
"The British royal family rarely gives heirloom jewels like tiaras as gifts. They prefer to loan out pieces of jewellery to members of the family like Kate and Sophie, allowing the jewels to be worn but still ensuring that they stay within the family's collection."
THE HELLO! ROYAL CLUB: Take our monthly royal quiz
In a rare move, the late Princess Margaret bought her own tiara ahead of her wedding to Antony-Armstrong Jones.
© GettyShe purchased the spectacular diamond Poltimore Tiara for £5,500 at auction in 1959, but it was originally made by the House of Garrard in 1870 for Lady Poltimore, the wife of the second Baron Poltimore.
However, following Margaret's death in 2002, the tiara was sold to a private buyer at auction by Christie's.
The Princess of Wales's tiara moments
Kate had her first tiara moment on her wedding to Prince William in 2011, when she was loaned the Cartier Halo tiara. The diamond scroll headpiece was given by the late Queen's father, then the Duke of York, to the Duchess of York in 1936 before they became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
© GettyTwo years later, the then Duchess of Cambridge debuted the Lotus Flower tiara at the annual Diplomatic reception in 2013. It was originally a necklace and gifted to the Queen Mother on her wedding day.
© Getty ImagesBut Kate's most worn royal headpiece is the Lover's Knot tiara, which was synonymous with her late mother-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales.
The diamond and pearl tiara, originally made for Queen Mary in 1913, was gifted by the late Queen to her new daughter-in-law when she married then Prince Charles in 1981.
© GettyAnd in 2023, Kate delighted royal watchers as she debuted the Strathmore Rose Tiara at the South Korea state banquet.
The then Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later the Queen Mother) was given the floral headpiece as a wedding gift from her father, the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne in 1923.
© GettyWhile it was left to her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, following the Queen Mother's death in 2002, it hadn't been seen on a member of the royal family for decades.
LOVE THE ROYALS? JOIN THE CLUB!
If you are reading this, the chances are you are obsessed with all things royalty – which is just as well because so are we! So obsessed, in fact, we’ve launched a club solely dedicated to covering them. So welcome to The HELLO! Royal Club. We would love you to join us there…
What is it?
Interactive community offering behind-the-scenes access, exclusive royal interviews, unmissable royal insights, and an illustrious royal Inner Circle.
Member benefits
- Two weekly newsletters, one from Emily Nash
- Video posts and audio notes from Emily Nash and the HELLO! Royal team
- Access to our royal community and opportunity to interact with club writers and members
- Participate in polls, comments and discussion threads
- Royal-themed puzzles with a weekly prize to be won
- Access to our Ask Me Anything sessions with our journalists
- Invitations to in-person and virtual events
- A subscription to the digital edition of HELLO! Magazine (Worth £82 annually)*
- Future ‘Inner Circle’ benefits
By royal decree
You are royally invited to join The HELLO! Royal Club – and then to go forth and spread the word to your fellow royal fans. See you in the club!
