Norway’s Tiaras: Queen Maud’s Diamond Tiara (1/?)
The first tiara in this series was brought into the royal family by Queen Maud. According to Order of Splendor, Maud received this tiara as a wedding gift from “Lady and Gentleman Friends” when she married Prince Carl of Denmark of 1896. Nearly ten years later, when Carl became Haakon VII of Norway, Maud brought her tiara with her. Made by an unknown designer, the tiara has rather delicate, floral features topped by diamond uprights.
Following Maud’s death in 1938, the tiara was passed to her daughter-in-law, Crown Princess Märtha. After Märtha’s death in 1954, her three children made a pact that they would wait until the youngest, Harald, married before dividing up her tiara collection. When Harald finally married in 1968, Maud’s diamond tiara went to her oldest granddaughter, Princess Ragnhild. Despite spending most of her time in Brazil, Ragnhild did wear this tiara for state visits and other important events like her younger brother’s 50th birthday. When Ragnhild died in 2012, it was reported that this tiara passed back into the main line of the royal family, though it has not yet been worn by any current members. Personally, I would like for this to become Mette-Marit’s signature tiara when she becomes queen.
