The discreet tiara of a beloved queen that was worn by an historic heir

Belgium’s future queen wore a tiara once belonging to a beloved great-aunt for Prince Christian’s 18^th birthday in Copenhagen last weekend.

Walking into the gala dinner arm-in-arm with Princess Amalia of the Netherlands, Princess Elisabeth sported the Wolfers Tiara, which was a wedding present to Queen Fabiola in 1960.

Crafted by Belgian jeweller Wolfers as a gift from a group of leading Belgian industrialists, businessmen and other titans of industry from Antwerp, this discreet tiara features 205 diamonds fashioned in rows of two or three, with extending points arranged in almost floral-like designs.

Queen Fabiola wore the tiara frequently throughout her husband’s reign, as she only had three tiaras at her disposal when she married King Baudouin: the Wolfers Tiara, the Nine Provinces Tiara, and the Spanish Wedding Gift Tiara.

This discreet tiara proved to be an adept addition to her arsenal, as it also converts into a necklace.

After King Baudouin died in 1993, Queen Fabiola largely retired from public life, and her use of jewellery decreased significantly. After her death in 2014, she left the tiara to her niece-in-law, the new Queen Mathilde, who has worn it sparingly throughout her husband’s reign.

Princess Elisabeth is only the third Belgian royal to wear the Wolfers Tiara. She received her own tiara on her 18^th birthday in 2019, an antique diamond floral festoon tiara from the 18^th century from an undisclosed owner.