Today marks the Anniversary of the Death of Grand Duchess Hilda, who died on this day in 1952! The daughter of Grand Duke Adolphe of Luxembourg and Princess Adelheid-Marie of Anhalt-Dessau, Princess Hilda became the last Grand Duchess of Baden. To mark the Anniversary, we are featuring her magnificent Diamond Floral Tiara!
Featuring five large flowers alternating with six smaller blossoms surrounded by scrolling foliage, this charming tiara has an articulated frame, allowing the angle to be adjusted. Also, some of its elements are detachable and can be set on additional fittings to be turned into brooches, a bracelet, hair-pins, and a comb. As noted by the Art Historian and Jewellery Expert Christophe Vachaudez:
the piece was commissioned by Duke Adolphe Wilhelm of Nassau-Weilburg, who would later become Grand Duke of Luxembourg, on the occasion of the betrothal of his only surviving daughter, Princess Hilda of Nassau, to Prince Frederic of Baden, in 1885. The maker was Jakob Speltz und Söhne, one of the main jeweller suppliers to the Nassau family at that time. As noted by Hilda in her will, her father gave her the tiara in August 1885, just a month before the wedding”.
Princess Hilda was photographed wearing her Diamond Floral Tiara and court dress for official portraits taken shortly after her marriage to the heir of the Grand Duchy of Baden.
Years later, Grand Duchess Hilda wore the same Floral Tiara in photographs commemorating her husband’s accession as Grand Duke in 1907.
Hilda wore the Floral Tiara for some family weddings: the one of Princess Sophie of Luxembourg to Prince Ernst Heinrich of Saxony in 1921, as well as the one of Princess Elisabeth of Luxembourg to Prince Ludwig Philipp of Thurn und Taxis in 1922.
Grand Duke Frederic and Grand Duchess Hilda remained childless. The Grand Duke ruled Baden until 1918, when he was deposed, dying 10 years later, in 1928, after which the Dowager Grand Duchess divided her time among her various properties. She primarily resided on Mainau, a private island on Lake Constance, and frequently visited her extended family—especially her five surviving nieces, daughters of her brother, Grand Duke William of Luxembourg. After Grand Duchess Hilda’s death in 1952, the Diamond Floral Tiara was inherited by her niece, the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Grand Duchess Charlotte wore her beloved aunt’s Tiara frequently during the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s. Notably, she wore it at a gala dinner held in honour of King Baudouin of the Belgians during his State Visit to Luxembourg in 1959, and again the following year in Brussels at a banquet at the Musée du Cinquantenaire, held on the eve of King Baudouin’s Wedding to Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón.
The Tiara was also worn at a banquet in honour of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit of Thailand during their State Visit to Luxembourg in 1960, as well as at a gala during Grand Duchess Charlotte’s State Visit to France in 1963.
One of her final appearances in the piece came during a state dinner hosted by President John F. Kennedy at the White House, as part of her State Visit to the United States in 1963—shortly before her abdication in 1964.
After that, the Floral Tiara disappeared from public view, leaving many to speculate about its fate. For years, its whereabouts remained a mystery—some wondered if it still lay hidden in the depths of the family’s royal vaults, while others feared it had been lost to time. Today, we are pleased to unveil the story of what truly became of it. As Vachaudez also notes:
Princess Marie-Gabrielle, one of the Grand Duchess’ daughters, an accomplished sculptor, who married Count Knud of Holstein-Ledreborg in 1947, frequently wore the Diamond Floral Tiara on loan from her mother during the family reunions she attended in Luxembourg. That’s probably the reason why, when her mother died, in 1985, Princess Marie-Gabrielle of Luxembourg, Princess of Bourbon-Parma and Countess of Holstein-Ledreborg, inherited this historical Diamond Floral Tiara”.
We can also reveal that Grand Duchess Hilda’s Diamond Floral Tiara is now the property of the famous Swiss dealer Thomas Faerber, who has exhibited it on his stand at the 2025 edition of GemGenève.
This article was written by assistant editor, David Rato, who runs the Spanish Royal Jewels account on Instagram!
Grand Duchess Hilda’s Diamond Tiara
Grand Duchess Hilda’s Diamond Floral Tiara
Baden Emerald Necklace
Luxembourg Empire Tiara
Luxembourg Chaumet Emerald Tiara
Grand Duchess Adélaïde Tiara
Grand Duchess Hilda’s Diamond Floral Tiara
Baden Sunburst Tiara
Baden Ruby Tiara
Diamond Floral Tiara
Meander Kokoshnik Tiara
Princess Margarita’s Diamond Tiara
Princess Margarita’s Turquoise Tiara
Baden Palmette Tiara
Diamond Floral Tiara
Baden Diamond Rose Brooch
Antique Corsage Tiara
Pink Topaz Parure
Probably given as a Wedding Gift when Princess Hilda of Nassau married the Hereditary Grand Duke of Baden in 1885, the Hereditary Grand Duchess wore the Tiara for an Official Portrait in the 1880s and for another Portrait in the 1900s, after becoming the Grand Duchess of Baden.
Despite the end of the Baden Monarchy in 1918, the couple, who had no children, were quite close to the Swedish Royal Family, through her sister-in-law, Queen Victoria of Sweden who was married to her cousin, King Gustaf V, and Grand Duchess Hilda seems to be wearing the Tiara at King Gustaf V’s 80th Birthday Gala Performance in 1938.
After Grand Duchess Hilda’s death in 1952, the Diamond Floral Tiara was inherited by her niece, Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg, the Sovereign of the world’s last remaining Grand Duchy. In 1959, Grand Duchess Charlotte wore Grand Duchess Hilda’s Diamond Floral Tiara for a Gala Dinner during King Baudouin of Belgium’s State Visit to Luxembourg.
Grand Duchess Charlotte also wore the Tiara for the State Dinner hosted by President John F Kennedy at the White House, during her State Visit to the United States in 1963, one of her last before her Abdication in 1964. The Diamond Floral Tiara has not been publicly worn since the 1960s, and probably resides in the Luxembourg Royal Vault. Lets hope we get to see it worn again soon!
Probably given as a Wedding Gift when Princess Hilda of Nassau married the Hereditary Grand Duke of Baden in 1885, the Hereditary Grand Duchess wore the Tiara for an Official Portrait in the 1880s and for another Portrait in the 1900s, after becoming the Grand Duchess of Baden. Despite the end of the Baden Monarchy in 1918, the couple, who had no children, were quite close to the Swedish Royal Family, through her sister-in-law, Queen Victoria of Sweden who was married to her cousin, King Gustaf V, and Grand Duchess Hilda seems to be wearing the Tiara at King Gustaf V’s 80th Birthday Gala Performance in 1938.
https://twitter.com/jetpack/status/1038005830988324864Embed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty Images
After Grand Duchess Hilda’s death in 1952, the Diamond Floral Tiara was inherited by her niece, Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg, the Sovereign of the world’s last remaining Grand Duchy. In 1959, Grand Duchess Charlotte wore Grand Duchess Hilda’s Diamond Floral Tiara for a Gala Dinner during King Baudouin of Belgium’s State Visit to Luxembourg. Grand Duchess Charlotte also wore the Tiara for the State Dinner hosted by President John F Kennedy at the White House, during her State Visit to the United States in 1963, one of her last before her Abdication in 1964. The Diamond Floral Tiara has not been publicly worn since the 1960s, and probably resides in the Luxembourg Royal Vault. Lets hope we get to see it worn again soon!