Princess Catherine, also known as the Princess of Wales, made a stunning appearance at a lavish state banquet held last night to welcome the President and First Lady of South Korea to the UK.
The highlight of the evening was the princess’s choice of a 100-year-old tiara, which added a touch of vintage elegance to her ensemble.
The tiara in question was the Strathmore Rose tiara, a dazzling piece previously worn by the Queen Mother almost a century ago.
However, Princess Catherine decided to wear it in a slightly different way, positioning the floral diamond design two inches back from her hairline.
This was a departure from her husband’s great-grandmother, who had worn the tiara across her forehead in 1923.
To understand the reason behind this change, we turned to Carol Wollton, an author and podcaster specializing in jewelry.
She explained that Princess Catherine’s decision was primarily driven by comfort.
The tiara, known as the “Family Fender,” was notorious for its heaviness and headache-inducing materials.
Accompanied by her husband Prince William, as well as King Charles and Queen Camilla, Princess Catherine warmly welcomed Yoon Suk-yol and his wife Kim Ki-yeon to Buckingham Palace.
The princess made a lasting impression with her choice of attire, which included a Jenny Packham gown, diamond drop earrings belonging to Queen Elizabeth, her family order, and a GCVO sash and star.
However, it was undoubtedly the floral tiara, a gift to the Queen Mother from her parents in 1923, that stole the show.
Josie Goodbody, an author and jewelry editor, shed some light on the historical significance of the tiara’s placement.
In the 1920s, wearing a bandeau-style head ornament, like the Strathmore Rose tiara, was considered the height of fashion.
The Duchess of York, as the Queen Mother was then known, can be seen in photographs wearing the tiara low on her forehead, accentuating her bobbed haircut, also known as a la Garconne and popularized by Gabrielle Chanel in Paris.
The floral diamond design of the tiara was acquired from London dealer Catchpole and Williams and is believed to have been made in the late 19th century.
Interestingly, the diamond flowers can be removed and worn as brooches.
The versatility of the Strathmore Rose tiara allows it to be worn on top of the head or across the forehead, as the Duchess of York had chosen to do.
For Princess Catherine, this choice holds great significance.
Since joining the royal family twelve years ago, she has only been seen wearing three tiaras.
These include the Cambridge Lover’s knot tiara, which she has worn on several occasions, the Cartier Halo tiara on her wedding day, and the Lotus Flower tiara for diplomatic receptions and the China State Banquet in 2015.
It is worth noting that Princess Catherine, like the Queen Mother, also prefers to wear the Lotus Flower tiara in a different manner than its original owner.