Camilla's State Visit Look Had a Special Queen Elizabeth Connection Not Many Noticed
Looking regal in a green lace Fiona Clare gown, Queen Camilla completed her ensemble with the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara.
After Donald Trump's state visit in September, Queen Camilla got another tiara moment on December 3, when she and King Charles hosted German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and First Lady Elke Büdenbender at Windsor Castle. Looking regal in a green lace Fiona Clare gown, the Queen Consort completed her ensemble with the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara. What many royal watchers didn't realize was its profound connection to the late Queen Elizabeth, who wore the treasured heirloom throughout her remarkable 70-year reign.
Camilla first debuted the headpiece in January 2023 and brought it out again for the solemn state visit. Meanwhile, the late Queen famously wore the tiara in portraits of her on various British and Commonwealth coins and banknotes. The Royal Collection Trust mentions that the heirloom was originally given as a wedding gift to the then-Duchess of York, later Queen Mary, in 1893 by the 'Girls of Great Britain and Ireland.' According to The Court Jeweller, Lady Eva Greville organized the fundraising campaign to pay for the piece, which was commissioned from Garrard. Her hard work raked in so much money that the remaining funds were donated to support the wives and children of sailors who lost their lives in the HMS Victoria collision.
Many more images of the Queen wearing the historic heirloom circulated over the years, including a birthday portrait from the 1950s, and many of these likenesses were later used on stamps, coins, and banknotes across the UK and the Commonwealth. One such depiction, created by designer Roger Withington in 1990 for a new series of $6.50 (equivalent to £5) banknotes, became the portrait featured on the front of all Bank of England notes until her death in September 2022.
The late Queen Elizabeth had inherited the tiara from her grandmother, who gifted it to her as a wedding present when she married Prince Philip in 1947. She was reportedly so fond of the piece that she often referred to it as 'Granny's tiara,' a nod to its sentimental origin. It originally featured pearl toppers, but Queen Mary later redesigned it so that diamonds sat along the top instead. The pearls removed from the setting were repurposed for her Lover's Knot Tiara, a favorite of Kate Middleton. The piece itself showcases delicate festoon and fleur-de-lis motifs and can even be converted into a necklace.
Camilla's thoughtful nod to the Queen at the state banquet isn't the only time she has worn the tiara in respect for her mother-in-law. During a 2023 dinner at Mansion House, she wore the same tiara to mark her Coronation year. In yet another poignant tribute, she chose a dazzling necklace and bracelet set that once belonged to the late Queen, jewels the monarch received for her 21st birthday. The then-Princess Elizabeth celebrated that milestone while in South Africa, and during a radio address from Cape Town, she pledged her lifelong commitment to serving the Commonwealth.
