On April 29, 2024, Kate Middleton and Prince William will celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary, marking a day of national celebration in Britain. The fashion and mainstream press eagerly anticipated Kate’s appearance on her wedding day, with much speculation about her dress and accessories, including the tiara she would wear. Kate stepped out in a showstopping ivory silk gown designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, paired with the Cartier Halo Tiara loaned to her by Queen Elizabeth II, a historic jewel closely associated with the monarch.
The Cartier Halo Tiara worn by Kate on her wedding day features over 800 diamonds set in platinum in a waving scroll design, leading to a central point. The tiara was purchased by King George VI in 1936 for his wife, Queen Elizabeth, who later gave it as an 18th birthday present to her daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth II. While there are no publicly available photographs of the queen wearing the tiara, it has been worn by other royal family members, including Princess Margaret and Princess Anne, before being loaned to Kate for her wedding in 2011.
Following Kate’s wedding, the Cartier Halo Tiara was displayed at Buckingham Palace alongside her Alexander McQueen gown. In 2018, the tiara was featured in an exhibition called “Cartier: The Exhibition” at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. With Queen Elizabeth II retaining ownership of the tiara after Kate’s wedding, it is believed to have been inherited by King Charles III. However, the tiara has not been worn by King Charles III’s wife, Queen Camilla, and Kate has also not worn it since her wedding day. Instead, Kate has frequently worn the Queen Mary Lover’s Knot Tiara, previously worn by Princess Diana.
As the 13th anniversary of Kate and Prince William approaches, the Cartier Halo Tiara remains a significant piece of royal history, having been worn by multiple generations of the royal family. Queen Elizabeth II’s decision to loan the tiara to Kate for her wedding day continues the tradition of passing down important jewels within the royal family. While the tiara has not been worn again since 2011, its legacy lives on in the memories of Kate’s iconic wedding day look. Princess Kate’s choice of the Cartier Halo Tiara on her wedding day was a beautiful symbol of tradition and history within the British monarchy, making it a timeless piece of royal jewelry.
