Queen Elizabeth II’s reign was legendary. As Queen of England, she was a major player on the world stage and always dressed the part. While her fashion choices will be remembered as iconic, the times when the queen donned the royal family’s crown jewels were some of her most sparkling moments.
They say if you’ve got it, flaunt it, and Queen Elizabeth II certainly had enough diamonds and sapphires to flaunt for eternity, but the late monarch wasn’t flashy. She only wore her extraordinary jewelry on the most special occasions.
_____
Photographed outside Westminster Abbey on her wedding day, Princess Elizabeth looked radiant in Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara. The piece, made in 1919, features 47 bars of delicate diamonds.
_____
For her first State Opening of Parliament in 1952, Queen Elizabeth wore the George IV State Diadem. This piece is made of silver, gold, diamonds, and pearls, and weighs about 3 pounds.
_____
The tiara Queen Elizabeth II was wearing in this photo is known as the Vladimir Tiara. The pearls hanging between its diamond arches can be swapped for other precious gemstones such as emeralds.
_____
The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara was given to the queen by her mother, Queen Mary, as a wedding gift. It was reportedly one of Queen Elizabeth II’s favorites and she can be seen wearing it on some British currency.
_____
Queen Elizabeth had this tiara made in 1963 to match a sapphire necklace and earrings given to her by her father. It’s known as the King George VI Tiara or the Belgian Sapphire Tiara since it was made from a sapphire necklace owned by Princess Louise of Belgium.
_____
The queen’s Brazilian Aquamarine suite of jewels was given to her by the country of Brazil. The necklace and earrings were a coronation gift, and a bracelet and brooch followed. The tiara itself was commissioned by the queen, but features gifted stones.
_____
Though it shares design elements with Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara, Queen Elizabeth II’s Kokoshnik Fringe Tiara is much larger. It contains a whopping 488 diamonds.
_____
One of only two ruby tiaras owned by Queen Elizabeth II, the Burmese Ruby Tiara features 96 rubies throughout its English Rose-inspired design.
_____