Catherine Middleton's Wedding Tiara: Suggestions and Musings

[wymanda]

What I want to see Kate wear on her wedding

1.Russian Kokoshnik

2.Durbar tiara

3.Queen Victoria sapphire tiara

4.Girls of great britain and ireland

None of your wishes are going to happen! Numbers 1 & 4 are only worn by HM The Queen (4 being her favourite tiara). Number 2 hadn't been worn for over 40 years until Camilla wore it. It is far to grand for a young bride.
Number 3 is no longer the property of the main line royal family. Queen Mary gave it to her daughter Princess Mary, The Princess Royal on the occassion of her marriage to the Earl of Harewood.

 

[IloveCP]

A girl can dream can dream cant she?

 

[Sister Morphine]

The cambridge tiara is beautiful but she should not wear it because,when she moves,the pearls moves,and that would sound annoying on her wedding day.

I don't think it makes any noise, and even if it did, there will be enough noise going in the Abbey that it wouldn't be audible. I doubt someone in the nave is going to demand she take it off because it's too noisy.

 

[EmpressRouge]

I read a "rule" somewhere (not sure with how much authority though) that brides born princesses don't veil their faces, commoners marrying in do.

Diana, Sarah & Sophie certainly all entered the church with their faces veiled.

I don't think it's a rule but just personal preference and the style of the era. It just happened that these three women all married into the royal family in the last 30 years and happened to wear blushers (part of the veil that goes over your face). Blusher were really popular (think 80s romance and excess) and both Diana and Sarah were in their 20s when they married in the 80s and wanted that fairytale look. They were also very popular in the 50s (another era of romantic gowns) as seen on Grace Kelly and Josephine-Charlotte of Belgium. By the time Sophie married, the blusher trend was dying out but I guess she liked it (I personally like them to lend an air of mystery walking down the aisle). It's not a rule, but I guess it could become a tradition if Catherine decides to wear a blusher as well.

All of the younger generation of Crown Princesses did not have blushers when marrying into those royal families. Most of them were more older brides compared to Diana and had ornate or heirloom lace veils, which wouldn't have made seeing difficult if they used it as a blusher. On the other hand, Infanta Elena was a princess by birth and DID wear a blusher. As for British brides, the Queen Mum didn't have a blush marrying into the family, neither did the current Duchess of Kent and Gloucester.

 

[KittyAtlanta]

I had not heard the term "blusher" used before...I like it. I always thought the origins were waaaaaaaaaaay back when marriages were arranged, bride was covered head to toe and the couple hadn't even been introduced before the wedding. There's got to be a book somewhere on the history of bridal veils.

 

[Skippy]

I had not heard the term "blusher" used before...I like it. I always thought the origins were waaaaaaaaaaay back when marriages were arranged, bride was covered head to toe and the couple hadn't even been introduced before the wedding. There's got to be a book somewhere on the history of bridal veils.

I have read that too, bride was covered by veil so groom could not flee when he didn't like the sight of his new wife.

 

[Mia_mae]

I have read that too, bride was covered by veil so groom could not flee when he didn't like the sight of his new wife.

! Jezz! And I though that dependeing on how thick or not the veil was, the groom could know what to expect

 

[Thomas Parkman]

Well, good people, who gives a hoot about the economic situation. Let the good woman wear the most extravagant and albeit tastefull, expensive tiara she or her relatives or the BRF can lay their hands on. This is about celebration if you please and for once enjoyment and gladness. After so much gloom and doom why not a little multimillion dollar pick me up. after all the powers that be have fired all those and one and a half million dollar tomahawk missles at Muhamar the Ghastly and he is still clinging to power and murdering right and left.

Perhaps somebody can contact the Phillipine government and find out who bougt the tiara and contact such person, who could then for the proper crossing of the palm with silver (which has gone up and up and up by the way) part with said trinket. Perhpas the Noble Warren can fish out of his massive barns of goodies a picture of said contraption so we can all drool and dream. Perhaps one of the more clever you (I being a total computer idiot) can photo transport said goodie onto the head (or a picture of the head rather) of the noble bride to be and then we can all really have a fit. Cheers.

