Cartier Olive Wreath Tiara

Today marks the Anniversary of the Death of Princess Marie Bonaparte, Princess George of Greece and Denmark, who died on this day in 1962! The Bonaparte Princess who married a Greek Prince (an uncle of 3 Kings, 2 Queens and the Duke of Edinburgh among others), became a psychoanalyst, and rescued Freud from the Nazis, Princess Marie was a fascinating and today we are going to be featuring her Cartier Olive Wreath Tiara!

Cartier Olive Wreath Tiara | Diamond Star Tiara | Pearl Brooch

A magnificent Diamond Olive Wreath, set with eleven large cushion-shaped diamonds that could be swapped out for emeralds and rubies, the central pear-shaped diamond of the Cartier Olive Wreath Tiara would also be replaced with a large Diamond Star and the piece could be worn in a variety. of versatile configurations. Made for Princess Marie’s wedding, the Tiara was among the wedding gifts on display in a window at Cartier in the weeks leading up to the wedding.

Princess Marie wore her Cartier Olive Wreath Tiara in its versatile configurations for the rest of her life, from the Wedding Ball of Prince René of Bourbon-Parma and her niece, Princess Margaret of Denmark, in 1921 and the Wedding Gala of Crown Prince Paul of Greece and Princess Frederica of Hanover in 1938.

The Olive Wreath Tiara was also worn by Princess Marie to the Wedding Ball of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip of Greece in 1947 and the Coronation of her niece-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, when she spent the ceremony psychoanalyzing her seatmate, the future French President François Mitterrand.

Three years later, Princess Marie wore the same version of the Olive Wreath Tiara along with several Diamond Stars on her bodice, as she joined her daughter, Princess Eugenie, and granddaughter, Princess Tatiana Radziwiłł, for a Banquet during the Greek State Visit to France.

The Tiara was inherited by her only daughter, Princess Eugenie of Greece, after Princess Marie’s death in 1962, who notably wore it for a Ball at the Royal Palace of Brussels in 1958, and at King Constantine and Princess Anne Marie’s Wedding Gala at the Royal Palace of Athens in 1964.

It was inherited by Princess Eugenie’s children, including Princess Tatiana Radziwiłł, after her death in 1989. Eventually, the Cartier Olive Wreath Tiara, without its central diamond and the emeralds and rubies, was bought by the Albion Art Institute at the Beaussant Lefèvre Auction House in 1999 for $40,000, and is now exhibited around the world.

There was a Pearl and Diamond Hair-comb made in a similar design to the Cartier Olive Wreath Tiara, which has been mounted as a Tiara by the time of Princess Eugenie’s Wedding to Prince Dominik Radziwiłł in 1938 and was also worn to the Wedding of Prince Philip of Greece to the future Queen Elizabeth II in 1947. It was later worn by Princess Tatiana Radziwiłł for the Greek State Visit to France in 1956 but has also been sold and is now in the Cartier Collection.

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Cartier Olive Wreath Tiara

Diamond Star Tiara

Pearl Brooch

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One thought on “Cartier Olive Wreath Tiara

  1. My absolute favorite wreath tiara. Perfect for a descendent of Napoleon. Many wreath tiaras do not get the center point right, this tiara solves that issue with the addition of the pearl drop. The pearl drop also makes this tiara that much luxurious. The stones are impeccable and the craftsmanship is immaculate. This tiara is without a doubt an exquisite masterpiece. I love it, definitely my all time favorite wreath tiara. I would love to see this styled so romantically, with a cream colored silk toga-esq dress so that it really plays up the Greek Goddess feel. I also really like the pearl wreath bandeau haircomb. I would have loved to see Kate Middleton wear the pearl one with her pearl and diamond drop earrings and that blush colored Alexander McQueen gown that she wore when she was pregnant and met the Royal family of Norway.

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