LADY ELIZABETH Bowes Lyon, youngest daughter of the 14th Earl of Strathmore, married Albert, Duke of York, second
son of King George V and Queen Mary, in April 1923. After the royal Marriage brought Lady Elizabeth her first experience of owning and wearing jewellery of real distinction.
The Halo Tiara was formed as a band of 16 graduated scrolls, set with 739 brilliants and 149 baton diamonds, each scroll divided by a graduated brilliant and with a large brilliant at the centre; original offered in a red leather box, but with later Garrard label.
THIS TIARA is designed in the ‘halo’ style, popularised by Cartier to suit the softer hairstyles of the 1930s and intended to be worn at a steep angle at the front of the head. Halo tiaras were especially in demand with Cartier’s London clientele. Cartier, London,made it in 1936 with Diamonds in platinum the ms are: 3 × 18 cm; Cartier London.
This one, which came into Cartier’s London stock on 24 August 1936, was purchased by the Duke of York on 18 November the same year, barely three weeks before he succeeded his brother as King George VI; Queen Elizabeth first wore it in public when still Duchess of York. Above a picture from the Cartier Archive of the year 1936.
It was given to Princess Elizabeth(later Queen Elizabeth II) for her 18th birthday, on 21 April 1944.She never wore it in public, but in the 1950s, The Queen loaned it to her sister, Princess Margaret, and in the 1970s it was borrowed by Princess Anne, Princess Royal.
In 2011, Her Majesty loaned the tiara to Miss Catherine Middleton, for her marriage to Prince William of Wales in Westminster Abbey on 29 April.
The total weight of the brilliants is recorded as 47.74 metric carats, and of the batons as 8.93 metric carats, Cartier Archive, E.3440.A.X.
RA GVI Private Bills/13/02, January 1939, £1,400..
Sources:Court Duke of York;Munn,Australian Womans Weekly;Boucheron Archive;The Bystander,Sheffield Daily Telegraph
Liverpool Echo;Dundee Evening Telegraph ,
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