Friends, Britons, Royal fans; it has been too long and will likely be ages before I post again, but something happened today that spurred me to write. And no, it’s not the new(ish) pictures of little Princess Charlotte, though those are also delightful–it’s the return of a piece of jewelry that signifies a shift in the British Royal Family.
This evening TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended a private diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace, an annual event hosted by The Queen around the holidays. It is one of the most exclusive Palace events of the year and involves white tie, not black tie, so you know Her Majesty means business (I live in a world where black tie is about as formal as it gets; I can only salivate about floating around in a world in which I’d be asked to wear white tie).
As usual, I didn’t know this event was happening until it was (likely) already over. I found the photos on social media while I was chatting with my cousin on the phone–and almost burst into tears (sorry, Allegra!).
Behold:
Courtesy People.com
The Duchess of Cambridge is wearing the Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara, a tiara that was loaned to Diana, Princess of Wales, for the duration of her life. It has not been seen since Diana’s death in 1997. I don’t know the last occasion on which Diana wore the tiara, although I believe she did so even after her divorce from The Prince of Wales was finalized in 1996. I’ve been wondering when this specific tiara and others of Diana’s jewels would make an appearance on her daughter-in-law–and now it is has happened, almost 20 years after she died.
This. Is. A. Big. Deal.
There’s so much more to say about this and the tiara’s significance and history but now I’m going to go have some feelings.
An American's Royal Wedding Experience 