The stunning tiara was inherited by Victoria and Albert’s daughter-in-law, Queen Alexandra. However, she had different ideas about the stones that should take pride of place. Owing to superstitions, she chose to replace the ‘unlucky’ opals with a collection of Burmese rubies given to Queen Victoria as a gift from the ruler of Nepal in the 1870s. Garrard notes, ‘It is also noted in our Royal Ledger that while the opals were being replaced, some of the arches were also removed to make the tiara smaller. Despite this, she is believed to have only worn it once on a state visit to Germany.’
The Oriental Circlet was not seen in public again until it was passed to Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother in 1936. ‘Photographed wearing it on numerous occasions, it quickly became one of her favourite jewels,’ notes Garrard. ‘When the celebrated British photographer Sir Cecil Beaton captured portraits of the Queen in 1939 following her husband King George VI’s accession to the throne, in 1950 to mark her 50th birthday, and in 1953, just a few weeks before the coronation of her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, she chose to wear the Oriental Circlet each time.’
‘After the death of King George VI in 1952, the tiara should have passed down to Queen Elizabeth II. However, realising how much her mother loved the piece, she allowed her to keep it. When the Queen Mother passed away in 2002, Queen Elizabeth II inherited the Oriental Circlet. She wore it only once during her reign, on a trip to Malta in 2005.’
The Lover’s Knot is not the only nod to Princess Diana that the Princess of Wales made during the Nigerian state visit. Welcoming the President and First Lady to the Fairmont Hotel in Windsor this morning, she donned the Collingwood Pearl earrings, which were crafted for Princess Diana during her engagement to the then-Prince Charles.
To welcome the Presidential couple on Wednesday morning, the Princess of Wales wore a pair of earrings gifted to Princess Diana during her engagement to the then-Prince Charles
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