Dutch Royal Tiaras

Happy 46th Birthday to Queen Máxima of the Netherlands! Married for over 15 years and Queen for four years, Máxima has worn almost all the stunning Dutch Royal Tiaras, and has a reputation as a magpie among the royal community. To mark the occasion, we are taking a look at all the Dutch Royal Tiaras-

Stuart Tiara

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Made in 1897, for the Investiture of Queen Wilhelmina, the piece features the large Stuart Diamond, which used to belong to King William III and Queen Mary II of England. Worn by Queen Wilhelmina at her Investiture and Wedding, the Stuart Tiara was a favourite of her daughter, Queen Juliana, who wore the piece regularly, until her abdication in 1980. She was the last person who was seen in the tiara, and it was thought to have been disassembled. However, there were reports that the Stuart Tiara has undergone cleaning in recent years, and parts of the parure have resurfaced, including the large necklace worn by Queen Maxima at the Argentinian State Banquet recently, which leads us to hope there are not too many days until is reappearance. UPDATE- A smaller setting of the Tiara was worn by Queen Maxima for the first time on the Dutch State Visit to Luxembourg and the full version on the State Visit to the United Kingdom in 2018, while a third setting was debuted on a State Visit to Germany in 2021.

Rose Cut Diamond Bandeau

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Originally a diamond collet necklace which was a wedding gift to Princess Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont when she married King Willem III in 1879, the Diamond Bandeau was first worn as a tiara by her granddaughter, future Queen Juliana, in 1937. Later it was also worn by Juliana’s mother, Queen Wilhelmina, and her four daughters, including the former Queen Beatrix. A favourite of Queen Maxima, the Diamond Bandeau is worn more than most other tiaras, and is regularly seen at grand events, including the recent Argentinian State Banquet.

Mellerio Ruby Tiara

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Ordered by King Willem III for Queen Emma in 1889, from French Jeweller Mellerio, the Ruby Tiara includes a substantial parure, with earrings, necklace, bracelet, stomacher, brooch, and a fan. Worn by Queen Emma, her daughter, Queen Wilhelmina, her daughter, Queen Juliana, and her daughter, Queen Beatrix, the Mellerio Ruby Parure is another favourite of Queen Maxima, who often pairs it with other ruby pieces from the collection. The Tiara was one of the first to be worn by the Princess of Orange, who tried it on in 2012, at the age of 8.

Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara

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Made for Queen Wilhelmina by Schürmannin 1897, this tiara was worn by her daughter, Queen Juliana, but became a favourite of her granddaughter, Queen Beatrix, who even wore the piece at her wedding. Adaptable to be worn with different configurations of pearls, Queen Beatrix wore the tiara in a grander version at the Gala held the night before her abdication. She has worn it once since. Queen Maxima wore the Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara for the first time at a State Banquet in Tokyo. She has also worn it since.

Sapphire Tiara

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Given by King Willem III to Queen Emma in 1881, the Dutch Sapphire Tiara became a favourite of their granddaughter, Queen Juliana, and her daughter, former Queen Beatrix. Part of a large sapphire parure, the original necklace has been turned into another tiara (see below). The Sapphire Tiara was Queen Maxima’s choice at one of the most important events, the inauguration of her husband, King Willem-Alexander, in 20133. She also wore the tiara on a State Visit to Denmark in 2015.

Queen Emma’s Diamond Tiara

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Ordered by King Willem III to Queen Emma, this diamond tiara was delivered after he died in 1890. A favourite of Queen Emma, who also wore if to her daughter’s wedding, it was later worn by their daughter, Queen Wilhelmina, with diamond stars on top.Queen Emma’s diamond tiara became a favourite of her great-granddaughter, former Queen Beatrix, who has worn it at many grand occasions throughout her reign and afterwards. Queen Maxima stunned in the piece during a State Dinner in Wellington last year.

Antique Pearl Tiara

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Made in 1900, using large, pear-shaped pearls that belonged to seventeenth-century Dutch Princess Amalia of Solms-Braunfels, the Antique Pearl Tiara has been worn by almost all of the Dutch Royal Ladies. Queen Maxima wore the diamond base of the piece before her wedding, and famously wore the Tiara in her 40th Birthday portrait.

