Tiara history, traditions, protocols, metals and meanings


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For anyone who can answer, would it be inappropriate to wear a tiara (real jewels but not necessarily of historical significance i.e. not a family heirloom) in the presence of royalty/nobility if one is not royal? Since it is, according to the definitions given, hair ornamentation, would it be looked down upon or would it truly not matter?
 
Tiaras

I have a questoin... what are the ocasions when a queen or a princess wears a Tiara? or can she wear it all the time or whenever she wants?
 
Hello sorsara. These days tiara events are not as common as they were in the past, and seem to be limited to very formal occasions such as State Dinners, or functions celebrating significant royal events, anniversaries and milestones. Different monarchies have different traditions for these formal events, for example in Denmark Royal Weddings are quite glittering. The State Opening of Parliament by Queen Elizabeth is a full-on tiara occasion, while in The Netherlands the opening of Parliament by Queen Beatrix is not. There are also the private parties where tiaras would be worn but that we don't get to see.

Once upon a time royal ladies would wear tiaras to attend the theatre, but those days are gone.
 
Also, once upon a time tiaras were not limited to or necessarily symbolic of royalty. Anyone who was welathy enough to afford one and attended social events like opera and theatre would have been able to wear one without looking too presumtuous. Also, they were--and in many ways are--still quite common for weddings. However, they seem to have always been less common in countries that were not monarchies. I think that the very idea of a tiara seems to lofty and ostentatious to many people these days, so it's perhaps the reason that the use of jewelled hair ornaments has become less common and only reserved for the most formal of events.
 
So there is no difference between a diadem and a tiara? Just the language?
 
Thanks for the clarification, Sister Morphine. All this time I was totally confused.:flowers:
 
The term 'diadem' is more European usage for 'tiara'.
From a more Anglo viewpoint, here are some descriptions.
 
Thanks, Warren. You have also cleared up what would've been my next question: What is a circlet? I think I got it.;)
 
Prince of Chota said:
Also, once upon a time tiaras were not limited to or necessarily symbolic of royalty. Anyone who was welathy enough to afford one and attended social events like opera and theatre would have been able to wear one without looking too presumtuous. Also, they were--and in many ways are--still quite common for weddings. However, they seem to have always been less common in countries that were not monarchies. I think that the very idea of a tiara seems to lofty and ostentatious to many people these days, so it's perhaps the reason that the use of jewelled hair ornaments has become less common and only reserved for the most formal of events.
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Thanks for answering. Maybe you should be doing some moderating. :flowers:
 
When to wear a Tiara...

I was wondering is there some kind of protocals that Royals follow on when to wear a Tiara and when not to. For example on some state visits (i've noticed this in Belgium especially) The Queen and Princess'ss don't wear their Tiara's (the greek state visit ) and then other times they do?.....
 
Well, it depends on personal choice I think but in Britain it tends to be state events where evening dress is the dress code. It used to be anywhere at anytime though. Theatres, even cinemas - such glamour's gone now sadly. I think each event is assessed and then a decision is made about whether tiaras are appropriate.
 
It differs from country to country too. In Britain, unmarried princesses aren't supposed to wear tiaras, but you see the Swedish princesses in tiaras all the time during formal events.
 
I thought it was anytime the dress code is "white tie" evening as opposed to "black tie" evening.
 
Elspeth said:
It differs from country to country too. In Britain, unmarried princesses aren't supposed to wear tiaras, but you see the Swedish princesses in tiaras all the time during formal events.
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Does this mean the Princesses Beatrice & Eugenie do not have tiara's? Are tiara's given given(heirlooms) by the senior rf member or are they made for each individual? What or who determines how elaborate the tiara should be for each person?
 
Elspeth said:
It differs from country to country too. In Britain, unmarried princesses aren't supposed to wear tiaras, but you see the Swedish princesses in tiaras all the time during formal events.
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But Princess Margaret, Princess Alexandra and Princess Anne all wore tiaras before they married.
 
dmarie1623 said:
Are tiara's given given(heirlooms) by the senior rf member or are they made for each individual? What or who determines how elaborate the tiara should be for each person?
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I would think its a mix. I'm sure your first tiara is an heirloom (I think), but you might be able to create your own tiara later on. Maybe a mix & match jewels from other tiaras? If I remember correctly, other royals have done that in the past.
 
Stefan said:
But Princess Margaret, Princess Alexandra and Princess Anne all wore tiaras before they married.
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Princess Margaret married late enough in life that I think she might have counted as an honorary married lady once she passed 25 or thereabouts. I don't recall seeing photos of Princess Alexandra in a tiara for formal events before her marriage (or at least her engagement) although she wore diamond star hair ornaments as a teenager. She certainly wasn't wearing a tiara for the Queen's coronation, and from the photos of Princess Margaret it looks as though she was wearing only a very small one. Not sure about Princess Anne before her engagement photos were taken. I don't think Diana wore a tiara at all during her engagement.
 
