The Halo Scroll Tiara

The tiara known both as the Scroll Tiara and the Halo Tiara is about as modest and understated as a diamond tiara can be.  It has become something of a beginner tiara for the ladies of the British Royal Family, starting with Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

Cartier made the tiara in 1936.  The platinum tiara features 739 brilliant-cut diamonds and 149 baguette diamonds.  It was purchased by the Duke of York  on November 18th of the same year for his Duchess.  There is only one picture of her wearing the piece.  Just three weeks after receiving it, The Duke acceded to King George VI, and his wife became Queen Elizabeth (future Queen Mother).  It was probably due to  her new title that she moved on to more lavish tiaras.

The Queen Mother passed the tiara to her daughter, then Princess Elizabeth, on her 18th birthday in 1944.  There are no photos of now Queen Elizabeth in the tiara, as she has never worn in publicly.

She did, however, made a habit of lending out the tiara on many occasions, and so there are many pictures of other members of the royal family wearing the piece.

Kate’s parents commissioned jeweler Robinson Pelham to create a pair of earrings to complement the tiara on her wedding day.  The earrings repeat the scroll elements from the tiara and include stylized oak leaves and acorns, inspired by her family’s crest.  The earrings were a personal wedding gift to Kate from her parents on the occasion of her wedding.

For now, this tiara is just on loan from Queen Elizabeth to the Duchess, and she still has not officially received a tiara of her own.  It will be exciting to see what Kate’s first official tiara of her own will be.  Perhaps she will inherit something from the royal vault, or perhaps something will be commissioned to be created especially for her.

Thanks for reading and have a glamorous Tiara Tuesday!