Pearl Button / Diamond Star Tiara

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Composed on pearl ‘buttons’ which were worn as brooches by Queen Sophie, they were first but on the diamond base and worn by Queen Juliana in 1965. Worn by Queen Beatrix at her investiture, the tiara has become a favourite of her younger sister, Princess Margriet, who also wore it at her wedding. Princess Mabel wore the Tiara for the first time recently. Queen Maxima wore the piece at her wedding, replacing the pearl buttons for diamond stars that had belonged to Queen Emma. It has been worn in both versions multiple times since.

Ruby Peacock Tiara

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Commissioned by Queen Wilhelmina in 1897, using rubies which had belonged to her father’s first wife, the Ruby Peacock parure includes a grand necklace, huge brooch, bracelets, and earrings. The necklace was worn by her daughter, Queen Juliana, at her inauguration in 1948, and the tiara became a favourite of her granddaughter, Princess Irene, but disappeared from public view sometime in the 1980s. In 2009, then Crown Princess Maxima surprised everyone when she wore the tiara during a State Visit from Sweden. It has also been worn by her mother-in-law, Princess Beatrix. Earlier this year, Queen Maxima delivered another surprise, when she wore the necklace from the parure at an official dinner.

Aquamarine Tiara

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Given as an 18th Birthday present to the future Queen Juliana from her parents, Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Hendrik, the Aquamarine Tiara includes a parure with a sautoir that was gifted to her by her grandmother, Queen Emma, earrings from her mother-in-law, Princess Armgard, and a pendant and brooch from husband, Prince Bernhard. Worn by all the Dutch royal ladies since then, the Aquamarine Parure belongs to the Family Foundation of the House of Orange. Queen Maxima wore the tiara for the first time at an event before her wedding, and though the other aquamarine pieces in the suite are worn frequently by the Queen, most notably the earrings and pendant, the tiara seems not to be a favourite, and was last notably worn in 2018.

Emerald / Pearl Tiara

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Made around 1900, with emeralds thought to have belonged to the 18th century Princess Wilhelmina of Prussia, the parure includes large earrings, brooch, necklace, and a huge cabochon duck-egg pendent. Made adaptable to be worn with pearls around the wedding of Queen Maxima, it has been worn in that configuration by multiple women in the family. This tiara is another one of those that have been worn by almost all of the Dutch royal ladies.

Dutch Sapphire Necklace Tiara

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Adapted from a large necklace that was a wedding gift to Queen Wilhelmina in 1901, the smaller necklace was worn by Queen Juliana and her daughters for various events before appearing on Princess Margriet as Tiara in 2009. Queen Maxima wore it in 2010, and Princess Beatrix has also worn the tiara.

Laurel Wreath Tiara

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Around 200 years old, this tiara was given as an 18th birthday gift to the then Crown Princess Beatrix in 1956. Worn by her at multiple events when she was younger, in recent years, the tiara has been loaned to her sisters, her daughter-in-law, Princess Laurentian, as a wedding tiara, and her niece. It is one of the few tiaras in the collection to have not been worn by Queen Maxima.

Princess Mabel Wedding Tiara

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Made of large diamonds thought to have been taken from the top of the Sapphire Tiara, this piece was first worn by Mabel Wisse Smit when she married Prince Friso, Queen Beatrix’s youngest son, in 2004. Also worn by Queen Maxima, this tiara was worn by mostly Princess Mabel, but hasn’t been seen since the death of Prince Friso in 2013. However, she worn another tiara since.

Ears of Wheat Tiara

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Thought to date back to the 18th century Queen Catherine of Württemberg, the antique ears of wheat in this adaptable tiara came to the Netherlands with her daughter, Sophie, when she married King William III. Worn as a tiara by the minor ladies in the family, the Ears of Wheat Tiara is another piece not yet worn by Queen maxima, though she has affixed some ‘ears of wheat’ in her hair on multiple occasions.

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6 thoughts on “Dutch Royal Tiaras

  1. You left out two more tiara’s : Queen Wilhelmina’s small diamond haircomb / tiara and queen Wilhelmina’s diamond festoon necklace / tiara. Both have been worn by Queen (or then princess) Maxima.

    1. You’re right! But I was only featuring the actual tiaras, rather than the converted pieces! I also couldn’t find proper pictures that I could use, so that factored in why I left them out!

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