Kent Festoon Tiara | Kent City of London Fringe Tiara | Diamond Circle Earrings | Vladimir Pearl Earrings | Daisy Brooches | Diamond Pendant | Emerald Brooch | Art Deco Pearl Necklace | Aquamarine Suite | Cartier Sapphire Clips | Cartier Flower Brooch
Composed of a series of elaborate diamond elements (festoons) each topped by a single pearl, the tiara originally had a base of collet diamonds, which were replaced with a base of a row of pearls by Princess Michael. Possibly made by Cartier around 1900, the exact origin of this Tiara is unknown, but it may have been inherited from Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll.
Princess Marina debuted the Festoon Tiara at the Royal Film Performance of ‘Where No Vultures Fly’ in 1951 before it was worn during her Far East Tour in 1952 and a series of portraits by Dorothy Wilding.
In 1953, Princess Marina paired the Festoon Tiara with her Diamond Girandole Earrings and Diamond Bow Brooch for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
The Festoon Tiara was frequently worn by Princess Marina through the 1950s, usually paired with her Diamond Girandole Earrings or the Vladimir Pearl Earrings, worn for the Portuguese State Visit to Britain in 1955, The German State Visit to Britain in 1958, the French State Visit to Britain in 1960, and the Banquet at Nepalese Embassy in 1960.
In 1960, Princess Marina loaned the Festoon Tiara to her daughter, Princess Alexandra, when she represented the Queen during the Independence of Nigeria. Princess Alexandra wore the tiara at one of the main Ceremonies and the first Nigerian Opening of Parliament.
In 1962, Princess Marina again loaned the Festoon Tiara, this time to her daughter-in-law, the current Duchess of Kent, who wore the Tiara when she and the Duke went to represent the Queen at the Independence of Uganda. The Duchess of Kent again wore the Festoon Tiara at a gala event during the Independence of Gambia in 1965.
After Princess Marina’s death in 1968, the Festoon Tiara was among the Jewels inherited by her younger son, Prince Michael of Kent. The Festoon Tiara has been worn by Princess Michael for numerous Portraits and also for State Banquets during the Dutch State Visit to Britain in 1982, the Spanish State Visit to Britain in 1986, the Polish State Visit to the UK in 1991, the Malaysian State Visit to Britain in 1993, and the Heads of State Banquet at Guildhall in 1995.
In recent years, Princess Michael primarily wore the Festoon Tiara for State Banquets, with notable appearances at Queen Margrethe’s Banquet at the Natural History Museum in 2000, during the French State Visit to Britain in 2008, the Wedding Ball of Crown Prince Leka of Albania in 2016, the Spanish State Visit to Britain in 2017, the Dutch State Visit to Britain in 2018, and the American State Visit to Britain in 2019. Due to illness and a restructured Royal Family, Princess Michael has not attended recent State Banquets, but let’s hope this magnificent heirloom is worn again soon!
Kent Festoon Tiara | Kent City of London Fringe Tiara | Diamond Circle Earrings | Vladimir Pearl Earrings | Daisy Brooches | Diamond Pendant | Emerald Brooch | Art Deco Pearl Necklace | Aquamarine Suite | Cartier Sapphire Clips | Cartier Flower Brooch
Kent Festoon Tiara
Kent City of London Fringe Tiara
Diamond Circle Earrings
Vladimir Pearl Earrings
Daisy Brooches
Diamond Pendant
Emerald Brooch
Art Deco Pearl Necklace
Aquamarine Suite
Cartier Sapphire Clips
Cartier Flower Brooch
Cambridge Sapphire Parure
Kent Festoon Tiara
Kent City of London Fringe Tiara
Kent Pearl Bandeau
Greek Ruby Parure
Vladimir Fringe Tiara
Diamond Bandeau Tiara
Princess Marina’s Diamond Girandole Earrings
Diamond Circle Earrings
Vladimir Pearl Earrings
Princess Marina’s Diamond Bow Brooch
Princess Louise’s Diamond Daisy Brooches
Empress Maria Feodrovna’s Sapphire Brooch
Duchess of Kent’s Art Deco Brooch
Princess Marina’s Black Pearl Brooch
Duchess of Kent’s Pearl Earrings
Princess Marina’s Cartier Sapphire Clips
Princess Louise’s Emerald Brooch
Princess Marina’s Cartier Flower Brooch
Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna’s Emerald Brooch
Kent City of London Fringe Tiara
Diamond Circle Earrings
Vladimir Pearl Earrings
Daisy Brooches
Diamond Pendant
Emerald Brooch
Art Deco Pearl Necklace
Aquamarine Suite
Cartier Sapphire Clips
Cartier Flower Brooch
Cambridge Sapphire Parure
Kent Festoon Tiara
Kent City of London Fringe Tiara
