Royal | News - Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
Princess Charlotte may have to wait a while before she gets to wear a tiara, but it is likely to come before her wedding day due to her place in the direct line of succession to the British throne.
Royal women are generally not seen wearing a tiara until the day they get married, as was the case for Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice for their weddings in 2018 and 2020 respectively.
However Charlotte is more likely to follow in the footsteps of her great-aunt Princess Anne and great-great-grandmother Princess Margaret, who were both permitted to don the headpiece for royal and state events as young women.
Royal historian Marlene Koenig explained to Town & Country: “There’s no rule book. Princess Anne certainly wore a tiara as a teenager; she wore a tiara for her 21st birthday picture, all before she got married.”
The Princess Royal married her first husband Captain Mark Phillips on November 14, 1973 at Westminster Abbey, when she was 23 years old.
The difference between Anne and the York sisters is that the Princess Royal is a working member of the Royal Family, whereas Beatrice and Eugenie are not.
This could be the reason why she was permitted to wear a tiara at certain occasions, and as Charlotte is likely to be a working royal the same rules may well apply to her.
Lauren Kiehna, who runs the blog The Court Jeweller under the pen name Ella Kay, clarified: “Both Princess Margaret and Princess Anne wore tiaras in an official capacity as working royals, attending events like the State Opening of Parliament, state banquets, and royal functions abroad.
“Because Beatrice and Eugenie are not working members of the family, they do not attend these events.”
An exact age for when Charlotte could wear a tiara is hard to predict, however it may be as soon as her late teenage years, with Anne first seen in a tiara at the tender age of 17.
It is possible that a formal celebration may also be held for her 18th or 21st birthdays, with these events also possibly being accompanied by a formal portrait of Charlotte in a tiara.
Ms Kiehna added: “Because the Royal Family is becoming increasingly small, Charlotte will likely begin representing her grandfather and father at royal events, including state banquets, when she’s a young woman.”