The tiara often described as Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite is the Vladimir Tiara, a Romanov family heirloom made for Grand Duchess Vladimir of Russia around 1874. The Royal Collection Trust records that her daughter sold it to Queen Mary in 1921, and Elizabeth II inherited it in 1953. Its removable pendant stones let it be worn with emeralds or pearls.
Which tiara was Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite?
It was the Vladimir Tiara, also called the Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara. Royal Central described it as one of Elizabeth II’s favorites and a familiar part of her jewellery collection; “favorite” is a secondary-source characterization, not a formal ranking by the Royal Collection Trust. The Trust documents one specific appearance: Elizabeth II wore the tiara for her final Dorothy Wilding portrait sitting in May 1956. Royal Central’s account and the Royal Collection Trust portrait record provide those respective details.
Why is the Vladimir Tiara a Romanov heirloom?
The tiara was made around 1874 for Grand Duchess Vladimir, who married into Russia’s imperial family. Its Romanov connection comes from that original owner and its place in her family’s history. After the Russian Revolution, the Grand Duchess left Russia. A Town & Country account says a British officer retrieved jewels hidden at Vladimir Palace and brought them to London. That escape story is reported by secondary sources; it is not confirmed in the Royal Collection Trust’s account of the tiara’s ownership.
How did the tiara pass from the Grand Duchess to Elizabeth II?
The Royal Collection Trust’s documented chain of ownership is concise: the Grand Duchess’s daughter sold the tiara to Queen Mary in 1921, and Elizabeth II inherited it in 1953. The Trust gives the creation date as around 1874, rather than an exact year. Its 21 July 2022 release describes the tiara and its history.
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How can the Vladimir Tiara be worn?
The Royal Collection Trust says the pendant emeralds can be removed or substituted with pearls, allowing the tiara to be worn in different ways. Royal Central reports that Queen Mary commissioned Garrard to work on the jewel after acquiring it and had 15 emeralds incorporated as an alternative to pearls. That account also describes wearing the frame without pendants; the Trust’s description confirms the removable or interchangeable pendants, but does not specify that additional configuration.
- Pearl pendants: Pearls can replace the emerald pendants, according to the Royal Collection Trust.
- Emerald pendants: The emeralds can be removed and used as the pendant stones.
- No pendants: Royal Central reports this as another way to wear the tiara.
Is it the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara?
No. The Vladimir Tiara is the Romanov heirloom made for Grand Duchess Vladimir. The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara is a separate jewel: the Royal Collection Trust says it was given to Queen Mary in 1893 and to Princess Elizabeth in 1947. Its connection to Elizabeth II should not be confused with the Vladimir Tiara’s Russian imperial provenance. See the Trust’s object record for that distinct tiara.
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