The Most Stunning Royal Wedding Tiaras Ranked

Looking like a princess trended in 2022, and we wanted to take a minute to talk about the most princessy accessory of all: tiaras. They've become especially popular for modern-day brides, so much so that designers like Garrard & Co. keep stockpiles of them on hand (per South China Morning Post). Andrew Prince, the designer of the on-screen tiara from 2015's "Cinderella," sums up the headpiece's appeal perfectly for Net-a-Porter: "Of all the pieces of jewelry worn by women throughout history, the tiara reigns supreme. Not only because of its regal connotations, nor its undoubted splendor, but because of the way the person feels elevated when wearing one. There is something almost instinctive about these jewels; it is impossible to hold one and not put it on your head."

Over the years, royals all over the globe have inspired fantasy-loving little kids and adults alike with their beautiful crown jewels. Combined with the most opulent, romantic wedding ceremonies on earth, these royal families continue to give us a lot to dream of. From regal, ancient heirlooms to sleek, modern crowns, we've ranked our top royal wedding tiaras from low-key gorgeous to over-the-top stunning. Keep scrolling to learn more about these famous diadems!

This popular royal headpiece has its origins in Greece, so it's only fitting that the first diadem on the list features a distinct Grecian design. The Meander Tiara, most frequently worn by Princess Anne, is a simple tiara with an interesting history and a shocking price tag of roughly £1 million, or about $1.2 million (per Express). According to historian Lauren Kiehna, it was handed down from Prince Philip's side of the family, which had royal roots in Greece (per The Court Jeweller).

Likely crafted by renowned jeweler Cartier in the early 1900s, this type of diadem was styled after the natural flow of a river. "The word 'meander' is derived from the small river Maiandros in Phrygia," expert Hans Nadelhoffer wrote in "Cartier." "In ancient Greece, the river's serpentine curves inspired the motif of an ornamental band of regular lines set at right angles to each other." 

Though Princess Anne didn't wear this particular tiara for her special day, her daughter Zara Phillips used it for her wedding to Mike Tindall in 2011. It's a stunning yet modest crown, perfect for modern princesses and brides.

As you can see from the image above, this lovely floral crown was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth II's mother, who was also named Elizabeth. The queen mother wore this diadem for her official wedding portrait with Prince Albert, England's soon-to-be King George VI, in 1923. It fits in perfectly with the Windsors' historic tradition of wearing flower crowns rather than tiaras for weddings, a practice that's less common for modern royals (think Kate, Meghan, and Eugenie).

Apparently, this crown of silver, gold, and diamonds was designed by Catchpole & Williams as a gift for the new bride from her father (per "The Queen's Diamonds"). One appraiser believes it's worth about £500,000 — or $600,000 (per Express). The piece later passed down the line, but it hasn't been seen on a royal since.

The tiara's design came with a few fun secrets too! "[It] was supplied with two alternative frames, one invisible (for wear as a bandeau over the brow), the other padded (for wear on the head)," Sir Hugh Roberts wrote of the diadem in "The Queen's Diamonds." "It could also be dismantled to form five individual brooches, which were originally interchangeable with five single-collet sapphires." Wow! With its easily customizable build, this tiara was really ahead of its time.

You will probably recognize the Diamond Bandeau Tiara, another glistening, slender beauty, from Meghan Markle's 2018 marriage to Prince Harry. Despite its dazzling appearance, it apparently wasn't Meghan's first choice of wedding crown. Royal sources told The Sun that she preferred a diadem with emeralds instead, but was ultimately denied for various reasons.

The centerpiece of the bandeau originally belonged to Queen Mary, the first British queen to hold the Windsor family name (per The Royal Household). After Mary received the beautiful 10-diamond brooch as a wedding gift in 1893, the crown later commissioned the construction of an entire tiara to show off the stunning circle of gems. According to the royal family's website, the tiara is made with platinum and dozens of diamonds, which give it its clean, glittering appearance. In case you're wondering how much it might be worth with all those diamonds, jewelry expert Daena Borrowman told Express that the diadem is worth approximately £2 million ($2.4 million)!

Nothing says "star of the show" quite like the stunning Dutch Star Tiara. Máxima Zorreguieta wore this twinkling headpiece on her wedding day in 2002, when she married into the Dutch royal family (per Royal House of the Netherlands). An Argentine commoner by birth, Máxima became queen after her husband took the throne in 2013. According to historian Lauren Kiehna, this diadem was forged with two separate pieces: Queen Emma's 10-point star brooches and the frame of the Pearl Button Tiara (per The Court Jeweller). 

Apparently, Máxima's daughter, Princess Catharina-Amalia, is a huge fan of tiara history and has been known to rock the star crown on occasion as well. The college-age royal explained in her biography (via People): "I love tiaras. Show me a tiara, and I'll know where it came from. I can recognize all the tiaras of Europe." She wore the Dutch Star Tiara for her first official tiara photograph alongside Norwegian Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, and little Swedish Princess Estelle.