Where tiaras come from all depends on the family. In Spain, they did not give Letizia a tiara when she married Felipe, but she has access to two of the queen's smaller tiaras- the floral motif tiara and the Prussian Diamond tiara. Queen Rania didn't receive her own tiara until earlier this year (unless she actually owned that emerald one)- the tiara she has worn most was originally owned by Queen Alia, then by Queen Alia's daughter Princess Haya.

In Scandinavia, Crown Princesses Mette-Marit and Mary were both given "new" (new to them) tiaras on their wedding days. They also received other tiaras. MM was given/lent the amethyst tiara, and Mary was given/lent Queen Ingrid's Ruby Parure (bequethed to Frederik upon the Queen's death, it was to be used by his wife; however, upon their death it reverts to the crown)

In between is Crown Princess Maxima, who has never actually had her own tiara purchased for her but, due to the nature of the Dutch royal jewels, has had free reign adapting existing tiaras to her own desire. Her wedding tiara used the base of the Pearl Button Tiara, and the diamond stars from another tiara. She has also adapted the Emerald Parure tiara, the Diamond Festoon tiara, and the Antique Pearl tiara. Maxima has worn the most extensive amounts of tiaras, but then again, she belongs to the royal family with the more extensive collection. She has worn, from what I remember: the diamond stars tiara (her wedding tiara), the antique pearl button tiara, the emerald parure tiara, the Mellerio ruby parure tiara, the the diamond festoon tiara, the aquamarine tiara, the Sunburst tiara and the diamond bandeau tiara.
 
Elspeth said:
Princess Margaret married late enough in life that I think she might have counted as an honorary married lady once she passed 25 or thereabouts. I don't recall seeing photos of Princess Alexandra in a tiara for formal events before her marriage (or at least her engagement) although she wore diamond star hair ornaments as a teenager. She certainly wasn't wearing a tiara for the Queen's coronation, and from the photos of Princess Margaret it looks as though she was wearing only a very small one. Not sure about Princess Anne before her engagement photos were taken. I don't think Diana wore a tiara at all during her engagement.
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Princess Anne borrowed the Scroll Diamond Tiara from The Queen until she was given her grandmother's Greek Key Meander Tiara in 1972. Both were worn prior to her marriage to Mark Phillips. She wore the George III diamond tiara on her wedding day.

Princess Margaret also borrowed the Scroll Diamond Tiara until given the Art Deco Fan Tiara by The Queen Mother. Princess Alexandra wore several of Marina's tiaras before acquiring one of her own as a wedding gift.
 
What ever happened the Princess Diana's "Spencer Tiara". At her death did it go back to her brother, or will Prince Harry receive it when he marries ?????
 
The Spencer tiara belongs to the Spencer family, and it was worn by Victoria Lockwood at her marriage to Diana's brother, the present Earl Spencer. The tiara was a bone of contention between the Princess of Wales and her brother during one of their periods of difficulty, as he asked for its return (I believe it is rightfully his). The other tiara worn by Diana as Princess of Wales, the Cambridge Love Knot, belongs to the Crown, and she was not entitled to use it after her divorce.
 
Another query I would have relating to this thread is what happens when Royal families go on state visits - is it prearranged that the Royal ladies from both countries should be wearing a tiara on a certain occasion ( I mean other than a state banquet)- has there been an occasion when one Royal lady appeared "underdressed" to another?:lol:
 
You're right Elly C, it's all prearranged. According to Brian Hoey in his book about the Royal Household, notes are swapped between ladies in waiting so that the ladies know what to wear and when. They also get told which colours are being worn so that nobody clashes unless it's something like a funeral where everyone wears black. For example, for Trooping the Colour, each lady will get list that says, "Queen, Red. Duchess of Cornwall, beige. Countess of Wessex, peach". Etc etc.
 
Thank you for the information - I suspected as much, but there have got to have been some faux pas in the past - does anyone know of any?
 
I've never heard of anything on the Royal side but politicians seem to get it wrong quite alot. For example, Cherie Blair deciding against a hat for the Golden Jubilee celebrations.
 
So Mathilde and Clair Princesses of Belgium and CPsses Mette-Marit and Mary are the only who recived their own tiaras when they came in to the royal families...
 
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Yes, but Mary has only worn her wedding tiara and the parure - never any other. I'm not sure about the others, I do remember at least 2 for MM to - possibly 3.
 
Elspeth said:
Not sure about Princess Anne before her engagement photos were taken.
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Princess Anne wore a tiara during the Queen's State visit to Austria in 1969, I'm not sure if any others were worn before her engagement.
 
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