PS. Whatever really happened to the Czarina Alexandra (do I have the right Empress here, all those Russian Czarinas seem to have the same name) tiara by the way. I do hope somebody has had the good sense to keep it intact.

 

[Sister Morphine]

Saying "who gives a hoot about the economic situation" is in poor taste. The economic situation right now in England is the reason why both families are paying for the wedding itself, rather than the taxpayers. All the taxpayers are shouldering the burden for is security.

So while she'll be magnificently accoutered, she's not going to have a multimillion pound tiara on her head. She's only the wife of the heir of the heir, not the wife of the first in line like Camilla is.

 

[ladongas]

is this the one?

...Perhaps somebody can contact the Phillipine government and find out who bougt the tiara and contact such person, who could then for the proper crossing of the palm with silver (which has gone up and up and up by the way) part with said trinket.

Google Image Result for http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/emeraldeyes1969/attachment6.jpg

Here is a good site with some fabulous pictures:
http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f50/royal-historic-jewelry-102397.html

 

[scooter]

Thomas, so happy you are back. I have missed you!

 

[KristineML]

The more information we're getting about the wedding and Kate, the more I'm leaning towards the tiara being the Strathmore Rose. The wedding cake covered with flowers of various meanings, suggested by Kate; then the Middleton coat-of-arms with the acorns apparently also suggested by Kate. All of it is leading me towards something like the Strathmore Rose as the sort of tiara she might gravitate towards if given any choice in the matter at all.

These are my thoughts as well.

 

[IloveCP]

The Nizam of Hyderabad tiara,not too big not too small.What do you think?

 

[Prince of Chota]

I've got my fingers crossed for the Strathmore rose tiara, but I'm slightly afraid there won't be a tiara at all. It seems unlikely the Cambridge Lovers' Knot will make an appearance; it would draw too many comparisons to Diana. Catherine doesn't seem like a person who favors large tiaras, so I think that limits things a bit. There is that old scroll tiara that Anne and Margaret have worn, but it seems somehow less likely than the Strathmore. And there is a chance that some long-forgotten piece of Queen Mary's or even the Duchess of Teck's could resurface.

Hasn't it long been assumed that the Nizam of Hyderabad's gift tiara was broken up or altered to provide stones for other pieces?

 

[dazzling]

I hope Kate wear a nice small tiara like the strathmore rose tiara for her big day, anything big would look weird IMO.

 

[IloveCP]

Did not know that.Oh well 8 more days!

 

[wymanda]

Hasn't it long been assumed that the Nizam of Hyderabad's gift tiara was broken up or altered to provide stones for other pieces?

Leslie Field stated in her book "The Queen's Jewels" that it had been broken up to provide diamonds for the Burmese Ruby Tiara. However, in the book that we have come to refere to as "Mega Munn", Geoffery Munn intimates that the tiara still exists. Given the fact that he had access to the vaults at BP, Clarence House & KP, his information seems to be the most reliable.

 

[firebee34]

Perhaps somebody can contact the Phillipine government and find out who bougt the tiara...

Actually Thomas, the tiara in question was broken up by Imelda years ago to "make it more wearable".

 

[MARG]

Actually Thomas, the tiara in question was broken up by Imelda years ago to "make it more wearable".

Ugh! Vandal!!

ps, welcome back Thomas

 

[Zonk]

Wymanda's comment made me revisit the Leslie Field book...What about the Scroll tiara...it was last worn by the late Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and Princess Anne. Is it still a part of the Royal treasures?

 

[Mirabel]

I was wondering...if Kate wears her hair partially up and the rest flowing down, what about that tiny diamond crown that belonged to Queen Victoria?

I know it isn't a tiara, and perhaps it wouldn't be appropriate, but it would definitely be different and cause quite a stir!

