The Gist
Kate Middleton has been a working royal for 14 years, and has only worn five different tiaras during that timeframe.
On December 3, she wore a new tiara for the first time—Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara, originally made in 1853.
In wearing the piece, Kate became the only person that was not a queen or a queen consort to wear this particular sparkler.
Not only did Kate Middleton debut a new-to-her tiara at the German state banquet on December 3, but she made a little history while she did so.
The Princess of Wales was the first princess—rather than a queen or a queen consort—to wear Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara, which she did at Wednesday’s event. This tiara is only the fifth tiara Kate has worn in her more than 14 years of royal life; more than any other, she tends to favor the Queen Mary Lover’s Knot Tiara, which was also a favorite of Princess Diana’s during her royal tenure.
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Kate Middleton on December 3, 2025.
Kate has also worn the Cartier Halo Tiara and the Strathmore Rose Tiara just once apiece, as well as the Lotus Flower Tiara.
Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara had not been worn publicly since 2005—20 years ago. The last person to wear it was Queen Elizabeth, and it marks the largest tiara Kate has ever worn. According to The Court Jeweller, Queen Victoria wrote in her will that the Oriental Circlet Tiara would be worn by queens and future queens, though Kate is the only future queen to take the stipulation up on its offer.
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Kate Middleton and King Charles
Per People, the tiara was commissioned for Queen Victoria by her husband Prince Albert in 1853. Garrard designed the tiara and was originally designed with 2,600 diamonds as well as opals, one of his favorite gemstones. The topper went back to Garrard in 1902 for adjustments commissioned by Queen Alexandra, who had the opals replaced with rubies. Queen Mary was never seen in the tiara, but it was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. After her daughter Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth in 1952, she allowed her mother to continue to use it through her death in 2002. After her passing, the Queen wore it just once publicly, to visit Malta in 2005. It hasn’t been seen since.
“The Oriental Circlet is an extraordinary example of both artistry and technical skills,” Claire Scott, the design and development director at Garrard, said in a statement obtained by Town & Country. “Designed for opals and later adapted for rubies, its evolution reflects not only the changing tastes of its royal custodians but the craftsmanship and precision that define Garrard.”
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Kate Middleton with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at a state banquet on December 3.
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Kate Middleton and Prince William at the December 3 state banquet at Windsor Castle
The Princess of Wales’s decision to put the tiara in her rotation was a surprise, but Sara Prentice, chief creative officer of Garrard, said in a statement that “It’s wonderful to see the hugely positive response to this particular Garrard tiara.”
“A new generation who value permanence are reshaping and rediscovering each iconic Garrard creation,” she continued. “It inspires us to shape brilliance for today’s great love stories.”
Read the original article on InStyle