Britain · Netherlands · Sweden

It’s a crime!

There are many, many, MANY pieces of jewelry out there in the royal world that simply aren’t used for whatever reason.

Exhibit A: The Teck Crescent Tiara and the Teck Necklace. Oh how I long to see these pieces used again, and I SO wanted to see one of them on Beatrice at her wedding later this year.

Exhibit B:

The Dutch Laurel Wreath Tiara. Possibly the most underused piece of the known Dutch vault. Worn more recently that the Tecks, for sure, but I sure wouldn’t mind seeing it come out of hiding soon.

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In ancient Greece, victorious athletes were crowned with wreaths of laurel leaves. Laurel wreaths have been Western cultural symbols of victory for centuries since, so it shouldn't be surprising that the wealthy and powerful have often commissioned their own diamond versions of laurel wreaths. The style is still so associated with ancient Greece that, in French, these tiaras are often called bandeaux à la grecque.The laurel wreath tiara is one of the oldest pieces in the Dutch collection, but there are two competing theories about its arrival in the family’s vaults. One posits that the tiara originally belonged to Princess Louise of Orange-Nassau, the sister of King Willem I of the Netherlands. The other theory suggests that the tiara was made in the early nineteenth century but purchased by the Dutch royals much later. According to this narrative of the tiara's history, it was acquired in the 1950s by Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard and given to Princess Beatrix to celebrate her eighteenth birthday. Whether it was newly purchased or dug out of the depths of the family’s collection, Beatrix did indeed receive the tiara as a birthday gift, and she wore it regularly as a young princess. She also shared the tiara with two of her sisters, Princess Margriet and Princess Christina.In recent years, however, the focus has been on the Dutch brides who have worn the tiara. Laurentien Brinkhorst wore the diadem at her wedding to Beatrix’s son, Prince Constantijn, in 2001. And Princess Irene's daughter, Princess Carolina of Bourbon-Parma, wore it at her 2012 wedding to Albert Brenninkmeijer. #dutchroyaljewels #tiara #diadem #diamonds #diamond #wreaths #leaves #greekstyle #bandeaux #dutch #royals #foundation #vault #historical #jewels #jewelry #queen #queenmaxima #beatrix

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Exhibit C:

The Swedish Double Diamond Bandeau. A headband? A black tie tiara? A hair ornament in general? Doesn’t matter. Let’s get this puppy cleaned up and on display! You can read more about it at Order of Sartorial Splendor.

What royal pieces are so underused you consider it a crime? Share a photo and why you’d like to see it worn again in the comments!