British royal tiaras carry historical reputation for bad luck
Widespread superstitions link famous British royal tiaras and crown jewels to historical deaths and family downfalls
Several famous British royal tiaras and crown jewels have developed long-standing reputations for bringing terrible misfortune, illness, and tragedy to their historic wearers. While many pieces in the royal collection are celebrated for their exceptional craftsmanship and priceless gemstones, distinct patterns of misfortune have led to historical superstitions surrounding several prominent headpieces.
The Mirror reported on the most infamous piece in the collection, the Hesse Strawberry Leaf Tiara. Designed by Prince Albert in 1861, the diamond-adorned headpiece was intended as a wedding gift for his daughter, Princess Alice. However, Prince Albert died of typhoid fever on December 14, 1861, before the wedding occurred. Tragically, Princess Alice later lost two of her children at young ages before dying of diphtheria on December 14, 1878, at the age of 35. Subsequent owners also met tragic ends, including Princess Cecilie of Greece and Denmark, who wore the tiara in 1937 and died in a plane crash later that year alongside her family.
Other headpieces were altered due to these growing superstitions. The Tatler reported that Queen Alexandra of Denmark ordered the historic Oriental Circlet Tiara to be redesigned in 1902. She removed its original opals because the gemstone had become widely associated with bad luck, replacing them with Burmese rubies. Similarly, the Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara, which became a personal favourite of Queen Elizabeth II, originally belonged to Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia. Marie was forced to flee the country during the Russian Revolution in 1920 and died in exile that same year, never seeing her beloved jewellery again.
The most famous of these superstitions surrounds the legendary 105-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond, which sits in the coronation crown of the Queen Mother. Historically, any man who attempted to wear the ancient diamond was said to face a grisly death, whereas royal women have worn the stone safely. The controversial diamond, which was acquired by Queen Victoria in 1849, remains on display in the Tower of London.
