Why the Princess of Wales does not own her tiaras
The Duchess of Edinburgh sparked debate after wearing the Lotus Flower Tiara

The Duchess of Edinburgh wowed royal fans when she wore the Lotus Flower Tiara for the first time to the Japan State Banquet at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening.

The diamond floral-themed headpiece was last seen on the Princess of Wales at the Diplomatic Reception in 2022, who was absent from the glittering event amid her ongoing cancer treatment.

Sophie’s appearance in the tiara sparked questions from royal watchers on social media about who the tiara actually belongs to.

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Lauren Kiehna of The Court Jeweller explains why the Princess of Wales does not actually own the jewels and they are not part of her personal collection.

She tells HELLO!: “All four of the tiaras worn by the Princess of Wales belong to the sovereign. They were offered to her as loans, first by Queen Elizabeth II, and more recently by King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Kate has also been loaned other pieces of jewellery, including necklaces, brooches, and earrings, for important occasions.”

Ms Julia Longbottom (L), Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and H.E. Mr. Hirofumi Nakasone (R) make their way along the East Gallery © Getty
Duchess Sophie dazzled in the Lotus Flower Tiara previously worn by the Princess of Wales
Lauren adds: “The Lotus Flower Tiara that the Duchess of Edinburgh wore on Tuesday originally belonged to the Queen Mother. Now it belongs to King Charles III. Kate has worn it as a loan from both the late Queen and the current King and Queen, but it has never been her personal property.

“The British royal family rarely gives heirloom jewels like tiaras as gifts. They prefer to loan out pieces of jewellery to members of the family like Kate and Sophie, allowing the jewels to be worn but still ensuring that they stay within the family’s collection.”

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In a rare move, the late Princess Margaret bought her own tiara ahead of her wedding to Antony-Armstrong Jones.

Princess Margaret wearing the Poltimore tiara on her wedding day to Antony Armstrong-Jones in
Princess Margaret wearing the Poltimore tiara on her wedding day to Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960
She purchased the spectacular diamond Poltimore Tiara for £5,500 at auction in 1959, but it was originally made by the House of Garrard in 1870 for Lady Poltimore, the wife of the second Baron Poltimore.

However, following Margaret’s death in 2002, the tiara was sold to a private buyer at auction by Christie’s.

The Princess of Wales’s tiara moments
WATCH: All the times Princess Kate has wowed in a tiara
Kate had her first tiara moment on her wedding to Prince William in 2011, when she was loaned the Cartier Halo tiara. The diamond scroll headpiece was given by the late Queen’s father, then the Duke of York, to the Duchess of York in 1936 before they became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

Kate Middleton wearing Cartier Halo tiara on her wedding day
Kate wore the Cartier Halo tiara on her wedding day
Two years later, the then Duchess of Cambridge debuted the Lotus Flower tiara at the annual Diplomatic reception in 2013. It was originally a necklace and gifted to the Queen Mother on her wedding day.

Kate Middleton wearing a tiara in a car with Prince William
The Princess wearing the Lotus Flower Tiara at the Diplomatic Corps reception last December
But Kate’s most worn royal headpiece is the Lover’s Knot tiara, which was synonymous with her late mother-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales.

The diamond and pearl tiara, originally made for Queen Mary in 1913, was gifted by the late Queen to her new daughter-in-law when she married then Prince Charles in 1981.

The Lover’s Knot tiara is Kate’s go-to
And in 2023, Kate delighted royal watchers as she debuted the Strathmore Rose Tiara at the South Korea state banquet.

The then Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later the Queen Mother) was given the floral headpiece as a wedding gift from her father, the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne in 1923.

Close-up of William wearing a white tuxedo and Kate in a white gown and tiara © Getty
Kate wearing the Strathmore Rose Tiara
While it was left to her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, following the Queen Mother’s death in 2002, it hadn’t been seen on a member of the royal family for decades.

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