Kate Middleton and Princess Diana’s Favorite Tiara Is Actually Painful to Wear
Kate Middleton and Princess Diana’s favorite tiara, the Lover’s Knot, is one of the most famous ones in the world. Princess Diana was very fond of the piece, which Kate has also worn on several occasions. While the two loved wearing the tiara during royal engagements, few royal watchers know that it is actually very painful to wear. Here’s a quick look at the Lover’s Knot tiara and why the royals love it so much.
A history of The Lover’s Knot tiara
Queen Mary was the one who commissioned the making of the Lover’s Knot in 1913. She was inspired by the Cambridge Lover’s Knot, which often gets confused with the famed tiara.
According to Express, Queen Mary gave the Lover’s Knot to Queen Elizabeth upon her death in 1953. Her Majesty has worn the tiara a handful of times in the 1950s, but she has not worn it in modern times.
Although Queen Elizabeth was not fond of the piece, Diana fell in love with it after she tied the knot with Prince Charles. After Diana and Charles got divorced, the tiara went to Buckingham Palace for safekeeping.
The Lover’s Knot tiara remained out of the public eye until 2015, when Kate Middleton donned it during a reception at Buckingham Palace. Like her late mother-in-law, Kate absolutely loves the Lover’s Knot tiara and has worn it several times over the past five years.
Why is the tiara so painful to wear?
The Lover’s Knot features 38 pearls that are and set in gold and silver. In its original form, the tiara consisted of 19 pearls that stood upright, but those have since been replaced by 19 pendant pearls.
Because of the number of pearls contained in the headpiece, it is very heavy to wear. It also gets its name via the diamond knots that are placed on top of the pearls.
Deborah Papas, a gemologist and expert on royal jewels, explained how the weight of the tiara often gives people headaches, which is probably why Queen Elizabeth stopped wearing it in her old age.
“This is certainly true of this magnificent tiara. I am not surprised the tiara was prone to give headaches!” Papas shared. “It is large and made from platinum, which is a dense metal and would be at least 95 percent pure, giving a heavy mount to start with.”
Papas added that the pearls featured in the Lover’s Knot tiara are very rare. The item is believed to be worth anywhere between $2 and $4 million dollars, making it quite the piece for the Duchess of Cambridge.
What is Queen Elizabeth’s favorite tiara?
While Kate Middleton has claimed the Lover’s Knot tiara as her own favorite, Queen Elizabeth’s favorite headpiece is the Vladimir Tiara. Her Majesty recently wore the tiara during a reception at Buckingham Palace for the Diplomatic Corps.
It is unknown who made the Vladimir Tiara, but we do know that it was smuggled out of Russia at the beginning of the 20th century.
Queen Elizabeth has worn the tiara on many occasions, and Meghan Markle reportedly requested it for her 2018 wedding with Prince Harry.
But given Her Majesty’s fondness for the item, she allegedly turned down Meghan’s request. The royals have not confirmed this rumor, however, so there is no telling if it really happened.
Meghan ended up wearing an entirely different tiara and has not donned another one since. With her and Harry stepping down as members of the royal family, we may never see her in one again.
Kate Middleton steps out in the Lover’s Knot tiara
Although the Lover’s Knot tiara is notoriously difficult to wear, it is Kate’s go-to headpiece for important events.
During a reception for diplomats in December, for example, Kate chose to wear the Lover’s Knot tiara as she greeted the country’s top diplomats.
Kate Middleton paired the tiara with a velvet gown and a pearl necklace. She also rocked a blue sash which represents her standing as a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.
While Kate is particularly fond of the tiara, it still remains in Queen Elizabeth’s collection. Once Prince William sits on the throne, Kate will take on the title as Queen Consort and will enjoy greater access to the royal family’s jewelry collection, including the Lover’s Knot tiara.
Kate Middleton has not commented on the reports surrounding her favorite tiara.
