Since joining the royal family in 2011, Princess Kate has enchanted the masses with her grace, poise and perfect execution of a curtsy. Yet, it’s the opulent occasions wherein the Berkshire born beauty most enthralls. The princess never fails to create fairy tale fantasy when she’s clad in royal regalia, namely, a handful of diamond tiaras courtesy of the royal coffers.
With 13 years and counting (nearly 5000 days) since Miss Middleton became Mrs. Wales, the princess has deftly donned diadems made of dazzling diamonds, polished pearls and gleaming crystals. Kate’s crown collection is a Who’s Who of historical heirlooms and heritage headpieces.
Wearing tiaras straight from the royal vault means Kate has been clad in pieces that have graced the craniums of queens and princesses, royal rebels (Princess Diana) and royal disciples (Princess Anne) as well as noble dynamos like the Queen Mother and Queen Mary.
The princess has stepped out in a glamorous diamond headpiece on 17 total occasions (counting her coronation crown) and remains loyal to her favorite princess piece: the Lover’s Knot Tiara; this twinkling topper has been seen on the princess on 11 occasions since becoming a full-fledged royal.
Here are 5 of Kate Middleton’s Dazzling Tiaras Ranked by Cost:
5. ALEXANDER MCQUEEN HEADPIECE (Custom)
Estimated Cost: $34,200
For King Charles’ coronation at Westminster Abbey in May 2023, Kate wore a foliage inspired laurel crown designed by milliner Jess Collett in collaboration with fashion house Alexander McQueen.
The sartorial partnership resulted in a stunning three-dimensional silver and crystal leaf headpiece comprised of metallic bullion, glittering crystal, and silver thread leaf embroidery; the nature-minded coronet echoed the head ornaments worn by the maids of honour at Queen Elizabeth’s 1953 coronation ceremony.
4. STRATHMORE ROSE TIARA
Estimated Cost: $620,000
A striking floral crown, this twinkling tiara features garlands of wild roses made from diamonds all set in silver and gold. With two different frames, the sparkler can be worn across the forehead as a bandeau (like in the Edwardian era) or as a traditional tiara.
The pavé-set diamond roses are detachable and can be used to create five individual brooches. The fourth tiara ever worn publicly by the Wales matriarch, Kate was the first royal to be seen in the 100-year-old accessory since the Queen Mother donned the wreath tiara in the 1920s. Princess Kate has appeared in the Strathmore on one occasion at the State Banquet for the President of South Korea in November 2023.
3. LOVER’S KNOT TIARA
Estimated Cost: 1.1 Million Dollars
Princess Kate’s perennial favorite, this tiara has graced the scalps of some of history’s most influential royal women including Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana. The spellbinding sparkler includes 19 intertwined lovers knot diamond arches capped with bows and decorated with lustrous drop-shaped swinging pearls.
Originally designed in 1913 by Garrard Jewelers for Queen Mary, this headpiece was a favorite of Princess Diana but she often found it to be heavy and cumbersome to wear. Kate frequently uses this tiara as the finishing touch on her regal ensembles for state banquets and diplomatic receptions; the former Duchess of Cambridge has appeared in the tiara on 11 occasions in her royal career thus far.
2. CARTIER HALO TIARA
Estimated Cost: 1.5 Million Dollars
When commoner Catherine Middleton walked down the aisle of Westminster Abbey in April 2011 into the arms of her Prince Charming, William of Wales, the royal glow up was complete. Kate went from plebeian to princess in an instant.
For the life altering occasion, she wore a platinum tiara featuring 16 graduated sparkling diamond scrolls set with 739 brilliant and 149 baton diamonds. As the shiny scrolls catch the light and form the outline of a halo, the headpiece received an angelic moniker. Princess Kate has only appeared in the tiara on the single occasion of her wedding day.
1. LOTUS FLOWER TIARA (PAPYRUS TIARA)
Estimated Cost: 4.4 Million Dollars
One of Princess Margaret’s most beloved tiaras, this delicate headpiece is adorned with diamonds and pearls and derives its name from the leaves of the papyrus leaf.
The decorative jewels comprising the tiara originally belonged to a necklace gifted by King George VI to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother on their wedding day. Kate has worn the tiara on a total of three occasions including for two diplomatic palace receptions and the Chinese state banquet in October 2015.
