See Princess Diana’s Most Stunning Tiaras and Headpieces
See Princess Diana’s Most Stunning Tiaras and Headpieces
Ariana QuihuizThu, March 12, 2026 at 11:45 AM UTC
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Princess Diana wearing the Lover's Knot tiara on November 11, 1985 in Washington, D.C. ; Princess Diana wearing a sapphire headpiece on May 12, 1986 in Japan. ; Princess Diana wearing the Spencer Tiara and emerald headpiece on June 21, 1989Credit: Anwar Hussein/Getty; John Shelley Collection/Avalon/Getty; Kent Gavin/Daily Mirror/Mirrorpix/Getty
Princess Diana had two go-to tiaras.
Diana wore a tiara for the first time when she married now-King Charles on July 29, 1981, which is British tradition. Instead of opting for one from the royal jewelry collection, she chose a family heirloom — the Spencer Tiara.
Diana only wore one other tiara during her time as part of the royal family, the Lover’s Knot Tiara. Queen Elizabeth loaned her the diamond-and-pearl headpiece as a wedding gift, and while she didn’t wear it for the ceremony, it became one of her most worn pieces over the years.
Though Diana favored certain tiaras, she also made bold fashion statements by refashioning necklaces into headpieces. Her use of an emerald-and-diamond choker as a headband for a 1985 visit to Australia became one of her standout looks.
Here’s everything to know about the tiaras Princess Diana wore.
Spencer Tiara
Princess Diana wearing the Spencer Tiara on March 30, 1983 in Tasmania, AustraliaCredit: Anwar Hussein/Getty
The Spencer Tiara is a family heirloom that Princess Diana frequently wore to royal events. It was originally created for Viscountess Montagu in 1767 and it was later gifted to Lady Cynthia Hamilton, Diana’s grandmother, as a wedding present in 1919, per Only Natural Diamonds.
In the late 1930s, Garrard remodeled the tiara to include more family jewels, and Diana eventually donned the version. The diamond headpiece features a central heart shape motif that is surrounded by scrolls, stars and trumpet-shaped flowers.
Diana selected the Spencer Tiara over one from the British royal collection for her wedding to Prince Charles in July 1981. She reportedly often reached for her family’s tiara because it was lighter and easier to wear than other headpieces.
After Diana’s death in 1997, the tiara wasn’t publicly worn again until Celia McCorquodale, Diana’s niece, donned it for her wedding in 2018.
Lover’s Knot Tiara
Princess Diana wearing the Lover's Knot tiara on November 11, 1985 in Washington, D.C.Credit: Anwar Hussein/Getty
Queen Mary commissioned Garrard in 1913 to create the Lover’s Knot Tiara, which is a replica of a tiara owned by her grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse, the Duchess of Cambridge, per Only Natural Diamonds. It was crafted from the Ladies of England Tiara, as well as other diamonds and pearls from Mary’s personal collection.
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The diamond headpiece features 19 arches of brilliant and rose-cut diamonds, 19 pendant pearls and a diamond ribbon “lover’s knot” bow motif. It was originally lined at the top with an additional 19 pearls, which were taken from the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, but were later replaced with a row of brilliant-cut diamonds.
Queen Elizabeth inherited the tiara from Queen Mary after her death in 1953, and later loaned it to Diana as a wedding gift in 1981. Diana wore it on several occasions, including the State Opening of Parliament in 1981 and a visit to Hong Kong in 1989 when she paired it with the famous Catherine Walker "Elvis" dress.
After Diana’s death in 1997, it wasn’t worn again until 2015 when Kate Middleton donned it for the Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace.
Emerald Headpiece
Princess Diana wearing the emerald headpiece in Melbourne, Australia on October 1, 1985. ; Princess Diana wearing the Spencer Tiara and the emerald headpiece as a choker on July 14, 1988Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty (2)
While Diana only wore two tiaras, she was famous for refashioning necklaces into bold headpieces. During a 1985 visit to Melbourne, Australia, she wore an emerald-and-diamond choker as a headband for a gala dinner dance at the Southern Cross Hotel.
Queen Mary was gifted the necklace in 1911 by the Ladies of India during the Delhi Durbar celebrations, per The Court Jeweller. She had Garrard reimagine the piece in 1921 to be an Art Deco-style choker, which featured the original emeralds and diamonds in a platinum setting.
Queen Elizabeth inherited the choker in 1953 and later loaned it to Diana. The Princess of Wales’ hairstylist Richard Dalton revealed in his book It's All About the Hair: My Decade with Diana, Princess of Wales, that she originally planned to wear the necklace to a dinner. But after getting a sunburn, Dalton suggested Diana wear the piece as a headband instead.
Sapphire Headpiece
Princess Diana wearing the sapphire headpiece on May 12, 1986 in Tokyo, Japan. ; Princess Diana wearing the Spencer Tiara with the sapphire headpiece as a choker in Melbourne, Australia on November 6, 1985Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty (2)
Diana also wore a sapphire-and-diamond choker as a headpiece for a dinner at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo in 1986. It featured a sapphire pendant that was surrounded by a strip of diamonds and was set on a blue velvet band.
The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia gifted Diana a suite of sapphires and diamonds as a wedding gift in 1981, per Only Natural Diamonds. The original pieces included a necklace, a ring, earrings, a bracelet and a watch.
Diana had the ring and the watch from the suite refashioned into four new pieces of jewelry, including the velvet choker.
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