Gloucester Honeysuckle Tiara of Duchess of Gloucester
Gloucester Honeysuckle Tiara aka Duchess of Gloucester Crown
Historical Information :
The tiara was created in 1914 with a changeable center design for Queen Mary. In 1935, Queen Mary gifted the tiara to her daughter-in-law, Lady Alice, the Duchess of Gloucester. Lady Alice's daughter-in-law is the current owner of the tiara.
About The Product :
✧Metal Type : Copper Alloy
✧Plating Type : Platinum Plating
✧Stones : 5A Cubic Zirconia
✧Diameter : 14.5 cm - 5.7"
✧Height : 4.2 cm - 1.65"
✧Weight : 95 grams - 3.3 oz
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Please Note:
⦁ This product is an inspired reproduction of a historical tiara.
⦁ Due to the manufacturing process, there may be slight differences in the provided measurements.
More Info
One of the most unique designs in British jewellery history, the diamond tiara showcases Queen Mary's personal taste and attention to detail. Mary, who helped create many iconic crowns, had this piece made during the early years of her reign.
For years, people thought the tiara came from the Russian Imperial family, especially linked to Empress Maria Feodorovna's estate. However, aside from its similarity to Romanov kokoshniks, there was no connection. The piece was actually commissioned by Mary herself.
The production of the tiara went to E. Wolff and Co., which handled the royal family's most important commissions at the time. Garrard was the official jeweller for the process. This team had also worked on significant pieces like the Cambridge Lover's Knot, the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Connaught Tiara, which is now in the Swedish collection.
The original version of the honeysuckle tiara, completed around 1914, was grander and had a taller central section than the one we see today. Mary shortened this section over the years. The tiara also included some diamonds taken from the Duchess of Surrey's Tiara. This practice of reusing stones was common in royal tiaras.
One of the tiara's most intriguing features was its ability to be worn with different stones due to the setting in its center. Queen Mary had three options made for this area: the Cullinan V diamond, a sapphire decoration, and a piece long thought to be pink topaz but later identified as kunzite. The fact that kunzite was discovered only a decade before the tiara's creation shows how contemporary this choice was.
However, Mary did not keep this versatile tiara for long. In 1935, she gave it to her son Prince Henry's bride, Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott, for their wedding. Before passing it on, she arranged a new diamond decoration based on a honeysuckle motif to fit into the central space.
Of the three gemstone options, only the honeysuckle piece went to Alice with the tiara; the Cullinan V and the sapphire decorations stayed with Mary. The kunzite joined Alice's collection in 1953, after Queen Mary's death. The origin of the third option, the emerald piece currently in the tiara, remains unclear.
Years later, Alice passed the tiara to her daughter-in-law Birgitte. The current Duchess of Gloucester pairs this tiara beautifully with gala dresses of various colours, depending on which stone she chooses to wear. The interchangeable centrepiece allows the jewel to fit any occasion; if the pink kunzite doesn’t match a red outfit, it can be easily swapped for the emerald or diamond version.
Although Duchess Birgitte has six different tiaras, her most frequently worn piece is still the honeysuckle tiara. Its shape, sparkle, and versatility make it both her favourite and an essential part of the royal jewellery collection.