What a year it’s been for jewelry-loving visitors to London’s museums and galleries! The royal tiaras displayed at the V&A and the King’s Gallery take the sixth spot on my countdown of the best royal jewelry moments of the year—and also my personal favorite jewelry experience in recent memory!
In April, a pair of landmark exhibitions opened in London: Cartier at the Victoria & Albert Museum and The Edwardians: Age of Elegance at the King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace. Each of the exhibitions included a range of tiaras that belonged to royal women, including examples from Britain, Belgium, Greece, and Monaco, among the impressive displays of jewels.
The tiaras displayed at Cartier were breathtaking. It was so special to see the Aquamarine Pineflower Tiara, worn by both Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and the Princess Royal, in person. Anne loaned the tiara to the museum for the exhibition and wore it for the German state banquet days after Cartier closed. It was also temporarily removed in September so that Anne could wear it for the American state banquet.
I swear that my heart skipped a beat when I saw this magnificent diadem, the Cartier Indian Tiara, included in the exhibition at the V&A. Worn by Princess Marie Louise for a pair of coronations, the tiara is now with the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. This one also made another appearance shortly after the exhibition closed, when Birgitte wore it for the German state banquet.
The glittering conclusion of Cartier was room filled with tiaras made by the firm, including several examples of royal and noble jewels. One of the highlights was the diamond tiara acquired by Queen Elisabeth of Belgium from Cartier in 1912. The glamorous jewel stayed with Elisabeth until her death, after which it passed to her son and daughter-in-law, King Leopold III and Princess Lilian. They sold the tiara back to Cartier via a family connection: Lilian’s brother-in-law, Jean-Jacques Cartier, head of the firm’s London branch.
Another show-stopper was the grand olive wreath tiara made by Cartier for Princess Marie Bonaparte ahead of her wedding to Prince George of Greece and Denmark in 1907. The jewel was loaned by its present Qatari owners for the exhibition.
The Prince of Monaco also offered a sentimental loan to Cartier: the diamond and ruby tiara made by the firm for his mother, Princess Grace, as a wedding present in 1956. The rubies in the convertible tiara, which can also be worn in necklace and brooch settings, glow beautifully in person.
A day after I attended the press preview of Cartier, I was thrilled to be able to attend a similar event ahead of the opening of The Edwardians: Age of Elegance at the King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace. The Royal Collection Trust exhibition included an array of truly fabulous objects linked to King Edward VII, Queen Alexandra, King George V, and Queen Mary, and seeing a trio of royal tiaras as part of the show was one of the highlights of my career so far!
Three special tiaras were included in the exhibition. Here’s Queen Alexandra’s Diamond Kokoshnik Tiara, the famous “wall of diamonds” commissioned to celebrate her silver wedding anniversary in 1888. The wattage of this tiara in person is absolutely insane.
And then, the wonderful Girls of Great Britain & Ireland Tiara, made as a wedding present for Queen Mary in 1893. I’ve described the feeling of seeing this one in person a few times: it was like meeting an old friend for the first time. Just stunning.
The show-stopping finale of this exhibition included a glamorous display with the Delhi Durbar Tiara placed front and center. Made for Queen Mary to wear at the Delhi Durbar in 1911, the jewel has often drawn mixed reactions from modern viewers. Seeing it in person, though, helped me understand why King George V called this one Mary’s “best tiara.”
I’ve written extensively about my experiences visiting Cartier and The Edwardians this year, and I also recently shared an inside look at more jewels displayed at Kensington Palace and the V&A. I’m so excited that I’ll also be able to see next year’s RCT exhibition, dedicated to the fashion and jewelry of Queen Elizabeth II, next April. I know many of you booked tickets to the 2025 exhibitions and are also looking forward to 2026!
More fantastic jewelry to come in my countdown of the best royal jewels of 2025, including a special wedding tiara moment coming up this afternoon. See you then!
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