King Charles III Is Not the Only Royal Who Will Inherit Queen Elizabeth’s Iconic Jewelry Collection
King Charles III is officially the new UK sovereign, and he will reportedly inherit his mother’s estate. Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Thursday, September 8 after 70 years on the throne. And during her reign, she amassed a personal fortune estimated to be worth $500 million. A major part of that fortune was the queen’s personal jewels and tiaras. But Charles probably won’t be the only royal to inherit pieces from that collection.
King Charles will inherit his mother’s fortune
According to Fortune Magazine, Queen Elizabeth’s estimated $500 million portfolio (no one knows the exact amount) consists of real estate, personal investments, art, and jewelry. But, the queen’s personal wealth is just a fraction of the estimated $28 billion net worth of the entire British monarchy.
Some of the iconic pieces that the queen wore were part of the Crown Jewels, estimated to be worth $3.4 billion. The Crown Jewels are owned by the monarchy, kept in the Tower of London, and passed down through the family. But some pieces were part of her personal collection, which made them part of Her Majesty’s private fortune.
“We don’t know every detail about the ownership of all of the royal jewels, and it’s likely that we won’t be privy to much detailed information about their inheritance now,” Lauren Kiehna of The Court Jeweller told Page Six. “Royal wills are sealed, so we can’t look to those documents for guidance.”
Who will inherit Queen Elizabeth’s jewels and tiaras?
Kiehna said that it’s very likely the late queen has followed in the footsteps of her grandmother and mother, bequeathing all of her personal jewelry directly to the new monarch, King Charles. However, there are likely some pieces that she gave to other royals as “long-term loans,” while officially remaining part of the queen’s private collection.
The queen’s private collection is made up of personal purchases, family heirlooms that she inherited, and gifts that she received. And many of her famous tiaras are included.
The Delhi Durbar Tiara, which was made for Queen Mary in 1911, is one of the largest tiaras in Queen Elizabeth’s collection. The later ruler never wore the jewel, but she did loan it to her daughter-in-law, Camilla, queen consort. According to Tatler, it’s likely that the queen gave the crown to Camilla in her will, since she already had the $9.88 million piece on long-term loan.
King Charles’ daughter-in-law could inherit Queen Elizabeth’s Lover’s Knot Tiara
Queen Elizabeth also gifted Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara to the late Princess Diana for her wedding. Even though it was a favorite of the princess, she returned the tiara to the queen after her divorce.
Now, that $1 million tiara is a favorite of the current Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton. And the speculation is that the queen left it to Princess Kate in her will. It’s also possible that Kate will inherit the Cartier Halo Tiara, estimated to be worth $1.7 million. She wore that piece as her “something borrowed” when she married Prince William in 2011.
Queen Elizabeth’s personal jewelry collection is currently being showcased at the Buckingham Palace exhibition, Platinum Jubilee: The Queen’s Accession. Her prized possessions will be on public display until October 2, before they are passed down.
