We started talking about this one a little bit in the comments from
last week's tiara post, so we might as well continue the discussion this week, right?
This is the Strathmore Rose Tiara. Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (the future Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother) received it as a gift from her father, the Earl of Strathmore, for her wedding in 1923, though the piece itself dates from before that. The tiara features a garland of wild roses in diamonds mounted in silver and gold. The individual elements can be dismantled and worn as brooches, and according to Hugh Roberts were originally able to be substituted by single sapphires.
It's quite light and feminine, isn't it? A very literal interpretation of a floral tiara. There are two different frames the wearer can choose from, and the new Duchess of York wore it both across her forehead (in true 1920s style) and more traditionally as well.
I think I prefer this one with some hair to back it up, rather than having the silhouette stick up away from the user's head, but I shall reserve full judgment until we can see it again.
This piece hasn't been worn in public for many decades, and certainly tiara-wearing styles have changed since then. We've only seen it on the Queen Mother, and only in her early royal days. It remained in her collection for the rest of her life, though, and passed to the Queen when she died in 2002.
Are you a fan of this one? Are you crossing your fingers for it to make a royal wedding appearance?
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