Princess Eugenie dazzles in Greville Emerald Kokoshnik tiara loaned to her by the Queen
Princess Eugenie was a vision as fans got a first glimpse of the royal bride arriving at St George's Chapel to say "I do" to Jack Brooksbank on Friday (Oct. 12). While her gorgeous Peter Pilotto gown was totally new, the dazzling tiara on her head was on loan from her grandmother, the Queen. The spectacular Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara first entered the royal family's collection in 1942.
Eugenie rolled up to St. George's Chapel with the brightest smile on her face, and shining just as bright was the eye-catching tiara sitting atop her red hair. The tiara was made by Boucheron for Mrs. Greville in 1919. The 'kokoshnik' style was a traditional Russian headdress, popularized in the Russian Imperial Court. Made of glittering rose cut diamonds pavé set in platinum, the tiara boasts a massive central emerald flanked by six additional emeralds on either side.
Her tiara of choice may be shocking to some royal fans, who were expecting the stunning bride to wear the tiara her mother wore when she got married in 1986. The piece of jewelry was created specifically for Sarah Ferguson to wear when she married Prince Andrew in 1986. When the Duchess of York married into the Royal Family, she used her tiara as a symbol of her transition from commoner to royalty.
As she arrived at her wedding, the blushing bride wore an oversized floral crown, hiding the custom bauble beneath its blooms. During the ceremony the flowers were removed to reveal the dazzling tiara underneath, a custom gem believed to have been made by Garrard as a gift from her new in-laws, the Queen and Prince Philip. It's rare for the monarch to purchase a diadem for a royal bride, opting instead to loan out pieces from her collection, as she did with Kate and Meghan Markle.
Sarah wore a floral crown which was removed during her ceremony to reveal a tiara. Photo: © Getty Images
Princess Eugenie's mom wore the stunning headpiece on numerous occasions, including banquets in the '80s and Elton John's White Tie and Tiara ball in 2001. Although Sarah and Andrew divorced in 1996, the York Diamond Tiara remains the crowning jewel of her jewellery box to this day. With such a storied history and meaningful past, it's no wonder that her daughter wanted to dust it off on her big day - and to breathtaking results!
