Spencer Tiara

~ Saad719

August 31st will mark the 20th Anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, one of the most iconic women of the last century. In honour of her death anniversary, we are featuring 20 of her most iconic jewels. Today’s feature is the Spencer Tiara!

Spencer Honeysuckle Tiara | Spencer Tiara | Spencer Diamond Rivière

 

When Lady Cynthia Hamilton married Viscount Althorp in 1919, she received the central element of the Tiara as a wedding gift from the groom’s aunt, Lady Sarah Spencer, alongside the two pieces on the end, which were given to Lady Sarah by Frances, Viscountess Montagu in 1875.

When she was appointed a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth in 1937, the now Countess Spencer used those pieces, alongside four other elements created by Garrard, to create this striking Diamond Scroll Tiara.

Countess Spencer seems to have worn the central element of the Tiara as a Corsage Ornament with the Diamond Honeysuckle Tiara for the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

While Countess Spencer was frequently pictured wearing the Diamond Honeysuckle Tiara, she was only pictured wearing the Diamond Scroll Tiara on a handful of occasions as a Lady-in-Waiting to the Queen, among them a Screening of ‘A Star is Born’ in 1937, soon after the Tiara was created.

Countess Spencer also wore her Diamond Tiara for several Gala Performances as well as for a Royal Academy Banquet in 1956, among other occasions until her passing.

After Countess Spencer’s death in 1972, her Diamond Tiara was worn by her granddaughter, Lady Jane Spencer, when she married Robert Fellows in 1978 in London.

The Spencer Tiara was next worn by the elder sister, Lady Sarah Spencer for her wedding to Neil McCorquedale at St. Mary’s Church in Northamptonshire in 1980.

The following year, the Spencer Tiara was notably worn by Lady Diana Spencer to marry the Prince of Wales at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, paired with a pair of Diamond Earrings on loan from her mother.

Over the next decade, the Princess of Wales continued to wear the Spencer Tiara, alternating with Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara for countless Banquets, State Dinners, Royal Tours, and many iconic Portraits, on loan to the Princess from her father, Earl Spencer.

In 1989, model Victoria Lockwood wore the Spencer Tiara to marry Viscount Althorp, now the current Earl Spencer, at St Mary’s Church in Great Brington.

The Princess of Wales continued to borrow the Spencer Tiara through the early 1990s, notably wearing it for her last Banquet, during a Malaysian State Visit in 1993.

After the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, the Spencer Tiara was displayed around the world in the travelling Diana Exhibition over several years.

 In 2018, Celia McCorquodale, the daughter of Lady Sarah, wore the Spencer Tiara for her Wedding to George Woodhouse at St Andrew and St Mary’s Church in Stoke Rochford, Lincolnshire.

Most recently, the Spencer Tiara went on display at the ‘Power & Image: Royal & Aristocratic Tiaras’ Exhibit at Sotheby’s in London, and lets hope we see it worn again soon!

Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara

Spencer Tiara

Sapphire Engagement Ring

Princess Diana’s Collingwood Pearl Earrings

Princess Diana’s Sapphire Choker

Princess Diana’s Spencer Choker

Princess Diana’s Wedding Earrings

Prince of Wales Feathers Pendant

Princess Diana’s Saudi Sapphire Suite

Queen Mary’s Art Deco Emerald Choker

Princess Diana’s Pearl Bracelet

Princess Diana’s Saudi Sapphire Choker

Collingwood Diamond Suite

Princess Diana’s South-Sea Pearl Earrings

Princess Diana’s Emerald Earrings

Princess Diana’s Heart-Shaped Diamond Necklace

Princess Diana’s Pendant Earrings

Princess Diana’s Swan Lake Suite

Queen’s Pear-Drop Diamond Earrings

Princess Diana’s Oman Sapphire Suite

Princess Diana’s Amethyst Suite

Princess Diana’s Aquamarine Earrings

Princess Diana’s Diamond and Pearl Earrings

Princess Diana’s Sapphire Earrings

Princess Diana’s Aquamarine Ring

Princess Diana’s Qatar Pearl Earrings

Princess Diana’s Butterfly Suite

Formed of different pieces, the center element was a wedding gift to Cynthia, Viscountess Althorp from Lady Sarah Spencer in 1919. The oldest pieces of the tiara are at the ends, said to have come from a tiara once belonging to Frances, Viscountess Montagu who left the pieces to Lady Sarah in 1875. Four matching pieces from Garrards were added on in 1937 to create the tiara as we see today.

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While Cynthia, Countess Spencer (grandmother of Diana) was frequently pictured wearing the other Honeysuckle Tiara, she was only pictured this Tiara on a couple of occasions, beginning with a Screening of ‘A Star is Born’ in 1937, with another notable appearence at a Royal Academy Banquet in 1956, when she came into contact with her future daughter-in-law, Raine, the next Countess Spencer.

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After Cynthia’s death in 1978, the first person to be pictured in the Tiara was her granddaughter, Lady Jane Spencer, when she married Robert Fellows in 1978 in London.

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The next person to be seen wearing the Spencer Tiara was her elder sister, Lady Sarah Spencer (a former girlfriend of the Prince of Wales) at her wedding to Neil McCorquedale in 1980.

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However, the most famous appearance of the Spencer Tiara came a year later, when Lady Diana Spencer wore the Spencer Tiara to marry the Prince of Wales at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

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Unlike her sisters, Princess Diana continued to wear the Spencer Tiara frequently after her wedding, as an alternative to Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara. The tiara was worn for banquets, state dinners, royal tours, and many iconic portraits, on loan to the Princess of Wales from her father.

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In 1989, Victoria Lockwood wore the Spencer Tiara to marry Viscount Althorp (heir to the Spencer Earldom and brother of Diana) at the Althrop Church.

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Princess Diana continued to borrow the Spencer Tiara, wearing it on her last Official tour with the Prince of Wales, to South Korea in 1992, and her last Banquet, in 1993, which was the last time the Tiara was publicly worn. After her death, the Spencer Tiara was displayed in the travelling Diana exhibition, and now resides back in the Spencer vaults at Althrop. The current Earl has five daughters, and I have no doubt that we will see the Spencer Tiara worn very soon.

UPDATE- In June 2018, Celia McCorquodale, daughter of Lady Sarah McCorquodale, wore the Spencer Tiara at her Wedding to George Woodhouse at St Andrew and St Mary’s Church in Stoke Rochford, Lincolnshire.

The Tiara is currently on display at ‘Power & Image: Royal & Aristocratic Tiaras’ at Sotheby’s in London

Spencer Honeysuckle Tiara | Spencer Tiara | Spencer Diamond Rivière

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2 thoughts on “Spencer Tiara”

  1. That is not the same tiara in the last picture.look at the “moon shape” sides going away from the heart…the 2nd one on the left is crested TOWARD the left ear, and in the last photo, the crest is pointed TOWARD the face

    Reply

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