Why Meghan Markle May Get Her Very Own Tiara
With the royal seamstresses likely sewing away right this very minute, Meghan Markle is probably finalizing the details of her wedding day ensemble for her May 19th nuptials to Prince Harry. The top-secret dress may not be the bride's only "something new" however. There's a considerable chance that the American actress will also debut a brand-new tiara for her walk down the aisle, according to royal jewelry expert Ella Kay of the blog The Court Jeweler.
"The younger son's wife getting a new tiara would be the precedent," she explained to GoodHousekeeping.com. "Prince Charles might buy her a tiara."
Kay points to royal brides Sarah, Duchess of York, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex as past recipients of some serious wedding bling.
Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson debuted her diadem at Westminster Abbey on July 23, 1986, when she wed Prince Andrew. In true '80s fashion, she also paired it with an enormous flower crown (not seen below) and an even more enormous veil.
Despite initial reports that it came from a family friend, Queen Elizabeth II apparently purchased the piece from Garrard as a gift to her new daughter-in-law, in addition to a matching necklace and pair of earrings.
The Duchess of York wore it several times throughout the years and kept the piece even after her divorce in 1996. She last wore it to Elton John's white-tie ball in 2001, and there's a chance it will reappear on Princess Eugenie for her October 2, 2018, wedding.
Sophie Rhys-Jones also received a "new" tiara for her wedding to Prince Andrew in 1999, but her topper had some more history behind it. Existing elements from the Queen's jewelry collection went into the piece, although it's unconfirmed which ones. (One theory is that they came from Queen Victoria’s Regal Circlet.)
The Countess of Wessex has trotted it out again since, but she's also worn at least two other tiaras in more recent years. Perks of being royal!
Hold on a sec, you might think. Why didn't Kate Middleton get her own tiara?! Like everything with the royal family, there's a reason for it. The Duchess of Cambridge wore the historic Cartier Halo tiara for her wedding not because the Queen disapproved of the match, but because Prince William's wife will likely become a queen herself one day. (Prince Harry is currently sixth in line to the throne, meaning Meghan almost certainly won't).
Since the Duchess will eventually inherit some of the monarch's sparkliest pieces, she "borrows" them in the meantime. Meghan could technically do the same, with the Strathmore Rose tiara remaining a possibility, but it's unlikely she'll wear one currently used by another royal.
"Usually what happens is you get allotted your tiaras," Kay explained. "Like Camilla [Duchess of Cornwall] has three, but they're all technically loaners that not anyone else wears."
Since the duchesses won't likely share their jewelry (bummer!), Prince Charles may gift his new daughter-in-law a diadem of her own. The move wouldn't come as a snub to Kate since she has the Queen's vault of diamonds to borrow from.
Of course, there's still a chance Meghan doesn't wear a tiara at all, although it's a small one. But even Anne, Princess Royal's daughter Zara Tindall and daughter-in-law Autumn Kelly wore them at their weddings, and they don't have titles. Plus, how cool would it be if Meghan had a hand in designing her own tiara?! We bet she'd come up with something simply stunning.
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