Happy Birthday to Princess Silvia, Dowager Duchess of Aosta, who turns 70 today! The Italian aristocrat, from the Paternò di Spedalotto family, daughter of the VI Marquess Di Regiovanni, was the second wife of the late Prince Amedeo of Savoy-Aosta, V Duke of Aosta and Pretender to the Italian Throne. To mark the day, we are featuring one of the Duchess’ major jewellery pieces: the Paternò di Spedalotto Diamond Tiara!
Savoy-Aosta Knot and Star Tiara | Paternò di Spedalotto Tiara | Empress Frederick’s Pearl Earrings
This diamond-set Tiara of foliage design topped by important old cut diamonds is Princess Silvia’s personal property, as she received it via inheritance from her paternal family, the Paternò di Spedalotto, a branch of the House of Paternò, a Sicilian princely family, one of the most prominent and oldest of the Italian aristocracy.
The Diamond Tiara’s main element, two branches of leaves arranged in some sort of heart topped by a peacock tail motif, can be taken of the tiara’s frame and worn as a separate pendant or brooch. In fact, Donna Silvia was never publicly seen wearing this piece as a proper tiara but always with the main element adapted for its other purposes. The Italian aristocrat was first seen wearing this family heirloom as a pendant at her wedding to the Duke of Aosta in 1987. For this occasion, it was paired with the Diamond Earrings from Empress Frederik, her husband’s great-grandmother.
A year later, in 1988, the Duchess of Aosta wore the main element of the Paternò di Spedalotto Tiara as a brooch for the Pre-Wedding Banquet of her stepdaughter, Princess Bianca of Savoy-Aosta, and Count Giberto Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga.
In 1994, the Duchess loaned her family’s Diamond Tiara to her other stepdaughter, Princess Mafalda of Savoy-Aosta, on the occasion of her marriage to Prince Alessandro Ruffo of Calabria, a nephew of Queen Paola of Belgium.
Princess Silvia kept wearing this piece as a brooch or pendant for several high-profile events, most notably for the then Prince of Asturias’ Pre-Wedding Dinner in 2004.
Savoy-Aosta Knot and Star Tiara | Paternò di Spedalotto Tiara | Empress Frederick’s Pearl Earrings
This article was written by assistant editor, David Rato, who runs the Spanish Royal Jewels account on Instagram!
