THE KOKOSHNIK
Dazzling and sitting up high and proud, the Kokoshnik tiara is a wall of 488 diamonds formed of 61 graduated bars catching light from all angles. It’s based on the traditional Russian girl’s headdress favoured by all the ladies of the Russian court and was a gift to Alexandra, Princess of Wales, for her 25th wedding anniversary in 1888 from the “Ladies Society”, a group of 365 UK peeresses. Queen Mary inherited the fabulous tiara in 1925 and famously wore it for her official 80th birthday portrait. She bequeathed it to her granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1953.