Queen Camilla made headlines on Tuesday, 18 November, when she wore Princess Eugenie‘s emerald tiara to a diplomatic reception hosted at Windsor Castle.
The tiara, which was worn by the younger sister of Princess Beatrice on her wedding day to Jack Brooksbank on 12 October 2018, is a gorgeous piece with an estimated worth of £10 million.
Known as the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik tiara, it is made of brilliant and rose-cut diamonds that are pavé set in platinum, with six emeralds on either side of a stunning 93.7-carat emerald centre stone.
© Alamy Live News.Queen Camilla during the Diplomatic Corps reception at Windsor Castle
However, there was a subtle difference in the way that Queen Camilla wore the tiara – as a writer on HELLO!’s Lifestyle desk, I write about royal jewellery every day, and it immediately stuck out to me that something was not quite the same.
On Tuesday, Queen Camilla wore the headpiece at the event, however, on her head, the frame and mount were showing, while they were hidden by Eugenie’s hair when she wore it on her wedding day. Typically, the base of a tiara is wrapped in velvet to match the wearer’s head colour and is hidden by a thick updo. Occasionally, royals do choose to show the frames of the tiara, as the Princess of Wales did at the Strathmore state banquet, but hairdressers typically weave the frame into the hairstyle to disguise it.
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The Greville Emerald Kokoshnik tiara
Though it had not been seen publicly before Princess Eugenie’s wedding day, the headpiece has a rich history in the British royal family.
It was first created by Boucheron jewellers for the socialite Dame Margaret Greville in 1919, who gave it to Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother 23 years later.
The late Queen Elizabeth II inherited it following her mother’s death in 2002 and added it to her private collection of wedding tiaras, lending it to her granddaughter for her special day.
© GettyPrincess Eugenie of York arriving to be wed to Mr. Jack Brooksbank at St. George’s Chapel
Maxwell Stone, the leading diamond expert at UK jeweller Steven Stone, estimated its worth at £10 million, calling it “the most expensive of all the tiaras we’ve studied.”
On its symbolism, he added: “Wearing emeralds is said to promote friendship, peace, harmony and domestic bliss by enabling the wearer to both give and receive unconditional love. In ancient Greece and Rome, emerald was said to be the gemstone of the goddess of love, Venus.”
King Charles and Queen Camilla’s reception
On Tuesday, the King and Queen hosted a diplomatic reception in the state rooms at Windsor Castle for the first time since 2001, mingling with over 900 diplomats. The event traditionally takes place at Buckingham Palace.
The Princess of Wales missed the event for the second year in a row, after delivering a speech at a summit aimed at driving further action and investment in the early years development of children earlier in the day.
Though she missed this event, royal style watchers should keep an eye out next month, when she is expected to join the senior royals for the German state banquet at Windsor Castle, where we can expect another glorious tiara moment.