A Fascinating Floral Tiara from Hanover

Prince Ernst August of Hanover is the current head of the House of Hanover, the royal family that reigned in Hanover until 1866. In 1999, he married his second wife, Princess Caroline of Monaco. The couple are still married today, though they’ve been separated for more than a decade. During their years together, though, the Prince and Princess of Hanover often attended major royal events as a couple. One of these occasions took place in Copenhagen in May 2004: the royal wedding of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark.

For the gala held the night before the royal wedding, Princess Caroline wore a halter dress made of tiers of satin fabric. Each tier was embellished with sparkling beads, allowing the princess to shimmer as she walked. She carried a matching evening bag and wore shoes to match as well.

Caroline’s jewelry for the evening was a mixture of pieces from her own collection and that of her husband’s family. The impressive, towering diamond tiara she wore has a floral theme, with blossoms, leaves, and berries featuring prominently in design. The Hanoverian Floral Tiara, as it is usually called, is generally thought to be a nineteenth-century jewel. It was also worn by Prince Ernst August’s first wife, Chantal Hochuli, and more recently, it’s been worn as a bridal tiara by both of his daughters-in-law, Ekaterina and Alessandra.

For the pre-wedding gala in Denmark, Princess Caroline paired the tiara with her own diamond floral earrings. She’s been wearing the earrings for years, including appearances that pre-date her marriage to Ernst August. She’s continued to wear the earrings for galas in Monaco since their separation. Some have guessed that, like the diamond corsage ornaments she also owns, the earrings may be a legacy from her grandmother, Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois.