Choosing a wedding outfit is a thrilling and sentimental process for any bride, especially those who are part of or marrying into the British royal family.
From choosing a show-stopping gown, to picking out the perfect veil, there are so may details a royal bride must attend to before she walks down the aisle.
And one of the most crucial details is, of course, her tiara.
Royal ladies are only allowed to wear tiaras once they’re married, meaning each royal bride’s wedding day is the first time she is able to don one of these incredible headpieces.
Most are invited to borrow a tiara from Queen Elizabeth II’s vast jewellery collection to wear on their wedding day, especially those brides marrying into the monarchy.
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex both wore headpieces on loan from the Queen for their nuptials.
Other royal brides have chosen to wear their own family heirlooms or sparkling new tiaras on their wedding day, including none other than Diana, Princess of Wales.
Each bride’s tiara is unique and chosen with her wedding dress, veil and personality in mind, making them standout pieces at each royal wedding.
We’ve collected details about each of the most exquisite bridal tiaras royals have donned in recent history, so scroll through to see them in all their glittering glory.
Princess Beatrice – Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara
When Princess Beatrice wed in secret on July 17, 2020, she chose to pay tribute to her grandmother the Queen in her choice of tiara. The princess donned the Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara for the occasion, which she had borrowed from the Queen, who also wore the headpiece for her own wedding to Prince Philip in 1947.
Princess Eugenie – Greville Emerald Kokoshnik tiara
Princess Eugenie donned the elegant Greville Emerald Kokoshnik tiara for her wedding day on October 12, 2018. The piece is a family heirloom that dates back to 1919, when it was created by French jeweler Boucheron.
Originally belonging to Dame Margaret Greville, the high society hostess passed the tiara onto the Queen Mother when she died, who in turn left it to Queen Elizabeth II. Like most royal ladies, Eugenie then borrowed the headpiece from Her Majesty’s collection for her wedding.
Duchess Meghan – Queen Mary Bandeau tiara
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was also loaned a tiara from the Queen for her wedding day and chose an elegant design that originally belonged to a Queen.
The tiara she donned for her May 19, 2018 wedding to Prince Harry is known as the Queen Mary Bandeau tiara – named for the royal who originally owned it. It was created in the early 1900s using a diamond brooch that was gifted to Queen Mary for her 1893 wedding to King George (then a prince).
Duchess Catherine – Cartier Halo tiara
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, stunned the crowds when she appeared for her wedding ceremony on April 29, 2011 in the Cartier Halo tiara. Featuring almost 1,000 diamonds, this incredible headpiece was originally purchased by King George VI in 1930s.
It was intended as a lavish anniversary gift for his wife, the Queen Mother, and was passed down to Queen Elizabeth II in the 1940s.
Zara Tindall – Meander tiara
Zara Phillips chose a unique tiara when she wed Mike Tindall on July 30, 2011 and became Zara Tindall. Known as the Meander Tiara, this Greek design was originally owned by Princess Andrew (born Princess Alice of Battenberg) who wed into the Greek and Danish royal family in the early 1900s.
The tiara was then passed down to the princess’ daughter-in-law Queen Elizabeth when she wed Prince Philip in 1947. Zara borrowed the headpiece for her own wedding, and her mother Princess Anne has also been pictured wearing it at formal events gone by.
Countess Sophie – Anthemion Tiara
Sophie, Countess of Wessex wed Prince Edward on June 19, 1999 while wearing the elegant Anthemion Tiara, which was loaned to her by the Queen. Named in homage of Anthemion design, an ancient Greek technique featuring fanned petals, Sophie seems to be deeply enamoured with the tiara, having worn it several times in the decades since her nuptials.
Duchess Sarah – York tiara
On July 23, 1986, Sarah Ferguson wed Prince Andrew in not one but two headpieces. When she arrived to the ceremony the Duchess of York was wearing a blooming flower crown made from gardenias, supposedly Andrew’s favourite flower.
It was only after the couple signed their marriage certificate that Sarah removed the flowers to reveal the York Tiara, which had been gifted to her by the Queen and Prince Philip. Made from platinum and diamonds, the tiara features delicate floral scrollwork.
Princess Diana – Spencer tiara
Princess Diana bucked tradition on her wedding day – July 29, 1981 – when she opted not to wear a tiara borrowed from Her Majesty, the Queen. Instead, Diana chose to wear the Spencer Tiara, a family heirloom that has remained in the Spencer family even after the Princess of Wales’ tragic death.
Princess Anne – Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara
Princess Anne was the second royal on this list (chronologically speaking) to don the Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara for her wedding to Mark Phillips on August 15, 1950. The piece was originally a necklace which was gifted from Queen Victoria to Queen Mary upon the latter’s wedding.
In 1919, Queen Mary approached royal jewellers the House of Garrard and asked to have it turned into a tiara, which was fashioned from 47 tapered bars and inspired by traditional Russian kokoshnik.
Princess Margaret – Poltimore Tiara
Princess Margaret was never shy about bucking royal tradition and chose to do so on her wedding day too. She chose to purchase her own headpiece – the Poltimore Tiara – when she wed Antony Armstrong Jones on May 6, 1960 instead of borrowing one from her sister or mother.
Created in 1870 and originally owned by Lady Poltimore, the tiara was deigned by the House of Garrard in a classic Victorian-era jewelry style. Margaret bought it for £5,500 pounds in 1959, which is approximately £131,270 or AUD $247,544.
Queen Elizabeth II – Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara
Queen Elizabeth II set a royal standard when she wore Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara for her own wedding to Prince Philip on November 20, 1947. Having been passed down through the royal family for years, the tiara was already an heirloom when Her Majesty inherited it and the headpiece actually broke on her wedding day.
The tiara reportedly snapped before she was due to walk down the aisle, but a court jeweller was able to repair it before the ceremony began.
