Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle: What the Duchesses' wedding tiara choices reveal

Even for members of the Royal Family, wearing jewellery from the royal collection is something saved only for special occasions.  Kate Middleton, 37, has been a member of the family since she married Prince William, 36, in April 2011.  Meghan Markle, 37, entered into the family last year when she married Prince Harry, 34, in a ceremony at Windsor castle.  Both of the Duchess’ chose tiaras from the royal collection for their big day, and the ones they picked could reveal a lot about how they are as royals.

When Kate Middleton married Prince William, she opted for the Cartier Halo tiara which had been in the Royal Family since it was created in 1936.

According to an expert, this choice showed she would value tradition by choosing one Prince William’s great grandfather, the Duke of York had given to his wife, the Duchess of York, before they became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

However, by opting for a tiara rarely worn in public, Kate revealed she would be prepared to stand out as a royal, according to Tobias Kormind, Managing Director of 77Diamonds.com.

Tobias told Express.co.uk: “In choosing the Cartier Halo tiara for her wedding, Kate established a new generation of royals.

“While the history of the Cartier Halo tiara began with a love story, it was not a tiara associated with ceremonial occasions of the past.

“It had hardly been seen in public at all and it was therefore a more personal jewel, giving Kate the space to stake her own claim on her new role.”

Tobias explained the tiara was not worn often as Queen Elizabeth preferred larger pieces, but the tiara had been passed down in the family which meant it represented tradition.

“Queen Elizabeth in turn gave it to her daughter Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II, for her 18th birthday who later loaned it to her sisters Princess Margaret and Princess Anne,” he explained.

“After a few decades of it remaining in the Queen’s vault, she ultimately loaned it to Kate.”

Meghan Markle’s choice of tiara may have also given an huge insight into her what her future style would be as a royal.

She chose the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiara, which showed the ex-actor was ready to step into her new role in the Royal Family, but also that she might do things her own way, Tobias explained.

He said: “Meghan Markle always looks impeccable and she took advantage of the flexible nature of this tiara’s design, placing a detachable diamond brooch at it’s centre instead of the sapphire it has been seen with in the past.

“This reflects her immaculate taste and a desire to personalise a look so it works perfectly for her, down to every last detail.”

Although the Duchess might have showed her personal twist with this choice, the tiara had been in the family for a long time which showed her respect to her new family’s traditions.

“The tiara was made in 1932 for Prince Harry’s great great grandmother Queen Mary and specifically designed to accommodate the central detachable brooch of 10 round diamonds, Tobias told Express.co.uk.

“The brooch was given to the then Princess Mary in 1893 by the County of Lincoln on her marriage to Prince George, Duke of York, the future King George V.

“The bandeau and the brooch were bequeathed to Her Majesty The Queen by Queen Mary when she died in 1953.”

Kate and Meghan are both thought to have worn tiaras on their wedding day which they chose themselves.

These choices give an insight into what they are like as members of the Royal Family.

Recently, some important royal jewellery has been put on display for the first time. 

Queen Victoria’s £5 million coronet is currently on display at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.

One tiara, by the designer to the Russian Faberge, is to go on sale at Christie’s in Geneva on May 15, with the eye-watering guide price of around £260,280.