Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg chose to wear one of her royal family’s most famous tiaras at the State Banquet that began her State Visit to Belgium. And her pick had a sentimental element, too. For the diamond diadem worn by the Grand Duchess was taken to Luxembourg by a Belgian princess on her wedding day. The tiara in question, the Belgian scroll, is just one part of a sparkling collection of diamonds in the Grand Ducal vaults.
Belgian Scroll Tiara
Embed from Getty ImagesPresented to Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium in 1953 upon her marriage to Hereditary Grand Duke Jean, this intricate diamond tiara features a whopping 854 diamonds set in scrolls, crescents, and palmette designs made of platinum. The large centre diamond, which can be detached and worn as a ring, is 8.1 carats; and the central piece can be removed and worn as a brooch.
The diamonds for this tiara were sourced in the Belgian Congo and the tiara was fashioned by Henry Coosemans. It has been worn by Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Princess Sibilla.
Congo Diamond Necklace Tiara
Embed from Getty ImagesMade by Van Cleef and Arpels for Princess Joséphine-Charlotte as a wedding present in 1953, this Luxembourg tiara has become a go-to for royal brides. Chiefly a necklace, it features two rows of round diamonds attached to a row of baguette diamonds.
Princess Joséphine-Charlotte and Maria Teresa wore the Congo Diamond Necklace Tiara on their wedding days; as did Princess Marie Astrid and Princess Margretha. The tiara hasn’t been seen much since the 1980s.
Diamond Vine Leaves Tiara
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Diamond Vine Leaves Tiara is made entirely of diamonds and is set in white and yellow gold. Dating back to the 19th century, this tiara also features a vine and berry motif and can be turned into a brooch or a necklace.
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa has worn this tiara sparingly, but Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie wore it to a pre-wedding event in 2012, and Princess Claire wore it on her wedding day in 2013.
Empire Tiara
Embed from Getty ImagesOne of the largest tiaras in any royal collection, the Empire Tiara debuted, fittingly, on the head of the reigning Grand Duchess, Charlotte, on her wedding day in 1919. The entire tiara is made of diamonds from an unknown source, though speculation points to Russian provenance or German provenance.
The Empire Tiara has exclusively been worn by Grand Duchesses since its debut. When Grand Duchess Charlotte abdicated in favour of her son, Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte began to wear it. Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, who assumed the title in 2000, didn’t publicly debut this until her mother-in-law passed away.
Lannoy Tiara
Embed from Getty ImagesHereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie (then Stéphanie de Lannoy) chose to wear her family tiara on her wedding day in October 2012. The Lannoy Tiara features 287 brilliant-cut diamonds in scroll motifs, with a large, pear-shaped diamond in the centre.