Princess Margaret handled things her own way in almost every element of her life, including her wedding.
The late Princess, known for defying royal procedure and upsetting long-standing custom, chose to buy her wedding tiara rather than take one from the royal vault.
In 1959, Princess Margaret purchased the Poltimore tiara at auction. The Princess wasn’t even engaged when it was purchased.
The Poltimore tiara has been thoroughly explained by diamond specialists at Steven Stone, including its astounding price, to commemorate what would have been Princess Margaret’s 93rd birthday today.
Lady Poltimore initially owned the Poltimore tiara, having bought it from Garrard in 1870. Through her family, it was finally inherited by her grandson, the Fourth Baron Poltimore, who in 1959 sold it to Princess Margaret for £5,500 at auction.
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The jewel is a remarkable diadem that can be removed from its frame. It can even be converted into brooches and a fringe necklace.
It features a long row of cushion-shaped and old-cut diamond clusters alternating with scroll designs set in diamonds, with old-cut diamond terminals on top of them.
Prior to Princess Margaret’s wedding, the diadem was only seen on the Princess a necklace. It wasn’t worn as a tiara until the day of her wedding.
Clearly one of her favourite pieces of jewellery, Princess Margaret wore the tiara frequently throughout her life.
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Although she was frequently photographed wearing it, the most well-known image was taken in 1962 by her then-husband, however, it wasn’t made public until 2006. In the picture, the Princess wore the tiara while posing in a bathtub.
In 2006, a private buyer paid an astounding £1.4million for the tiara. After carefully examining the pictures that are accessible, Steven Stone specialists determine that it will be worth £4million in 2023.
Maxwell Stone, the leading diamond expert at Steven Stone said: “Princess Margaret did things her own way, in just about every aspect of her life – and that included her wedding day.
“Renowned for breaking royal protocol and challenging age-old tradition, the Princess decided to purchase her wedding tiara, rather than borrow one from the extensive vault of crown jewels.
“Princess Margaret bought the Poltimore tiara – which originally belonged to Lady Poltimore – at an auction in 1959 for £5,500. The tiara can be convertible and taken off its frame – by doing this, it can be transformed into a fringe necklace and eleven brooches.
“It features an entire row of cushion-shaped and old-cut diamond clusters, alternating with diamond-set scroll motifs, each surmounted by old-cut diamond terminals.
“Though the Princess kept the tiara in regular rotation throughout her life, thus as photographed multiple times in the piece, there’s one photograph in particular that sticks out – a photograph that sees the Princess posed in the bathtub, whilst wearing the tiara.
“Taken by her then-husband Anthony Armstrong-Jones in 1962, the photograph didn’t become public until 2006. I’d estimate the tiara to be worth £4million, making it one of the most expensive tiaras to have been worn by a British royal bride.”
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