Happy Birthday to the Duke of Alba, who turns 70 today! The Head of the five centuries-old House of Alba, the Duke is the eldest son of the late 18th Duchess of Alba, who was the most titled aristocrat in the world. To mark the Duke’s Birthday, ahead of the wedding of his Heir later this week, we are taking a look at the Duchess of Alba’s Tiaras-

Ducal Coronet

A traditional Spanish Ducal Coronet, this Emerald and Diamond Piece features eight strawberry leafs on a pearl and diamond base, which has been in the family since the mid 19th century, and was worn by 16th and 17th Duchesses of Alba.

The Ducal Coronet was often worn by iconic 18th Duchess, who wore the piece frequently throughout her  long life, for Portraits, Balls, and Weddings.

The Duchess of Huéscar wore the Alba Ducal Coronet in a portrait taken in either 2021 or 2022, which is displayed at the Palacio de Las Duenas in Seville and the Palacio di Liria in Madrid.

Empress Eugénie’s Pearl Tiara

Originating from Empress Eugenie of France, a sister of a previous Duchess of Alba, the Pearl and Diamond Tiara features poiré pearls atop seven diamond loops fashioned in the shape of laurels, alternated with floral spikes. The piece was worn by the 18th Duchess at her first wedding in 1947, and at a couple of grand events, including the Imperial Ball in New York in 1959.

In 1998, Empress Eugénie’s Pearl Tiara was worn by the Duchess’ only daughter, Eugenia, the 12th Duchess of Montoro at her wedding to Bullfighter Francisco Rivera Ordóñez. The Tiara now belongs to the Duchess of Montoro.

‘La Rusa’ Tiara

A magnificent Diamond Tiara composed of diamond loops set as a  Diamond Kokoshnik, hence why it became known as ‘La Rusa’, and was listed in family inventories as “a Russian crown with diamonds” mistakingly linking to to Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia.

What is known is that the Russian Diamond Tiara originated from the Duchess’ maternal grandmother, the Duchess of Híjar and Aliaga, and had passed been along to her daughter, the 17th Duchess of Alba, who wore it for an Official Ceremony at the Royal Palace of Madrid in the late 1920s, as shared by @archivodejoyas.

Several decades later, the ‘La Rusa’ Tiara was worn by the 18th Duchess of Alba for Infanta Pilar’s Debut Ball in Estoril in Portugal in 1954, though in her memoirs she erroneously recalled wearing her Pearl Tiara.

Infanta Pilar’s ​​coming-out party was a very emotional event. For the occasion, I chose a white dress with ruffles and wore a pearl and diamond tiara.”

Not long afterwards, the Duchess wore the Diamond Kokoshnik Tiara for a series of official portraits taken by the photographer Juan Gyenes at the Palacio de Liria in Madrid.

The Duchess of Alba also paired the Russian Diamond Tiara with the heirloom Emerald Necklace for one of the galas prior to the wedding of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, in Athens, in 1962.

In 1977, the Russian Diamond Tiara was worn by a reluctant Princess María of Hohenlohe-Langenburg when she married the Duchess’ second son, the then Duke of Aliaga and now Duke of Hijar, in Marbella, as the Duchess of Alba recalled:

Then there was that incident with the tiara, the platinum and diamond one, the one we knew as ‘tLa Rusa,’ which I had inherited from my grandmother Hjar. It was a much-loved and symbolic jewel for the House and for me. And Alfonso, Duke of Aliaga—the title that corresponded to the firstborn son on the House of Hjar, my mother’s line—a Grandee of Spain, was the first of my children to marry. I understood that they didn’t choose a more suitable place for their wedding, but I found it hard to understand why she didn’t want to wear our tiara, since I had offered it to her with all my affection and respect for tradition. Finally, she reluctantly accepted.”

Over a decade later, Doña Matilde Solís-Beaumon wore the Russian Diamond Kokoshnik Tiara without complaint when she married the the Duke of Huéscar, the heir to the Dukedom of Alba in Seville in 1988.

Quite the opposite would happen with Matilde Solís, Carlos’s future wife, who a few years later would wear “La Rusa” without any problems.

Mati and Carlos got married in the same place I did: at the main altar of Seville Cathedral. Mati was radiant. She wore a marvelous wedding dress, like something out of a fairy tale, designed by José María Cerezal. And she proudly wore our tiara, “La Rusa”—it was only a short time later that I had to sell it. Carlos wore the Seville Royal Cavalry uniform that my father loved so much and that looks so good on my sons. He even looked taller.”

However, despite its dynastic importance, in the 1990s, the Duchess of Alba auctioned off the Russian Diamond Kokoshnik Tiara to buy a horse for her son, the Duke of Arjona, who who represented Spain in show jumping at the 1992 Summer Olympics and later won the gold medal at the Spanish Show Jumping Championship in 2006

By the mid-eighties, he knew without a doubt that he wanted to be part of the Spanish team for the Barcelona Olympic Games, and before long, he had earned a spot on the national squad entirely on his own merits. There were, however, some rather complicated matters to resolve: I had to sell my Russian tiara so that Cayetano could purchase a magnificent horse—Gigoló—and thus devote himself fully to riding and competing.

After being auctioned at Christie’s, the Russian Diamond Kokoshnik Tiara was acquired by Joseph Saidian & Sons Jewellers in New York from an American Dealer for around €200,000. After various owners, it was most recently put up for sale by MS Rau Jewellers for €2.5 million in 2022.

The Duchess of Montoro not only restoried my discovery but also shared a new picture of her wearing Emerald Earrings at the Wedding of her nephew, the Count of Osorno, at the Palacio de Liria in Madrid yesterday!

Learn More: https://t.co/6NY7eAumZV https://t.co/hUA3nIcTIv pic.twitter.com/0AxQ7ydSdL

— The Royal Watcher (@saadsalman719) May 23, 2021

Alba Ducal Coronet

Empress Eugénie’s Pearl Tiara

‘La Rusa’ Diamond Tiara 

Fleur-de-Lys Tiara

Chaumet Tiara

Cartier Pearl Tiara

Mellerio Shell Tiara

Empress Eugenie’s Emeralds

Aquamarine Parure

Turquoise Tiara

Queen Victoria’s Strawberry Leaf Tiara

 Cartier Diamond Bandeau

Joyas de Pasar

Diamond Rivière

Diamond Earrings

Diamond Bracelets

Cartier Stomacher

Emerald Brooch

The Duchess of Alba owned a Diamond Kokoshnik Tiara, known as ‘La Rusa’, which she inherited from her maternal grandmother, the Duchess of Híjar and Aliaga, which she claimed came from Empress Marie Feodorovna of Russia.

The piece was worn by brides that married into the family, including a reluctant Princess María of Hohenlohe-Langenburg when she married the Duchess’ second son, the Duke of Hijar, in 1977, and by Matilde Solís when she married the current Duke of Alba in 1988.

Later, the Tiara was sold by the Duchess to buy a horse for her son, the Duke of Arjona, and despite appearing for sale in recent years, has not been reacquired by the family.