King Charles III and Queen Camilla have released details of their state visit to France this month. Happily for royal jewellery fans, the itinerary includes a state banquet hosted at the Palace of Versailles by President and Mrs Macron. Such white tie occasions provide royal women with a rare opportunity to dazzle in a tiara from the royal collection. In the case of Queen Camilla, there are several priceless heirlooms to choose from.
There will be rugby, wine and a state banquet at Versailles when King Charles III and Queen Camilla undertake their state visit to France this month
For the South African state banquet at Buckingham Palace last year, the Queen wore the Belgian Sapphire Tiara (a flawless match for her deep blue gown). In Germany earlier this year, she sparkled in the Greville Tiara previously owned by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Could she choose another one-of-a-kind creation for this upcoming banquet? Tatler takes a peek at Queen Camilla's tiara collection to uncover some of the choices…
Belgian Sapphire Tiara
Hosting the South African president at Buckingham Palace in December 2022, Queen Camilla wore the Belgian Sapphire Tiara, which the late Queen Elizabeth II bought for herself in 1963 to wear with her sapphire suite of jewels. The tiara was in fact originally a necklace that belonged to Princess Louise of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (born Princess Louise of Belgium, hence the name), Prince Albert’s mother and the grandmother of King Edward VII.
Painted in oils by artist Alastair Barford, the portrait is the first of King Charles since the start of his reign
Queen Elizabeth II favoured the piece for several decades but later retired it to the royal collection, favouring other glittering headpieces instead. However the Belgian Sapphire Tiara perfectly complements the Queen’s eyes and suits her love of vibrant gowns, meaning it could become a mainstay in her royal wardrobe.
The Delhi Durbar Tiara
One of the Queen’s first big tiara moments came when she wore the Delhi Durbar Tiara for the Norwegian state banquet at Buckingham Palace in November 2005 – just seven months after her wedding to the then Prince of Wales.
The tiara has a fascinating history: it was made for Queen Mary, wife of King George V, in 1911 and was loved by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. In the days of the British Raj (1858-1947) there was a celebration, or Durbar, held to mark the coronation of a new Emperor or Empress of India.
On 12 December, 1911, King George V and Queen Mary were the first and only royals to actually attend the celebration in person and because the Imperial State Crown Jewels are not allowed to be taken out of Great Britain, a new diadem was commissioned from Garrard for Queen Mary to wear at the event.
Tatler looks back to three tiaras belonging to Queen Mary, which became iconic symbols of her granddaughter Queen Elizabeth II
The resulting Delhi Durbar tiara is a complete circlet piece featuring diamond scrolls and festoons set in platinum and gold with 10 emerald drops, which makes it particularly tall. In later years the 10 emeralds were removed, and Queen Mary continued alterations of the tiara, each time commissioning Garrard to allow the tiara to have jewel swapping capabilities.
The Delhi Durbar tiara was given on permanent loan to Queen Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother who wore it on the family’s tour of South Africa in 1947. Upon her passing, the tiara was inherited by Queen Elizabeth II and today is one of the largest tiaras in the royal collection.
The Greville Tiara
Queen Camilla in the Greville Tiara tiara for the state banquet in Germany, March 2023
The then Duchess of Cornwall in the Greville Tiara at the State Opening of Parliament, 2013
The Queen Mother in the Greville Tiara at Queen Elizabeth II's 60th birthday party, 1986
Also known as the Boucheron Honeycomb Tiara, the Greville Tiara was made by the jeweller for Dame Margaret Greville, an early 20th century society swan and philanthropist who left her exquisite jewellery collection to the then Queen Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) on her death in 1942. Among her treasures was the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara, which was worn by Princess Eugenie for her wedding to Jack Brooksbank in October 2018.
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, eventually adapted the honeycomb tiara by adding a central diamond. On her death, the piece was inherited by her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II. It has become a favourite among Queen Camilla's tiaras and has been worn on a number of occasions, including to her first State Opening of Parliament in 2013.
The Cubitt-Shand Tiara
Pre-dating her royal life, the Cubitt-Shand Tiara (also known as the Cubitt Tiara) was worn by the then Camilla Shand at her first wedding to Andrew Parker Bowles in 1973. The diamond piece was passed down through her mother’s family after being originally added to the collection by Camilla’s grandmother, Sonia Keppel Cubitt.
Royals, military power-players and society swans were in attendance when Andrew Parker Bowles wed Camilla Shand in London
When Queen Camilla’s daughter, Laura Parker Bowles married her husband, Harry Lopes, in 2006, she selected the Cubitt-Shand tiara as the crowning glory for her exquisite bridal look. Queen Camilla has continued to wear the tiara since marrying into the Royal Family. One of the most notable outings was a formal reception at the Royal Academy of the Arts in June 2015.
