New Royal Bride Harriet Sperling Skips Heirloom Tiara for a More Sentimental Option
For her dreamy wedding, Harriet Sperling made a surprising decision when it came to choosing which tiara she would wear to the ceremony.
Harriet Sperling was an absolute vision as she walked down the aisle at All Saints' Church in Kemble. As the newest royal bride, she had opted for a stunning Emily Wickstead lace high-column gown for her special day. And although her wedding gown was truly spectacular, it was another detail about her look that grabbed attention - her tiara.
There had been an intense debate in the run-up to Sperling’s wedding to Peter Phillips on whether or not she would wear a tiara to the ceremony. One side of the speculation suggested that she might forgo the tradition as it was her second wedding, while the opposing argument was that she would wear one of her mother-in-law, Princess Anne’s, tiaras. Both sides of the debate were proven wrong, as Sperling did wear a sparkling diamond and pearl tiara, but it didn’t belong to the Princess Royal.
Instead, the new bride picked a sentimental option in the form of Pragnell, the jewellers, who had been behind her engagement ring. The Pragnell tiara had been loaned to Sperling for the special occasion. Interestingly, the tiara held an uncanny resemblance to the tiara that Anne had worn in her fiftieth birthday photograph. “This intricate tiara dazzles the eye by showcasing a design typical of both the Edwardian and Deco periods, which is very rare in all jewellery,” the jeweller said as per Town and Country Magazine.
The Pragnell tiara has a storied past as well. The jeweller added, “Favoured as a bridal headpiece and owned by the Pragnell family, this delicate tiara has been worn by generations of Pragnell family members and was present at the Coronation of both King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.”
Sperling is not the first royal bride to wear a tiara in her second wedding, as there is reportedly no protocol on the issue. Her sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, had worn Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau tiara during her wedding to Prince Harry in 2019. However, Anne and Queen Camilla had opted to forgo tiaras during their second weddings to Sir Timothy Laurence and King Charles, respectively. The latter had, however, worn a headpiece for the occasion. Both of them had worn tiaras in their first weddings.
It is unlikely that Sperling had worn a tiara during her first wedding. But as a royal now, she can be expected to wear elaborate headgears during public appearances and other royal events.
