It’s that time of year again! For the few days leading up to the New Year, we have a series of ‘Year in Review’ articles, compiling and featuring the Royal highlights of 2020. It’s my birthday today, and since all birthdays should have Tiaras, today’s feature is a roundup of the Royal Tiaras of 2020!
(as always, click on the link to get to the detailed article on the Tiara/Event)
Before we recap, some personal comments:
- First off, my oft-repeated phrase from last year: ‘2019 lives up to being a dismissal tiara year’, had nothing on this year with too many missed tiara opportunities to count.
- This year’s Tiara appearences came mainly from Weddings and Portraits, as well as a couple of New Year Receptions and State Openings of Parliaments that happened before the rise of the pandemic in March.
- Each Year, there is a Royal lady that has had more notable Tiara appearances than the others, and after Queen Mathilde in 2016, Queen Letizia in 2017, Queen Máxima in 2018, and the tie of Empress Masako of Japan and Queen Azizah of Malaysia last year, this year, Empress Masako and Queen Azizah tied again, with two Tiara appearences each, both in the Meiji Scroll Tiara and Gandik Diraja Tiara.
- The Tiara appearences of other Queens include two for Queen Margrethe of Denmark and one for Queen Letizia of Spain. Due to the pandemic, Queen Elizabeth II (her new portrait was taken last year and has been added into last year’s tally), Queen Sonja of Noway, Queen Silvia of Sweden, Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Queen Máxima of The Netherlands, and Grand Duchess Maria Theresa of Luxembourg had no recorded Tiara events in 2020.
- Understandably, there also weren’t many Tiara debuts and reappearances, with notable exceptions including Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara, the Grand Duchess Adélaïde Tiara, and the Marichalar Tiara.
- In addition to all the Tiara events, we have featured articles on hundreds of royal jewels throughout the year, which you can visit HERE and HERE!
Also, let us know your favourite tiara from this year, and would would you like to see next year!
January
The year starts off with the annual Japanese New Year’s Reception at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on New Year’s Day, at which Empress Masako wore the Meiji Scroll Tiara, Crown Princess Kiko wore the Diamond Scroll Tiara, Princess Mako her 20th-Birthday Tiara, Princess Kako her Diamond Tiara, and extended members of the Imperial Family wore their Personal Tiaras.
That same day, the Danish Royal Family hosts their annual New Year’s Reception at Amalienborg Palace, at which Queen Margrethe wore the Danish Emerald Parure, Crown Princess Mary wore the Danish Ruby Parure, Princess Marie was in the Dagmar Floral Tiara, and special guest Princess Benedikte wore Queen Sophia’s Star and Pearl Tiara.
We got a surprise New Years Reception in Luxembourg, which was supposed to replace the annual National Day Gala in June, and had Grand Duchess Stéphanie wearing Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte’s Sapphire Necklace Tiara, while Princess Alexandra wore the Chaumet Pearl and Diamond Choker Tiara.
Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand wore a Cartier Aquamarine Tiara on the cover of the January 2020 edition of Harper’s Bazaar Thailand, and a wore a Diamond Star Tiara at a performance of the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra on her 33rd birthday.
Tunku Ampuan Besar Aishah Rohani of Negeri Sembilan wore a Diamond Tiara at an investiture ceremony at the Istana Besar Seri Menanti.
February
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Queen Letizia wore the Fleur-de-Lys Tiara, Joyas de Pasar Earrings, and Bracelets for a series of new official portraits released by the Spanish Royal Household in February, but probably taken earlier.
Empress Masako of Japan wore the Meiji Scroll Tiara and two Diamond Riveres for a series of new formal photos in May 2019, which were released to mark the Emperor’s 60th Birthday in February 2020.
March
Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin of Selangor wore Tengku Ampuan Rahimah’s Diamond Fringe Tiara at the opening of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly in March.
April
While we were still grappling with the realities of the pandemic (and all the cancelled Tiara events), the ‘Kungliga Smycken’ Documentary was released, featuring conversations with Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Christina.
While her lavish 80th Birthday celebrations were cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic, Queen Margrethe wore the Pearl Poire Tiara and the Crown Pearl Suite for a new Portrait taken to mark her 80th Birthday.
May
Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah of Malaysia wore the Gandik Diraja Tiara for the State Opening of the Malaysian Parliament in Kuala Lumpur.
June
Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin of Selangor wore Tengku Ampuan Jemaah’s Ruby and Diamond Tiara in a new portrait released to mark her 49th birthday.
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden wore the Connaught Tiara and the Baden Fringe Tiara for a series of portraits released to mark her and Prince Daniel’s 10th Wedding Anniversary in June.
July
Princess Raiyah bint Hussein of Jordan wore a Diamond Necklace with one of Queen Noor’s Sapphire Brooches as a Tiara for her Wedding to Faris Ned Donovan at Buckhurst Park in Windsor.
Princess Beatrice of York wore Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara, borrowed from the Queen, along with one of the Queen’s Norman Hartnell gowns for her Wedding to Count Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in an intimate ceremony at the Royal Chapel of All Saints near Royal Lodge, Windsor.
Blanca de Marichalar y del Corral, the eldest daughter of the Count and Countess of Ripalda, wore the Marichalar Tiara for her Wedding in Soria.
August
Princess Sofia of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn wore a Diamond Floral Tiara for her Wedding to Archia Akhavan-Kharazian at the St. Lorenz Church in Mondsee, Austria.
Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah of Malaysia wore the Gandik Diraja Tiara for the King of Malaysia’s Official Birthday Celebrations at the Istana Melawati in Putrajaya.
Countess Elisabeth von Rechberg wore a Diamond Floral Tiara for her Wedding to Count Benedikt von Waldburg-Zeil at St. Martinus Church in Donzdorf, Germany.
September
Camille Ascoli wore the Fife Fringe Tiara, which was off display at Kensington Palace, with a note left explaining that it was to be worn ‘as per family tradition’ for her Wedding to the Earl of Southesk, the eldest son and Heir of the Duke and Duchess of Fife. Sadly we have not gotten any pictures of the wedding.
Lucy Yorke-Long wore a small Tiara for her Wedding to the Marquess of Worcester, eldest son and Heir of the Duke of Beaufort, in a small ceremony at Badminton House.
Archduchess Gabriella of Austria wore the Luxembourg Grand Duchess Adélaïde Tiara for her Wedding to Prince Henri of Bourbon-Parma at Schloss Tratzberg in Austria.
Ines de Marichalar y del Corral, daughter of the Count and Countess of Ripalda, wore the Marichalar Tiara for her Wedding.
The Hon. Antalya Nall-Cain wore the Brocket Tiara for her Wedding to Prince Frederick Alexander von Preussen at St John’s Church, Lemsford.
Countess Vittoria von Waldburg zu Wolfegg und Waldsee wore the Waldburg zu Wolfegg und Waldsee Tiara for her Wedding to Dr. Ferdinand Lovrek at Schloss Wolfegg.
October
Princess Charlene of Monaco wore her Ocean Tiara as a Necklace at an Official Dinner during her visit to Georgia.
The Queen of Canada wore her Modern Sapphire Tiara and George VI Sapphire Parure for a new Official Portrait which was taken by Chris Jackson at Windsor Castle in March 2019, but was released by the Canadian Government in October 2020.
November
Empress Masako of Japan wore the Meiji Scroll Tiara and Crown Princess Kiko wore the Diamond Scroll Tiara for the Rikkoshi no Reimei Ceremonies marking the proclamation of Crown Prince Fumihito as the ‘Crown Prince to the People of Japan’.
