Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
Today marks the 85th Anniversary of the Death of Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, who passed away on this day in 1939! The fascinating artistic daughter of Queen Victoria who became the popular Viceregal Consort of Canada before becoming the illustrious Duchess of Argyll, Princess Louise possessed some splendid jewels, which included this Pearl and Diamond Fringe Tiara!
While the exact origin of this Tiara is unknown, in the first decade of the 20th century, Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll was photographed wearing the piece for an official portrait and may have worn it for the State Opening of Parliament in 1901, when she was described wearing a ‘tiara of pearls and diamonds’.
Princess Louise had no children, and after her death in 1939, many of her jewels were inherited by great-nephew, Prince George, Duke of Kent and his wife Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, which likely included this Pearl and Diamond Fringe Tiara, along with other jewels like the Diamond Daisy Brooches, Princess Louise’s Emerald Brooch and probably the Kent Festoon Tiara.
In the mid 1970s, the Duchess of Kent began wearing a ‘mystery’ Pearl and Diamond Fringe Tiara atop the base of a Diamond Bandeau from Queen Mary which she had worn for the previous decade. The antique upper portion may have been the Pearl and Diamond Fringe Tiara of Princess Louise, which would have remained unworn for decades.
This theory was shared by a great follower on twitter, and while there may be differences in the design, it may be a clue to the possible origin.
After the sale of the Cambridge Sapphire Parure, the Pearl and Diamond Fringe Tiara became the primary jewel of the Duchess of Kent, worn for State Openings of Parliament, the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Gala in 1977, the Spanish State Banquet at Windsor Castle in 1986, the State Opening of Parliament in 1987, Crown Prince Harald’s 50th Birthday at the Royal Palace of Oslo in 1987, and a Banquet at Claridge’s Hotel in 1989.
The Diamond and Pearl Fringe Tiara was worn by Sylvana, Countess of St Andrews, the daughter in-law of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, at an event in the early 1990s.
In 1992, the Pearl and Diamond Fringe Tiara was worn by Lady Helen Windsor, for her Wedding to Tim Taylor at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, with the Tiara inspiring designer Catherine Walker to create the embroidery on her wedding gown.
The Duchess of Kent continued to wear the Pearl and Diamond Fringe Tiara through the 1990s, including for the Polish State Banquet at Windsor Castle in 1991, several State Openings of Parliament, the Brunei State Visit to Britain in 1992, and the Malaysian State Visit to Britain in 1993, but appearances stopped when the Duchess retired from public duties around 2000.
Most recently, the Pearl and Diamond Fringe Tiara went on display at ‘Power & Image: Royal & Aristocratic Tiaras’ at Sotheby’s in London in 2022.
Queen Victoria’s Emerald Tiara | Pearl and Diamond Fringe Tiara | Diamond Daisy Brooches | Emerald Brooch
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