Kate Middleton surprised royal fans when she stepped out in a tiara that hadn’t been seen in nearly a century. The Princess of Wales wore the Strathmore Rose Tiara to a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in November 2023, celebrating South Korea’s president.
It wasn’t just a fashion moment — it was a nod to royal history and a touching tribute to King Charles and his grandmother, the late Queen Mother.
Kate Middleton Brings Back the Strathmore Rose Tiara
GettyThe Strathmore Rose Tiara is one of the most sentimental pieces in the royal collection. The delicate diamond design features five roses across a floral band and originally belonged to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
She received it in 1923 from her father, the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, as a wedding gift when she married the future King George VI. The Queen Mother wore it for several portraits early in her marriage, but according to The Court Jeweller, she was last photographed in the tiara in the 1930s.
Kate’s appearance marked the first time it had been seen in public in over 90 years — and only the second time anyone had ever worn it. It was also just the fourth tiara Kate has worn since joining the royal family.
A Tribute to the Queen Mother and King Charles
Kate’s choice of tiara wasn’t just about style — it was personal. Many viewed it as a heartfelt tribute to the Queen Mother and a quiet nod to King Charles, who shared a close bond with his grandmother before she passed away in 2002.
“Kate has always signaled that she’d like to emulate the Queen Mother’s royal role, and wearing her jewels is an important symbol of that continuity,” royal jewelry expert Lauren Kiehna told People. “It’s fitting that Kate — likely with some assistance from King Charles — would choose to wear the tiara exactly a hundred years after the Queen Mother originally received it.”
Bethan Holt, fashion director of The Daily Telegraph, called the tiara a “lost treasure.” She told the outlet, “The King was so close to the Queen Mother, and knowing one of her most precious pieces is being worn by his daughter-in-law gives a really emotional tie between the generations. If there was anyone to wear that tiara, it was Kate. She was the woman to wear it and carry it forward.”
Tell us! What do you think of Kate Middleton’s fashion choices often having a double meaning? Let us know in the comments below.
