Happy Birthday to Virginia Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie, who turns 86 today! The American-born wife of the Earl of Airlie, the Chancellor of the Order of the Thistle and the former Lord Chamberlain to the Queen Mother, the Countess has been the Queen’s Lady of the Bedchamber since 1973, and is also the sister-in-law of Princess Alexandra of Kent. She recently regained attention for giving the American President a strong handshake, so to mark her birthday, we are taking a look at the heirloom Airlie Tiara, not the same as her sister-in-law’s Ogilvy Tiara!
Featuring pearls and diamonds set in a victorian frame, the Airlie Tiara was first pictured on Mabell, Countess of Airlie, the grandmother of the present Earl and a lifelong friend and Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Mary, the grandmother of the present Queen.
The Countess of Airlie notably wore the Tiara in a portrait, with an added base, which can be worn as a bracelet or as a tiara in its own right, and also wore the piece at a Gala Performance for the French President in 1939, right before the outbreak of the Second World War.
While the Airlie Tiara wasn’t pictured on the following Countess, she might have worn it for her son’s Wedding Ball at Windsor Castle in 1963, the piece was frequently seen when another Countess, Virginia, became the Queen’s Lady-in-Waiting in 1973, and can be seen in the background of many Official Photos and Galas.
In her capacity as the Queen’s Lady of the Bedchamber, the Countess of Airlie has also attended countless State Openings of Parliament, from 1974 to 2012, always wearing the Airlie Tiara.
More frequently, the Countess of Airlie wears the Airlie Tiara for State Banquets and Gala Receptions at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace, where she is hard to find, but can be spotted. It appears that none of her daughters or daughters-in-law have been pictured wearing the Airlie Tiara, but we wish the Countess many more years of health, so that she may wear the piece for years to come.
Following the death of the Countess of Airlie in 2024, the Airlie Tiara is going on Auction in London in October 2025.
We have been researching the jewellery of Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, the late Dowager Countess of Airlie for several years so it was delight to see the collection intact before it goes up for Auction!
Airlie Tiara
Devonshire Tiara
Devonshire Diamond Rivière
Ruby Clasp
Wellington Tiara
Diamond Earrings
Diamond Tassel Earrings
Bagration Spinel Tiara
Rosebery Tiara
Diamond Necklace
Westminster Myrtle Wreath Tiara
Diamond Fringe Tiara
Duchess of Buccleuch’s Tiaras
Northumberland Tiara
Duchess of Sutherland’s Tiara
Duchess of Bedford’s Tiaras
Marlborough Tiara
Portland Tiara
Duchess of Norfolk’s Sapphire Necklace
Rutland Tiara
Argyll Tiara
Manchester Tiara
Dufferin Tiara
Bath Tiara
Milford Haven Ruby Kokoshnik
Duchess of Devonshire’s Tiaras
Spencer Honeysuckle Tiara
Spencer Tiara
Spencer Diamond Earrings
Spencer Diamond Rivière
Tourmaline Brooch/Pendant
Londonderry Tiara
Londonderry Amethyst Parure
Londonderry Pearl Parure
Londonderry Turquoise Parure
Londonderry Diamond Stomacher
Londonderry Emerald Parure
The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara
Vladimir Tiara
Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik Tiara
Belgian Sapphire Tiara
Burmese Ruby Tiara
Brazilian Aquamarine Tiara
Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara
Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara
Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara
Nizam of Hyderabad Tiara
Plunket Tiara
Featuring pearls and diamonds set in a victorian frame, the Airlie Tiara was first pictured on Mabell, Countess of Airlie, the grandmother of the present Earl and a lifelong friend and Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Mary, the grandmother of the present Queen. The Countess notably wore the Airlie Tiara in a portrait, with an added base, which can be worn as a bracelet or as a tiara in its own right, and also wore the piece at a Gala Performance for the French President in 1939, right before the outbreak of the Second World War.
Embed from Getty Images
While the Airlie Tiara wasn’t pictured on the following Countess, she might have worn it for her son’s Wedding Ball at Windsor Castle in 1963, the piece was frequently seen when another Countess, Virginia, became the Queen’s Lady-in-Waiting in 1973, and can be seen in the background of many Official Photos.
Embed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty Images
In her capacity as the Queen’s Lady of the Bedchamber, the Countess of Airlie has also attended countless State Openings of Parliament, from 1974 to 2012, always wearing the Airlie Tiara.
Embed from Getty Images
More frequently, the Countess of Airlie wears the Airlie Tiara for State Banquets and Gala Receptions at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace, where she is hard to find, but can be spotted. It appears that none of her daughters or daughters-in-law have been pictured wearing the Airlie Tiara, but we wish the Countess many more years of health, so that she may wear the piece for years to come.
Wow! Excellent job spotting the Countess! It is so much fun to read about the lesser known aristocrats and their jewels!