The world eagerly awaited to see what the future Duchess of Sussex would wear upon her head as she wed Prince Harry – and the wait is over.
“The veil is held in place by Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau tiara, lent to Ms. Markle by The Queen. The diamond bandeau is English and was made in 1932, with the entre brooch dating from 1893,” revealed a statement from Kensington Palace.
“The bandeau, which is made of diamonds and platinum, is formed as a flexible band of eleven sections, pierced with interlaced ovals and pavé set with large and small brilliant diamonds. The centre is set with a detachable brooch of ten brilliant diamonds.
“The diamond bandeau was made for Queen Mary and specifically designed to accommodate the centre brooch. This brooch was given as a present to the then Princess Mary in 1893 by the County of Lincoln on her marriage to Prince George, Duke of York. The bandeau and the brooch were bequeathed by Queen Mary to The Queen in 1953.”
As per royal tradition, the wedding day will be the first time Meghan will be permitted to wear a tiara.
Many royal experts had tipped that Meghan would opt to wear the Cambridge Lover’s knot tiara, favoured by Princess Diana and Kate Middleton.
‘This was a favorite of Princess Diana’s and was one of the most iconic pieces she wore, thus it would mean a great deal to the couple,’ says diamond expert Grant Mobley.
But, as expected, Meghan steered clear of tiaras regularly worn by the Duchess of Cambridge.
Many other’s believed Meghan would pay a poignant tribute to Prince Harry’s late mother Diana, Princess of Wales by wearing the famous Spencer Tiara.
The princess, formerly Lady Diana Spencer, wore the family heirloom for her wedding to the Prince of Wales in 1981, and many times afterwards.
The piece has an elaborate design of stylised flowers decorated with diamonds in silver settings.
It was looked after by William’s uncle, Earl Spencer, until William and Harry both turned 30, when it was inherited by the princes.
As expected, Meghan steered clear of tiaras that Kate has worn previously.
The duchess’s wedding tiara was the little known Cartier Halo Tiara – also called the Queen Mother’s Scroll Tiara – loaned by the Queen for her 2011 nuptials.
It was made by Cartier in 1936 and bought by the Queen’s father, then the Duke of York, for the Queen Mother, then the Duchess of York.
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