Another Greek-inspired tiara, the Prussian Tiara, sparkled on top of journalist Letizia Ortiz's head during her 2004 wedding to then-Prince Felipe of Spain. It was first enjoyed by Princess Victoria Louise, one of Felipe's royal German ancestors, as a wedding gift in 1913 (per The Court Jeweller). The crown was passed down from ruler to ruler in the family; it was used by Felipe's mother on her wedding day in 1962 and again by Letizia roughly 40 years later (per Vogue). The gifting of the tiara became a wedding tradition of the Spanish royal family.

This piece was reportedly crafted by Robert and Louis Koch, who were together named the "Jeweler of the Court." Its silvery sparkle comes from its platinum frame and dozens of inlaid diamonds, which have held up surprisingly well over the century it's been used. According to a 2021 report from jewelry appraisers and insurance experts, the Prussian Tiara is worth about £2 million ($2.4 million) and costs the royal family over £31,000 a year to insure (almost $38,000). No wonder the public hasn't seen this tiara in years — each outing is an expensive gamble! 

This one may look simple and less sparkly, but it's higher up on our list because of its uniqueness. Unlike so many other wedding crowns, this one is made with gold (instead of platinum or silver) and features pearls (rather than diamonds) as the main adornment. It's aptly named the Cameo Tiara after the many cameos, or little portraits, that line the top of the crown (per Nelson Coleman Jewelers). "The stones themselves might not be worth much but a tiara like this would have cost a year's salary for most people in Paris at the time," jewelry specialist Kristian Spofforth said of other similar royal headpieces of the early 1800s (via The Telegraph).

Norwegian historian Trond Norén Isaksen wrote that the first owner of this tiara was probably Queen Hortense of Holland, who was seen wearing the crown in the early 1800s. That makes the Cameo Tiara over 200 years old! Later in the 20th century, royal descendants began wearing it for their weddings, including Queen Silvia of Sweden in 1976. Her daughter, Crown Princess Victoria, dusted off the heirloom for her own wedding in 2010, and it looked as new as the day it was created!

Props to the jewelers who made this tiara; it appears as authentic and majestic as any other royal heirloom, but it's actually a replica! First worn by Queen Maud of Norway following her marriage to Danish Prince Carl in the late 1800s, the original crown was decorated with diamonds and topped with teardrop-shaped pearls. A second tiara was created by Garrard as a replacement for the real diadem after it was stolen in 1995 (per The Court Jeweller). The new design features two different configurations: a uniform bandeau or one with a large centerpiece (as seen on Queen Maud herself). Princess Märtha Louise, pictured above, opted for the simpler design on her wedding day in 2002.

Queen Maud's Pearl Tiara isn't the only diadem that's gone missing. As historian Lauren Kiehna recounted in an article on lost crown jewels, at least 10 royal tiaras have either been stolen, sold by royal families, or lost over the years (per The Court Jeweller).

Who could forget the late Princess of Wales and her iconic tiaras? As it turns out, Princess Diana's famous wedding tiara was originally made in 1767 and given to another Spencer, Diana's grandmother Cynthia Spencer, in 1919 (per Sotheby's). The diadem was then updated in the 1930s, crafted with a diamond-encrusted gold and silver frame, which curls into a lovely heart shape in the middle. Many of the ladies in the Spencer family have used it for their weddings, and Diana was no exception. When she married Prince Charles in 1981, she paired the diamond sparkler with a fluffy taffeta dress, an enormous train, a waist-length veil, and some matching earrings.

Following her death and the 2022 death of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III named Prince William and Princess Kate the new Prince and Princess of Wales. Though one might think Kate would be the new rightful owner of the Spencer Tiara, Hello! reported Diana's granddaughter will inherit the diadem instead. According to Sotheby's, "The tiara was most recently worn by Celia McCorquodale — niece of the 9th Earl Spencer Charles — at her wedding in the Spring of 2018. The Spencer Tiara remains in the possession of the Spencer family."

The closer we get to the most stunning royal wedding tiara, the more regal the sparklers become! Made with diamonds, of course, the swirl-patterned Khedive of Egypt Tiara has more height than most of the tiaras we've covered so far. The Cartier Wreath Scroll Tiara, as it's also known, is worth roughly £2.5 million (or $3 million) and costs almost £40,000 (about $47,000) to insure every year.

It was designed as a wedding gift for Princess Margaret, daughter of the Duke of Connaught, in the early 1900s. It was from Abbas II of Egypt, the last khedive, which gives the tiara its name. Margaret's descendant, Princess Benedikte of Denmark, is pictured wearing the crown for her 1968 wedding above, but she wasn't the first or last in her family line to do so (per Tiara Mania). Queen Margrethe II, before she was queen, used the same scroll tiara for her 1967 wedding ceremony, and Princess Benedikte's daughters, Princess Alexandra and Princess Nathalie, also wore this tiara for their special days.

Not many royals can say they wore a pink-gemmed diadem with matching earrings to their wedding! When she married into the Italian royal family in 2003, French actor Clotilde Courau wore this beautiful pink tourmaline tiara to mark her wedding day. The pop of color alongside so many diamonds really catches the eye and elevates this tiara from sparkly to sensational.

