Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
Princess Beatrix, the former Queen of the Netherlands, has just celebrated her 87th birthday. In honour of her big day, we are looking at one of her favourite tiaras, the Dutch Antique Pearl Tiara.
The former Dutch queen has worn this stunning statement tiara many times throughout her reign.
The Antique Pearl Tiara was created in the style of a previous tiara, one that belonged to Anna Pavlovna of Russia, wife of Queen Willem II. Queen Wilhemina had the new tiara made in 1900 and frequently wore it.
The base of diamond and platinum strawberry leaves has been worn by itself by several Dutch royal women, but the full setting includes seven large drop pearls.
The pearls originally belonged to Princess Amalia of Solms-Braunfels, the Princess of Orange from 1625 to 1647, making them some of the oldest jewels in the Dutch collection.
Queen Wilhemina wore the tiara frequently, and it was worn by her successor, Queen Juliana. Beatrix, as well as her two sisters, Princess Margriet and Princess Irene, has worn the tiara multiple times.
Queen Maxima wore the base of the tiara for the first time in 2001 when she accompanied the then-Prince of Orange to Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway’s wedding.
Maxima has continued to share her mother-in-law’s love of the antique pearl tiara, wearing it in 2023 for a French State Visit.