Kent Pearl Bandeau
Greek Ruby Parure
Vladimir Fringe Tiara
Diamond Bandeau Tiara
Princess Marina’s Diamond Girandole Earrings
Diamond Circle Earrings
Vladimir Pearl Earrings
Princess Marina’s Diamond Bow Brooch
Princess Louise’s Diamond Daisy Brooches
Empress Maria Feodrovna’s Sapphire Brooch
Duchess of Kent’s Art Deco Brooch
Princess Marina’s Black Pearl Brooch
Duchess of Kent’s Pearl Earrings
Princess Marina’s Cartier Sapphire Clips
Princess Louise’s Emerald Brooch
Princess Marina’s Cartier Flower Brooch
Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna’s Emerald Brooch
Happy Birthday to Princess Michael of Kent, who turns 72 today. Born a Baroness of German and Hungarian descent, she spent her childhood in Australia and had gotten married and divorced to an English Banker, when she met Prince Michael of Kent (a cousin of the Queen) in the 1970s. They got married in 1978 in Vienna, and though Prince Michael lost his succession rights to the throne, they were reinstated in 2015. Princess Michael is an author, and one of her most popular books, The Serpent and The Moon, is about her famous ancestor Diane de Poitiers. The couple have two children and live in Kensington Palace. In honour of her birthday, we will take a look at one of her most worn tiaras during her tenure as a member of the British Royal family.
The Kent Festoon Tiara
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— The Royal Watcher (@saadsalman719) January 15, 2021
The Kent Festoon Tiara
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The Kent Festoon Tiara is composed of a series of elaborate diamond elements (festoons) topped by a single pearl. The tiara originally featured a base of collet diamonds, but they were replaced with a base of a row of pearls by Princess Michael. Unlike most other jewels from the Kent collection, this tiara has no clear provenance. It was made, possibly by Cartier, around 1900. The tiara first appeared on Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent in the 1950s, and may have been inherited from Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll (a daughter of Queen Victoria) in 1939.
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Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, the daughter-in-law of King George V and aunt of Queen Elizabeth II, started wearing the Festoon Tiara in the 1950s, by then widowed for almost 10 years. Some of the earliest appearances were at the 1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and a series of portraits by Dorothy Wilding. Princess Marina wore the Festoon Tiara for a lot of grand occasions during the 1950s and 60s, often with her Girandole Earrings. At her death in 1968, the Kent Festoon Tiara passed to her younger son, Prince Michael of Kent.
In 1960, Princess Marina lent the Festoon Tiara to her daughter, Princess Alexandra of Kent, when she represented the Queen during the Independence of Nigeria. Princess Alexandra wore the tiara at one of the main events and the opening of parliament, when she delivered speeches.
In 1962, Princess Marina again lent the Festoon Tiara, this time to her daughter-in-law and successor Katherine, Duchess of Kent. The Duchess wore the Tiara when she and the Duke went to represent the Queen at the Independence of Uganda. The Duchess of Kent wore the tiara at the main ceremony and at the Opening of Parliament the next day. In 1965, the Duchess of Kent wore the Tiara at a gala event during the Independence of Gambia.
Embed from Getty Images
Princess Michael wearing the Kent Festoon Tiara
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— The Royal Watcher (@saadsalman719) January 15, 2021
Embed from Getty Images
Princess Michael wearing the Kent Festoon Tiara
https://t.co/cumxDCnkgg pic.twitter.com/t7jrqqxCJ8
Embed from Getty Images
Princess Michael of Kent started to wear her mother-in-law’s Festoon Tiara soon after her marriage. Though not her most worn Tiara, which is the City of London Fringe, the Festoon Tiara has been worn for many official portraits and foreign royal events. Prince and Princess Michael regularly attend (but are not usually photographed at) State Banquets, and the Kent Festoon Tiara was worn most recently at the Wedding Ball of Crown Prince Leka of Albania in October. I wish Princess Michael a very Happy Birthday and many more Tiara wearing occasions.
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