 

[Zonk]

Do you have a picture Mirabel? I can't get an idea of what you are describing?

 

[purple_Lulu]

This one Mirabel?

Google Image Result for http://lisawallerrogers.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/q-vict-small-crown.jpg

Not, I would say, appropriate on this occasion.

 

[Conorius]

Perhaps there are tiaras that none of us know about in BP... or perhaps there are some necklaces which can be converted to tiaras thats we havent thought about.....

Another idea I had, a lot of the newspapers are saying she will wear flowers in her hair, would it be possible to take the vladimir tiara and remove the drop pearls and arrange small fresh white roses through the circles? That way she has th best of both worlds.

However I suspect that the choice of tiara was made long ago before she chose a designer for her dress. When emmanuel was designing Dianas dress that was the first thing they asked to see.

 

[Island Princess]

My sense is that Catherine and William are not afraid of comparisons to Diana. It was my first thought on seeing the Testino engagement photos - the photo in which they are hugging with Catherine's hand on William's shoulder is very similar to one of the official engagement photos of Charles and Diana.

The use of her ring.

I think the press have shown considerable restraint when it comes to comparisons but early days yet, I guess.

Out of the BRF tiara collection I'm plumping for the Strathmore Rose but wouldn't be at all surprised to see the Cambridge Lover's Knot or Fringe.

Please, Mr Middleton, buy your daughter a tiara...

 

[EmpressRouge]

I get that since this is not a state occasion and that she's only marrying the second-in-line, Catherine will not need a big tiara for the foreseeable future as she will not be carrying out many official functions. But she is marrying a future king and (let's hope) she will only have one wedding day, so I'm all for getting out the big guns in terms of tiaras. Now, some tiaras (e.g. Delhi Durbar) can just feel TOO big for any wedding because the bride, her dress, etc. will just be dwarfed by the tiara (much better for a big state dinner or opening of Parliament). Maybe one of the Queen's tiaras that she doesn't wear very often (fringe) or something from the vaults that people haven't seen in a long time.
IF it still exists, my personal pick would be the Nizam of Hyderabad tiara. It's the big enough for a future queen but not too big to pair with a veil and very feminine. I'm always root for a old, almost forgotten item to reemerge out of the vaults in spectacular fashion like at a wedding. Nothing against Cambridge tiara and I don't buy into the "if Catherine wears it, there will be too much Diana" thing, but I want to see a old tiara make a comeback, just like the Cambridge did in the 1980s.

 

[Conorius]

I too would like to see the strathmore, it would be an homage and an emulation of the last queen consort and Williams great grandmother which would be lovely.

I was just wondering.... are there any of Queen Adelaides jewellry left? Tiaras perhaps? Afterall she was the Queen Consort for William IV and Catherine will be Queen Consort to William V godwilling.

 

[Sister Morphine]

I was wondering...if Kate wears her hair partially up and the rest flowing down, what about that tiny diamond crown that belonged to Queen Victoria?

I know it isn't a tiara, and perhaps it wouldn't be appropriate, but it would definitely be different and cause quite a stir!

She's not a Queen yet, so she has no business wearing a crown. It would actually be very pretentious if she did.

 

[Zonk]

Since Catherine is doing a tour of Canada and based on previous Canadian tours, I think Catherine will wear a tiara within the next six months. I seem to recall both Diana, Sophie, Sarah and Camilla wearing a tiara during their Canadian trips.

I think she will break it in on her wedding day and we will see it again in June.

 

[Island Princess]

Since Catherine is doing a tour of Canada and based on previous Canadian tours, I think Catherine will wear a tiara within the next six months. I seem to recall both Diana, Sophie, Sarah and Camilla wearing a tiara during their Canadian trips.

I think she will break it in on her wedding day and we will see it again in June.

Agreed! Canada always seems to be a more formal Commonwealth tour - there are rarely tiaras worn in Oz.