Strathmore Rose Tiara: Queen Mother's jewels discussed

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The Queen Mother wore some stunning tiaras over her lifetime, but the more demure styles she wore as the Duchess of York were swapped for grander pieces when she became Queen Consort in 1936. One piece that has rarely been seen in recent decades is the Strathmore Rose Tiara, a whimsical floral diadem.

The Strathmore Rose Tiara was gifted to the then Duchess of York in 1923 to mark her marriage to Prince Albert, Duke of York.

The name ‘Strathmore’ stems from her aristocratic family, as her parents were the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne.

The floral tiara was purchased in the 1920s from Catchpole and Williams, and it benefits from a transformable function.

The five floral emblems can be detached from the tiara to be worn as brooches.

Jeremy Hinds, Sales Director of jewellery experts F. Hinds, said: “The Strathmore Rose Tiara has a striking design, featuring silver and gold rose ‘prongs’ set with rose-cut diamonds.

“The flower prongs are removable, meaning they could also be worn as brooches or swapped for five collet-set sapphires. The tiara also has two different frames which means it can be worn on top of the head, or across the forehead as style dictated in the 1920s.”

The expert estimated the tiara could be worth “in the region of £500,000”.

The tiara hasn’t been worn publicly for decades by a member of the Royal Family, but it remains a prized royal jewel.

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“The Strathmore Rose Tiara was previously worn by Queen Elizabeth in her younger years but had not been seen since a 2002 exhibition at the V&A museum”, Mr Hinds added.

“Like many other tiaras from the 1920s, it was initially worn low across the forehead as per the style of the time, which could explain why it hasn’t been worn in public for so long.”

The Queen Mother was a huge fan of tiaras that could be worn low on the head.

The Lotus Flower Tiara was another royal diadem she adored, and she often wore it across her forehead in the fashion of the 1920s.

Kate, Princess of Wales is the latest royal to wear the piece, but she has tended to wear it high on her head with an elaborate hairstyle.

The Queen Mother’s daughter Princess Margaret also loved this diadem, although her other daughter, the late Queen Elizabeth II, tended to wear other pieces.

In her later years, the Queen Mother was often pictured wearing the Greville Tiara left to her by Mrs Greville when she died.

The Boucheron-crafted piece had a distinct honeycomb style and has been worn in recent years by Queen Consort Camilla.

The Queen Mother also favoured the Oriental Circlet Tiara from the royal collection.

This particular diadem was crafted under the direction of Prince Albert for his beloved wife Queen Victoria.

Many of the Queen Mother’s diadems did not find favour with her elder daughter, and she only wore the Oriental Circlet Tiara on one occasion in Malta in 2005.

The late Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite diadems were considered to be the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, and the Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara.

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