The best part about being a princess has got to be the tiaras, right? Like, behold Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, in a stunning tiara that reportedly hasn’t been seen on a royal head in nearly 100 years.
For a state banquet with the president of South Korea at Buckingham Palace on November 21, Kate went the whole nine royal yards in a white Jenny Packham gown and rare diamonds. She accessorized her dress, which features gold floral embroidery on the capped sleeves, with elbow-length white gloves, diamond earrings from Queen Elizabeth II’s collection, and the Strathmore Rose Tiara, which comes with its own history.
Per , the Strathmore Rose Tiara, with its romantic flower design, was given to the Queen Mother as a wedding present from her father, Lord Strathmore, in 1923. The word is that the last time anyone wore the Strathmore Rose was in 1930, before Princess Kate rescued it from the vault.
Kate Middleton wore the vintage piece at the crown of her head and braided into her hair, forming a cohesive style. This is similar to how the princess usually styles her tiaras, but I kind of wish she’d gone the bolder route and worn it as the Queen Mother did on her wedding day: over the forehead, flapper-style.
Hopefully, this tiara makes it into Kate’s regular rotation, along with the Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot and the Lotus Flower, so there will be other opportunities.