Kent City of London Fringe Tiara

Given as a wedding gift to a Greek Princess who married a British Prince, this Fringe Tiara was loaned to her only daughter, and can now be seen on her colourful Austrian daughter-in-law.

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Given as a wedding gift to Princess Marina of Greece when she married Prince George, Duke of Kent, youngest son of King George V and Queen Mary, (she wore the Vladimir Fringe Tiara from her mother on the wedding day itself) in 1934, by the City of London, the Tiara supposedly comes from the collection of her grandmother, Grand Duchess Vladimir, and was sold to the Rani of Pudukkottai before being bought by the City. The Fringe Tiara was worn by her to some of the grandest occasions after her wedding and during her widowhood, often with her Girandole Earrings and Bow Brooch. In 1937, she wore the Tiara to the Coronation of her brother-in-law King George VI. The Duchess of Kent also wore the Fringe Tiara in a famous series of portraits by Cecil Beaton, and at multiple State Openings of Parliament.

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In 1964, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent loaned the City of London Fringe Tiara to her only daughter, Princess Alexandra, when she married the Hon. Angus Ogilvy at Westminster Abbey. This was the last Kent Tiara worn by the Princess. Since her Wedding Day, she has only worn the Ogilvy Tiara.

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After Princess Marina’s death in 1968, the City of London Fringe Tiara was left to her youngest son, Prince Michael. His wife, Baroness Marie Christine von Reibnitz, wore the Tiara at Ball held in Vienna on the eve of their wedding. Princess Michael has worn the Fringe Tiara for official portraits and on a velvet kokoshnik topped with a string of diamonds. Although not as regularly worn as the Pearl Festoon Tiara, the City of London Fringe is usually worn at State Banquets, where Prince and Princess Michael aren’t photographed.

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UPDATE- In May 2019, Lady Gabriella Windsor, only daughter of Prince and Princess Michael, wore the Kent City of London Fringe Tiara for her Wedding at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.

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For more information, check out:

Duchess of Kent’s Tiaras

Cambridge Sapphire Parure

Kent Festoon Tiara

Kent Pearl and Diamond Fringe Tiara

Kent Pearl Bandeau 

Princess Marina’s Girandole Earrings

Ogilvy Tiara

Fouquet Aquamarine Tiara

Order of Splendor

Artemisia’s Royal Jewels

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