Duchess Kate Wears Diana's Favorite Tiara
Duchess Kate wore her mother-in-law's favorite tiara to a diplomatic reception.
— -- The Duchess of Cambridge looked exquisite tonight in a nod to the late Princess Diana, wearing her mother-in-law's favorite tiara to the annual Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace.
Princess Kate and Prince William arrived in a Bentley to the white-tie event. Kate wore her hair in an up swept style with diamond chandelier drop earrings and an ice blue frock believed to be a dress designed by Alexander McQueen and one previously worn by the Duchess.
The Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara was a wedding present from Queen Elizabeth to Diana. One of the most famous tiaras, it was commissioned by Garrard from Queen Mary in 1913-1914. The tiara consists of 19 hanging pearls in between a diamond arch and lover’s knot bow. Princess Diana wore it often but it's very heavy and reportedly gave her headaches, so she frequently used her family's Spencer tiara instead.
Diana wore the tiara on many occasions. She first wore the tiara to the State Opening of Parliament and frequently was seen in the tiara with matching pearl drop earrings and a pearl choker. She dazzled in her first visit to Washington in 1985 wearing the Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara.
It's unclear whether the tiara was returned to the queen when Diana died or if it was passed on to Princes William and Harry.
The Duchess has only worn tiaras on three previous occasions. Kate looked regal wearing the Lotus Flower tiara on loan from the queen and a stunning diamond bracelet for the Chinese state banquet in October. She first wore the Lotus Flower Tiara (or Papyrus Tiara, as it’s sometimes called) at the 2013 Diplomatic Reception. She wore the Cartier Halo tiara for her wedding. The white-tie diplomatic reception she attended with the Duke of Cambridge is only the fourth time the Duchess has worn a tiara.
There had been speculation before the Chinese State dinner that Her Royal Highness might have worn the late Princess Diana’s Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara because it bears the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s name. Instead, Kate appeared to give a nod to Chinese culture, wearing a red dress which symbolizes luck, good fortune and joy, and selecting the Lotus Flower Tiara, which also has great historical significance in China.
Kate wore the Cartier Halo tiara to her 2011 wedding to Prince William. The headpiece, lent to Kate for the wedding by Queen Elizabeth, was passed down through the Windsor family and was a gift to then-Princess Elizabeth on her 18th birthday. It features 739 brilliant and 149 baton diamonds.