The Savoy Tourmaline Tiara is one of the few crown jewels to survive the House of Savoy's exile from Italy, which occurred following World War II. The last reigning Italian monarch, King Victor Emmanuel III, failed to stop dictator Benito Mussolini from gaining power and inflicting violence on citizens during the height of fascism, so naturally, the people wanted him and his family gone (via The National WWII Museum). The remaining crown jewels, which are reportedly worth over €300 million in total (about $318 million), are in the custody of the Bank of Italy, but modern-day descendants of King Emmanuel III are trying to get them back (per The Telegraph). "The monetary value of the jewels doesn't interest us," Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy told The Telegraph. "What is more important is the historical and sentimental value that they have for the family."

Made with a fancy curled design and many, many diamonds, this stunning parure of crown and necklace is an important set of jewels for the Japanese royal family. This white, almost wrought-iron look sparkler was first worn in 1959 when then-commoner Michiko Shōda married then-Crown Prince Akihito. In archival footage of their public reception, you can easily spot this bright, sparkly tiara on top of her head. The two could also be seen in traditional Japanese attire for the wedding ceremony. She and her husband were empress and emperor of Japan until 2019.

The tiara was donned again by another commoner, Masako Owada, years later when she married the emperor's son, Prince Naruhito, who has since taken up the throne as emperor. During their 1993 wedding ceremony, they wore the same traditional robes as the previous generation and changed into western-style formalwear for their parade through town (per The Washington Post). Even from a distance, you can see the same glittering tiara shining prominently on top of the then-princess' head.

The Fringe Tiara, named for its dazzling fringe-like wall of gems, has been worn by three princesses for royal wedding ceremonies. Queen Elizabeth II wore it first in 1947, followed by her daughter, Princess Anne, in 1973. Funnily enough, the queen reportedly told Kate Middleton she had trouble with the tiara's clasp on her wedding day: "The catch, which I didn't know existed, it suddenly went. ... I thought I'd broken it. ... We stuck it all together again, but I was rather alarmed" (via Hello!). Thankfully, she was able to get it fixed in time, and the rest of the world was none the wiser! Princess Beatrice also wore the diadem in 2020 for her private wedding ceremony, along with other vintage items from the British royal wardrobe (per Marie Claire). 

According to Garrard, the tiara was originally designed for Queen Mary, an ancestor of the Windsors, in the early 1900s. A work order for the piece read: "Mounting 633 brilliants and 271 rose diamonds from your majesty's own tiara, bracelet, and monogram in gold and silver settings in a Russian pattern tiara with adjustable head frame, allowing for old settings." The jewels can also be removed from the frame and worn as a necklace! We love this tiara for its classic design and royal splendor.

Once in a while, a floral diadem takes us by surprise, and this one completely blew us away! Though the maker of this carefully designed diamond tiara is unknown to most crown jewel experts, Tiara Mania speculated that Danish jeweler Anton Michelson had a hand in its creation. As the Amalienborg Museum points out, he served as the Danish court's official "maker of orders." He later passed the business to his son (per The British Museum). Regardless of who may or may not have made it, it's a stunningly detailed crown we can't get enough of!

Although the provenance is a bit murky, it's believed Princess Dagmar of Denmark first wore this in the early 1900s before passing it to her nephew, King Frederik IX (per The Court Jeweller). From there, it was passed down until it was lent to Princess Marie Cavallier, who wore it for her 2008 wedding.

Princess Eugenie wore this elegant emerald-encrusted tiara with matching earrings for her 2018 wedding to Jack Brooksbank, and we're in love with its simple yet sparkly design. From afar, the little teardrop-shaped cuts in the frame create a pattern that looks like Celtic knots, which is gorgeous. "The tiara is made of brilliant and rose cut diamonds pavé set in platinum, with six emeralds on either side," the British royal family's official website wrote of the diadem. "Princess Eugenie is wearing diamond and emerald drop earrings which are a wedding gift from the groom." 

This style of crown is apparently called "kokoshnik" and was the hot new look for royal courts around the world when it was first created (per The Royal Household). According to Town & Country, luxury brand Boucheron made the diadem for jewelry aficionado Margaret Greville. Margaret, who was close to the royal family, gifted most of her high-end jewelry collection to Queen Elizabeth's mother upon her death. 

We've saved the best for last! The Poltimore Tiara combines everything we love about each of these magnificent tiaras into one beautiful crown: the regal coronation crown style, detailed curls and flowers, a convertible frame, and, of course, the many glittery diamonds. In 1960, Princess Margaret married photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones while wearing this enormous sparkler (per Vogue). It was originally owned by Lady Poltimore in the 1800s and can be worn at least four different ways (per The Court Jeweller).

One expert from Garrard confirmed to Vogue that Princess Margaret elected to pay for the tiara herself, despite the slew of tiaras she could choose from as a royal. "We're finding more and more now that women are purchasing for themselves, but way back in 1959, she chose it for herself. She must've loved it to do that." The diadem, which cost the princess £5,500 (or about $6,600), was auctioned after her death for over £900,000 (roughly $1 million) (per Christie's). Today, it is estimated to be worth upward of £3 million, or about $3.6 million (per Express).