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History

The tiara made for a queen’s coronation that is now lost forever

A tiara created for King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra’s 1902 coronation was at the centre of one of the most dramatic heists of the twenty-first century. 

At the turn of the 20th century, the Duke of Portland commissioned a new tiara for his Duchess. He turned to Cartier, a proven favourite, to create the scroll-designed tiara. It featured many cushion-cut and briolette-cut diamonds with the Portland Diamond featuring as the centrepiece. 

Winifred, the Duchess, needed a new tiara for the coronation as she was one of Queen Alexandra’s canopy bearers. As one of four women holding the canopy over the queen as she was anointed, Winifred was included in countless portraits from the day. 

The top cluster of the tiara was removed to make a separate brooch and were worn by the family for years. Then, a century on from the tiara’s creation, the story took a dramatic turn.

Both the tiara and brooch were on display at Welbeck Abbey in Nottinghamshire for a special exhibition in 2018.

Winifred, Duchess of Portland, on the nearest side of the portrait, wears the tiara at the Coronation of Queen Alexandra and King Edward VII
(Laurits Tuxen, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

On 20 November 2018, three thieves broke into the gallery where they were on display, smashed the case where they were held, and escaped with both. 

The tiara and brooch were broken up and sadly were never recovered. It is thought that the diamonds were immediately smuggled to Turkey.

However, the mystery was solved as the thieves and their accomplices were identified. Ashley Cumberpatch, Kurtis Dilks, and Andrew McDonald were found guilty of conspiracy to burgle the gallery. Tevfik Guccuk and Sercan Evsin were found guilty of converting the stolen property. 

The gang also targeted other celebrities, including footballer Ashley Cole. 

All that remains of this dazzling diadem are the portraits of a duchess wearing it on the day she witnessed a coronation.

About author

Historian and blogger at AnHistorianAboutTown.com