But it was her choice of headpiece that drew most of the attention. The Princess wore Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara, an elaborate jewel set with more than two thousand diamonds. Despite the magnificence of the piece, eagle-eyed observers quickly noticed something that bothered them. Several online commenters pointed out that the tiara appeared slightly askew, at least from the front. Others remarked that her hairstyle may have contributed to the illusion, noting that from behind it looked perfectly aligned.
A tiara with a long and complicated history
The Oriental Circlet was originally commissioned by Prince Albert and later declared by Queen Victoria as an heirloom of the Crown. She herself refused to wear it after his death, but future queens continued the tradition. The Queen Mother wore it frequently during George VI’s reign and long after his passing. Queen Elizabeth II used it only once during a visit to Malta in 2005.
