Kate Middleton’s favourite tiara: Story behind the famous Lover’s Knot headpiece

Kate Middleton is often seen sporting the Lover’s Knot Tiara, an opulent heirloom which she inherited upon her marriage into the royal family.

The Princess of Wales most recently took the marvellous headpiece for a spin at the royal banquet held in honour of the French President Emmanuel Macron’s UK state visit.

Accompanying Prince William to the gala at Windsor Castle, the future queen was a vision in red, with the tiara regally sitting atop her head.

Though most associated with Princess Kate at present, the tiara has a long and storied history, which connects many royal ladies to the ancient relic’s legacy.

History

The Lover’s Knot Tiara was first commissioned by the grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II, Mary of Teck, better known as Queen Mary.

In 1914, the Queen had the tiara made for herself by the House of Garrard in London, from her own family’s pre-existing jewels.

While Mary’s headpiece was itself modelled after one belonging to her own grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse.

Though the original, known as Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara, is currently part of an unknown private collection.

Elizabeth’s heritage

As part of several precious family heirlooms inherited from Queen Mary, Elizabeth II also came in possession of her grandmother’s custom tiara.

Worn by the late monarch on several occasions, particularly during the early years of her reign in the ‘50s, she gradually replaced the headpiece with others as time went by.

Diana’s gift

Falling out of style for some time, the Lover’s Knot Tiara was not spotted again until after Princess Diana’s marriage to the then Prince Charles.

Queen Elizabeth presented her daughter-in-law with the prized possession on the occasion of her wedding, in 1981.

While the late Princess preferred her family’s headpiece, known as the Spencer’s Tiara, she nevertheless adorned Lover’s Knot on numerous occasions herself.

Catherine’s ownership

Following Diana’s divorce from King Charles, the Lover’s Knot Tiara was returned to Queen Elizabeth and was subsequently kept away for safekeeping in Buckingham Palace.

That was until Kate’s wedding to Prince William, which is when the iconic tiara came in possession of the then Duchess of Cambridge.

Inheriting the title of the tiara’s original owner, Catherine also came in possession of the headpiece modelled after Princess Augusta’s original.

First seen on the future queen in 2015, Kate Middleton has worn the Lover’s Knot Tiara 10 out of a total of the 12 times she has ever chosen to wear a headpiece.