Story behind Queen Camilla’s controversial £7million tiara that belonged to the late Queen

Queen Camilla’s tiara dazzled guests at the banquet held at Buckingham Palace to honour the Emperor and Empress of Japan, who are visiting the country on a state visit

Queen Camilla wearing the Burmese Ruby and diamond tiara (
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Queen Camilla dazzled as she arrived at Buckingham Palace to host a lavish state banquet for the Emperor and Empress of Japan, alongside King Charles. But as with many of the formal pieces in the royal collection, there is a long story behind her choice of headware.

The Queen wore an embroidered cream silk crepe dress by Fiona Clare, one of her go-to designers, which she complemented with silver heels and a matching clutch. Adding sparkle to her outfit, she wore a diamond necklace and a coordinated set of ruby and diamond earrings, as well as a bracelet.

For the first time, Camilla sported the new Family Order on her left shoulder, along with the late Queen’s. The Family Order is a badge worn by female members of the Royal Family, though last night Her Majesty was the only one to wear the new badge.

However, it was Camilla’s eye-catching and highly debated tiara that took centre stage – the Burmese Ruby and diamond tiara, famously worn by the late Queen Elizabeth and estimated to be worth around £7 million, reports the Express.

The Burmese Ruby tiara has been highly controversial ( 
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(Image: Getty))
King Charles’s wife honoured her guests by wearing their national colours, white and red, while also paying homage to the beloved late monarch.

Camilla previously wore the tiara in 2023 during the South Korean State Banquet at Buckingham Palace. The headpiece has been labelled as one of the most controversial pieces the late Queen wore, both for its design and its symbolism.

Elizabeth commissioned the House of Garrard in 1973 to create the Burmese Ruby tiara with gems she received as a wedding gift from the people of Burma.

Queen Elizabeth wearing the Nizam of Hyderabad tiara in 1951 ( 
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(Image: Getty))
The tiara dazzles with a whopping 96 rubies and an array of diamonds, some plucked from the now-dismantled Nizam of Hyderabad tiaraa transformation that raised eyebrows among Royal aficionados.

Gifted to Elizabeth as nuptial bling by the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad himself, the original Nizam of Hyderabad Tiara was always an eye-catcher, winning the hearts of those who closely follow Royal jewellery collections, making its deconstruction a subject of heated debate.

Superstition plays a role tooit’s thought the Burmese presented Elizabeth with 96 rubies because they’re associated with protection against maladies. According to local belief, there are 96 common afflictions, so the gifting of these gemstones implies safeguarding the then-Queen’s well-being.

2019 revived chatter about the famed headpiece when Elizabeth donned it for a UK state dinner hosting none other than ex-US President Donald Trump, sparking speculation if she was making a subtle dig by choosing a tiara linked to repelling harm.

Queen Elizabeth wearing the Burmese Ruby tiara in 1992 ( 
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Maxwell Stone of Steven Stone jewellers spoke of the tiaras estimated worth: “The beautiful tiara is not only sentimental, but it’s also very valuable, as Burmese rubies are extremely precious and rare.

“The tiara’s jewels are set in a series of rose motifs inspired by the Tudor Rose, which pay homage to British Heritage. Considering the number of rubies and diamonds featured in this piece, we estimate it has a staggering value of around £7,000,000.”

The state banquet welcomed the Japanese guests as they rubbed shoulders with British royalty, including the King and Queen, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, alongside the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Buckingham Palace revealed that the banquet boasted a sumptuous three-course meal featuring high-quality British ingredients, including langoustines, turbot, and a delightful peach sorbet.