CROWN JEWELS
Special meaning behind Zara Tindall’s £4million wedding accessory – and how Meghan Markle’s was only worth half that
Meghan Markle's wedding tiara was surrounded by controversy
WHEN Zara Tindall tied the knot with rugby player Mike she dazzled in a £4million accessory that had a very special meaning.
The daughter of Princess Anne wore the Princess Andrew's Meander Tiara which came from her mum’s sparkling collection.
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Often royal princesses wear the same tiara their mothers did, but Zara opted for something different - however, it still paid tribute to Anne.
Princess Anne had worn the Queen Mary's Fringe tiara when she married first husband Captain Mark Phillips in 1973, which is what Queen Elizabeth II had for her 1947 nuptials.
Many predicted Zara would follow suit, but she chose to wear another piece from Anne’s collection when she married Mike Tindall in 2011.
The Princess Andrew's Meander Tiara belonged to her great-grandmother and is worth a staggering amount due to its design history.
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Princess Alice of Bettenberg - who was the late Prince Philip’s mum - had gifted the diadem to Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding gift in 1947.
Deborah Papas from Prestige Pawnbrokers of Channel 4’s Posh Pawn, told the Express that Zara’s tiara could be worth up to £4million.
She said: "This is the most glamorous piece from Princess Anne's stunning jewellery collection.
“The stunning tiara belonged to her great-grandmother.
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"It was lent to Zara on her wedding day by her mother, Princess Anne.”
The beautiful tiara has a centre laurel and honeysuckle decoration on either side and is studded with diamonds set in a white precious metal.
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Speaking of the tiara’s worth, Deborah estimated: “It is perceived to be made by Cartier in France. If it is a Cartier piece, it could be as much as £2million to £4million."
Zara and Mike tied the knot back on 30 July 2011 at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, with a reception at the Palace of Holyroodhouse - the late monarch's official home in Scotland.
It's reported that Scotland was chosen as the location due to Zara’s close Scottish ties and fond memories of time spent at Balmoral with her grandmother.
The sunny wedding day saw thousands of well-wishers lining up the streets and amongst the guests were celebrities from the world of sports, television and acting, as well as the Royal family.
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Taking place just months after the lavish ceremony of William's and Kate's big day, Mike's and Zara's wedding was considered more relaxed and was led by the late Queen and late Prince Phillip.
Meghan Markle’s tiara choice proved rather tricky for her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018.
The former Suits star had reportedly initially wanted a tiara that featured emeralds, according to royal sources.
But the future Duke and Duchess of Sussex were unhappy when told her first choice was impossible, as no one knew exactly where it came from.
Iconic royal tiaras over the years
ACCORDING to British royal dress code rules only married women can wear tiaras, and all British royal brides in recent memory have worn one on their their wedding day, according to royal expert Lauren Kiehna.
The Cartier Halo Tiara - worn by Kate Middleton
The Cartier number is probably most known for its appearance in 2011 as it was the tiara of choice for Kate Middleton on her wedding day to Prince William.
The Cartier Halo tiara was first commissioned by George VI in 1936, three weeks before he ascended the throne, who gave it to the Queen Mary.
It was then gifted to Queen Elizabeth II on her 18th birthday and inherited by Princess Anne, who has worn it several times in its history.
The subtle headpiece features over 1,000 diamonds - 739 brilliant-cut diamonds and 149 baguette.
Queen Mary's Fringe Tiara - worn by the late Queen and Princess Beatrice
The Princess of York raided The Queen’s wardrobe for her secret wedding and chose to borrow a dress her grandmother had first worn back in 1961.
But it wasn't just the dress she borrowed as she also donned the same tiara her grandmother, the Queen, wore on her own wedding day way back in 1947.
Queen Elizabeth lent her granddaughter the Queen Mary Fringe tiara for her big day, with Princess Anne also sporting the sparkly headpiece for her wedding to Mark Phillips in 1973.
The tiara was crafted in 1919 for Queen Mary and was made from diamonds taken from a necklace gifted to her by her mother Queen Victoria for her wedding.
The sentimental piece is formed of 47 diamond bars with alternating smaller diamond spikes and set in gold and silver.
Spencer Tiara - worn by Princess Diana
The stunning headpiece technically isn't a part of the royal collection as it belonged to Diana's family and she wore it on her wedding day to Prince Charles in 1981.
It been in the Diana's family for decades but has changed over time - much like many of the official royal tiaras.
The family added a topper and extended the ends of the tiara with other pieces in their jewellery collection and has been worn by many of the Spencer women on their wedding day since.
The silver band is made up of many diamonds that are set in tulips, scrolls and other floral patterns.
An insider said: "There was a very heated exchange that prompted the Queen to speak to Harry. She said, ‘Meghan cannot have whatever she wants. She gets what tiara she’s given by me’."
Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, who wrote the tell-all biography Finding Freedom, claimed Harry felt the Queen's dresser Angela Kelly deliberately dragged her feet in helping Meghan choose a tiara for their 2018 wedding day.
In the end, Meghan wore the Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau, which was made in 1932, for the big day.
Compared to Zara’s tiara, Meghan’s was actually worth much less.
Alexandra Michell, Gemologist at Prestige Pawnbrokers of Channel 4’s Posh Pawn, said: "This stunning lozenge bandeau is peppered with diamonds and set in platinum, a section was originally a wedding gift from the County of Lincoln to Queen Mary in 1893 and is a pendant/brooch which I believe can be cleverly detached and worn as such.
"It is set with a large brilliant-cut (possibly old-cut) diamond estimated to be approximately 10 carats or more and surrounded by nine smaller cut diamonds (but not so small at an estimated two to three carats each).
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"It is hard to put a value on this little-seen piece but it could be worth up to £2million."
Meghan’s classic wedding look in Windsor included a timeless dress designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy.
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