The Princess of Wales made headlines at the recent State Banquet for South Korea's President and First Lady, debuting the 100-year-old Strathmore Rose Tiara. However, keen observers noted that Kate wore the tiara two inches back from her hairline, a departure from how the Queen Mother originally wore it in 1923, when it was positioned across her forehead.
Jewellery expert Carol Woolton explained to FEMAIL that the shift is largely due to comfort. 'It's not for nothing that they were tagged the "family fender" because they were heavy, headache-inducing material,' she said. Woolton added that royal family members should wear heirlooms in any way that suits them, showing that 'beautiful antique jewels stand the test of time worn in new ways down the generations.'
The Strathmore Rose Tiara was a wedding gift to the Queen Mother from her parents in 1923. According to jewellery editor Josie Goodbody, wearing it as a bandeau low on the forehead was fashionable in the 1920s, complementing the bobbed haircut known as 'à la garçonne'. The tiara, purchased from London dealer Catchpole & Williams, features diamond flowers that can be removed and worn as brooches.
Kate has only been seen wearing three tiaras since joining the Royal Family 12 years ago: the Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara, the Cartier Halo Tiara (on her wedding day), and the Lotus Flower Tiara, which she also wears differently from the Queen Mother. The reintroduction of the Strathmore Rose Tiara is significant, as it had remained in the Windsor vaults for years.
