Princess Diana's wedding tiara to return to the public eye this summer

The sight of a 20 year old Princess Diana emerging from a royal carriage in 1981, wearing her family’s Spencer Tiara and wedding gown is one which continues to captivate to this day. Over four decades following that special occasion, her royal wedding tiara is set to return to public view as part of a larger exhibition.

The free exhibition, titled ‘Power & Image: Royal & Aristocratic Tiaras,’ will feature over forty historic and royal tiaras - including Princess Diana’s. Held at Sotheby’s London between May 28 - June 15, it explores the evolution of tiara design over the years as it was influenced by changing monarchs, art and various historical shifts.

Royal wedding tiaras — Princess Diana’s tiara belonged to the Spencer family, and featured an ornate floral pattern, made of diamonds and silver. The centre of it was originally a wedding present to Diana’s grandmother, the Viscountess Althorp, given to her in 1919 by Lady Sarah Spencer. Gerrard was asked to create four matching piece to add on in 1937, and the oldest bits are at the ends. The tiara includes diamonds mounted in gold and silver in various floral shapes.

Princess Diana’s wedding tiara is one of the highlights of the show, which is part of a larger programme promoting Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee.

The Spencer tiara is believed to have been crafted in 1767, with Sotheby’s experts stating various design elements were added to it over the years; including by Garrard in the 1930s. Now, the diadem’s design features trailing scrolls, florals and hearts which intertwine in a romantic diamond setting. Both Princess Diana and her two sisters, Lady Jane and Lady Sarah, wore the tiara on their wedding days.

The Spencer Tiara / Credit: Getty Images / Tristan Fewings / Stringer

The tiara has not been worn by a member of the Royal Family since Princess Diana’s passing, as it is not a part of the royal collection and is instead the property of the Spencer family.

More recently however, Princess Diana’s niece Celia McCorquodale wore the tiara for the first time in decades at her own wedding in 2018. Sotheby’s also added the tiara will eventually be inherited by Princess Diana’s granddaughter, Princess Charlotte.

Queen Victoria's emerald and diamond tiaras / Credit: Getty Images / Tristan Fewings / Stringer

Other notable tiaras which feature in the exhibition include Queen Victoria’s 1945 emerald and diamond diadem, topped by nineteen pear-shaped emeralds and numerous diamonds. Crafted by jeweller Joseph Kitching, it was purchased at the time for £1,150 and designed by Prince Albert.

Standout pieces also include the Westminster Halo Tiara, which has previously been worn by celebrities including Alice Cooper, a striking Cartier waveform tiara as well as modern creations by Christopher Thomas-Royds.

Megan is a freelance journalist who covers entertainment and all things lifestyle, with a particular passion for fashion, beauty, travel and Keanu Reeves stories. She has previously worked on staff for titles including Marie Claire UK, CNN Style and The Evening Standard and has written for titles such as Bustle UK, Wallpaper*, Forbes and Hong Kong Tatler. She splits her time between London and her hometown Hong Kong, where she currently lives with the love of her life - an elderly dog named Poppy - and her husband.