Mellerio Floral Tiara (Spain)
Platinum and diamonds form the five flowers on this tiara, designed by the House of Mellerio in 1962. General Francisco Franco commissioned it as a gift from the Spanish people to Princess Sofia to celebrate her marriage to Don Juan Carlos. The multipurpose tiara, worn above by Princess Letizia at the wedding of Princess Victoria of Sweden in 2010, also functions as a necklace. Its flowers can be removed for use as brooches too.
The history behind this tiara was disputed as some thought it first appeared in 1962 as a commission from Mellerio for the wedding present to Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark on her marriage to Prince Juan Carlos of Spain. However, there is evidence that the tiara was actually made in 1879 for King Alfonso XII of Spain as a wedding gift for his wife, Maria Christina of Austria, making this tiara significantly older than previously thought!
When King Alfonso's family went into exile in the 1930s they sold the tiara, and it was lost until its reappearance as a wedding gift from Franco and the people of Spain to Princess Sophia. This was a truly spectacular move because it reunited the tiara with its original royal family-- Spain-- and the tiara was no longer lost!
This tiara has been worn by both her daughters, Infanta Elena and Infanta Christina, as well as her daughter-in-law, Princess Letizia. This tiara is so popular as a tiara, we hardly ever get to see it worn as a necklace or converted into brooches. Out of all the floral tiaras, this is one of the most flexible and visually stunning-- truly incredible design, as it works on many different faces and hairstyles! Hopefully we will see it again soon!
Platinum and diamonds form the five flowers on this tiara, designed by the House of Mellerio in 1962. General Francisco Franco commissioned it as a gift from the Spanish people to Princess Sofia to celebrate her marriage to Don Juan Carlos. The multipurpose tiara, worn above by Princess Letizia at the wedding of Princess Victoria of Sweden in 2010, also functions as a necklace. Its flowers can be removed for use as brooches too.
The history behind this tiara was disputed as some thought it first appeared in 1962 as a commission from Mellerio for the wedding present to Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark on her marriage to Prince Juan Carlos of Spain. However, there is evidence that the tiara was actually made in 1879 for King Alfonso XII of Spain as a wedding gift for his wife, Maria Christina of Austria, making this tiara significantly older than previously thought!
When King Alfonso's family went into exile in the 1930s they sold the tiara, and it was lost until its reappearance as a wedding gift from Franco and the people of Spain to Princess Sophia. This was a truly spectacular move because it reunited the tiara with its original royal family-- Spain-- and the tiara was no longer lost!
This tiara has been worn by both her daughters, Infanta Elena and Infanta Christina, as well as her daughter-in-law, Princess Letizia. This tiara is so popular as a tiara, we hardly ever get to see it worn as a necklace or converted into brooches. Out of all the floral tiaras, this is one of the most flexible and visually stunning-- truly incredible design, as it works on many different faces and hairstyles! Hopefully we will see it again soon!
Thanks for reading and have a delightful Tiara Tuesday!
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