Today marks the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Carmen Franco, Duchess of Franco and Marchioness of Villaverde, who was born on this day in 1926! The only daughter of Spanish Dictator General Franco often wore this versatile Pearl and Diamond Tiara from her mother, ‘Doña Pearls’!
The exact origin of the Tiara is not known but it was acquired by Spanish Dictator General Franco by 1950 and is composed of a base of pearls and diamonds topped with detachable elements in diamonds and pearls, which seem to date from the 1940s.
Carmen Franco María del Carmen Franco y Polo first wore the Tiara when she married Cristóbal Martínez-Bordiú, 10th Marquis of Villaverde at the El Pardo Palace in Madrid in 1950.
From the 1950s, the Pearl Tiara was worn on a number of occasions by Carmen Polo, the wife of the Spanish Dictator General Franco and mother of Carmen Franco, including for an official portrait in 1950. She was known as ‘Doña Pearls’ because she wore many massive pearl necklaces.
In 1960, Carmen Franco, Marchioness of Villaverde wore the Pearl Tiara again when she and the Marquess represented Spain at the Wedding Ball of King Baudouin and Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón at the Royal Palace of Brussels.
A few years later, Carmen Polo notably wore the Pearl Tiara for a Gala with the Greek and Spanish Royal Families to mark the re-opening of the Teatro Real in Madrid in 1966.
Just the lower portion of the Tiara was often worn by Carmen Polo for State Banquets at the Royal Palace of Madrid, including for the Portuguese President in 1961 and for President Richard Nixon in 1970.
In 1972, Carmen Polo wore the Pearl Bandeau Tiara for the Wedding of her granddaughter, Maria del Carmen Martinez-Bordiu y Franco, to Don Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Cadiz in the chapel of the El Pardo Palace in Madrid.
Two years later, the Pearl Bandeau Tiara was worn again by Carmen Polo when María de la O “Mariola” Martínez-Bordiú married Rafael Ardid y Villoslada in 1974.
In 1976, the Duchess of Anjou and Cadiz wore the Pearl Bandeau Tiara for the Wedding Gala of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Silvia Sommerlath at the Royal Opera in Stockholm. The fate of the Pearl Tiara is unknown, but it may have been sold off by the family.
