Happy Birthday to Princess Shova Shahi of Nepal, who turns 75 today! The youngest daughter of the late King Mahendra of Nepal, Princess Shova married Kumar Mohan Bahadur Shahi, and was the only survivor among her siblings of the Nepalese Royal Massacre, but today, we will be featuring her FRED Diamond Tiara!
In the early 1960s, King Mahendra of Nepal commissioned three nearly identical Diamond Tiaras and mirrored necklaces for his three daughters, Princess Shanti, Princess Sharada, and Princess Shova, all made by the jeweller FRED from older jewellery.
In Nepal, there is a tradition for Princesses of one generation to have identical Tiaras, as can be seen with the Tiaras worn by their aunts, the daughters of King Tribhuvan, and also by the daughters o the current Crown Prince.
The first appearance of the FRED Tiara came on Princess Shanti in 1960, when she joined King Mahendra and Queen Ratna on a State Visit to Britain, wearing the Tiara for a Banquet at the Nepalese Embassy and a Gala Performance at Covent Garden.
Five years later, all three sisters wore their FRED Necklaces for a Family portrait in 1965.
Princess Shova was first pictured in her FRED Tiara when she joined King Mahendra and Queen Ratna on a State Visit to The Netherlands in 1967.
A couple of years later, all three Princesses no doubt wore their Tiaras for the Coronation of their brother, King Birendra of Nepal in 1975.
Princess Sharada joined King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya on a State Visit to Spain in 1983, wearing her Tiara for the State Banquet at the Royal Palace of Madrid.
During one of the Banquets for the British State Visit to Nepal in 1986, Princess Shova can be seen wearing her FRED Tiara.
Princess Sharada looks to be one of the ladies we can spot at the Table wearing her Tiara during the Spanish State Visit to Nepal in 1986.
One of the last notable public appearances of all three Tiaras must have been at the coming of Age of Crown Prince Dipendra in 1989, when a big family photo was taken.
Princess Shanti, Princess Sharada, and Princess Shova all posed for a joint portrait, of which we have found other shots of the former two but not Princess Shova.
In June 2001, the extended Royal Family had gathered for a monthly Dinner, when the Crown Prince shot and killed multiple members of the Family, leading to the deaths of King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya and their three children, and led to the accession of the King’s brother, who reigned until the abolition of the monarchy in 2008. Princess Shanti, Princess Sharada, and Princess Shova were all shot in the tragic Massacre, with only Princess Shova surviving. The Royal Family still own their Tiaras so lets hope the FRED Tiaras are worn again soon!
