Queen Camilla delivered a poignant moment at Windsor Castle last night as she joined King Charles and the Prince of Wales for the annual Diplomatic Corps reception. The 78-year-old stepped out in an elegant, embroidered ivory gown along with sparkling jewels.
But it was her debut in the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara that caught our attention – a striking choice steeped in royal history and rarely seen in public. What made the decision even more notable is that this headpiece is most famously associated with Princess Eugenie, who wore it on her wedding day in 2018.
Camilla has traditionally favoured other pieces for white-tie state occasions, most commonly Queen Mary’s Russian Kokoshnik Tiara or the Aquamarine Ribbon Tiara.
Choosing this particular emerald diadem therefore marked a bold and symbolic departure from her usual rotation. This move signals a quiet nod of support to Princess Eugenie, 35 and by extension, to her sister, Princess Beatrice.
Both of whom have remained popular figures despite the challenges surrounding their father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
With the tiara being personally loaned to Eugenie by the late Queen for her wedding, its reappearance on Camilla suggests a subtle gesture by the King and Queen that the York sisters retain a cherished place within the family.
The tiara itself is one of the most remarkable in the royal vaults. Crafted in 1919 by French house Boucheron, the piece originally belonged to Dame Margaret Greville, who bequeathed her impressive jewel collection to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
It later passed to Queen Elizabeth II and has only been worn publicly a handful of times.
Diamond specialists at Steven Stone shared insight into the construction and value of the piece. The tiara is “made of rose-cut pave diamonds set in platinum” and features “a 93.7-carat cabochon-cut emerald” at its centre.
Maxwell Stone added:“The Greville Emerald Kokoshnik tiara is made of rose-cut pave diamonds set in platinum and is adorned with six emeralds. The centre features a 93.7-carat cabochon-cut emerald, which is what makes it so valuable.”
He continued:“We previously estimated the distinctive diamond and emerald headpiece – made by the French jeweller, Boucheron in 1919 – to be worth £10 million, making it the most expensive of all the tiaras we’ve studied.”
The gemstone’s symbolism also lends deeper meaning to Camilla’s choice. As Stone notes, “Wearing emeralds is said to promote friendship, peace, harmony, and domestic bliss by enabling the wearer to both give and receive unconditional love.” In ancient Rome and Greece, emeralds were linked to Venus, the goddess of love – adding an unexpectedly sentimental layer to the Queen’s decision.
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