There's absolutely no way of missing this particular royal tiara. It's massive and studded with so many diamonds that, even in the dark, it has to sparkle. And just in case that didn't make it noticeable enough, it has a very mysterious past. However, it's future is guaranteed. For this is one of those tiaras that is meant to sit only on the head of a consort and the country it belongs to knows that it's getting a brand new one of those before this brand new year is done.
Let's head to Luxembourg. The Grand Ducal family has some incredible pieces of jewellery that would make many other dynasties green with envy. And just like other countries, some are only usually worn by a female ruler or the wife of the sovereign. Among those pieces is a gem known as the Empire Tiara. And if Princess Stephanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg fancies giving herself a headache through diamonds then, as of October, this dazzler of a diadem is all hers.
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa is currently the only person to wear the Empire Tiara
While no one has seen any rules written down mentioning Grand Duchesses only, recently this towering tiara has only ever been seen on women with that title. And so, as of October 3rd 2025 when her husband becomes Grand Duke on the abdication of his father, Stephanie will get access all areas to this gem. She might even be doing some physio now to get in shape cos this royal jewel is heavy.
Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte was rather fond of the Empire tiara during her time as consort in Luxembourg
It stands at over four inches high and it's so big, it contains multiple designs. There are geometric motifs as well as scrolls with some fleur de lis thrown in for good measure. All in diamonds, natch. And there are some stunning stones in this tiara. Despite the busy nature of its design, the sparkle of some singular solitaires still stands out. This was a tiara designed to impress and it does it, in spades.
Maria Teresa became Grand Duchess in 2000 but didn't wear the Empire tiara in public until 2006, a year after the death of Josephine-Charlotte
It also has an air of mystery about it, if a four inch tiara covered in thousands of expensive jewels can be in any way mysterious. For no one is totally certain how it entered the Grand Ducal jewellery box although there is a written record of it dating back to the early 19th century. But other than that, its origins are up for debate. A list of those random royals who are only remembered in strange circumstances, like discussions about who bought a tiara, are mentioned as possible purchasers. But if there were receipts, they are long gone. All that remains is the splendour.
Oh, and a little bit of extra. Well, quite a lot, actually. For this tiara was part of the ultimate royal moment. In 1964, Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg abdicated in favour of her son, Jean. And, as you do, she turned up to sign away her throne in this tiara. She'd been in charge of Luxembourg for 45 years and had seen it through some of its hardest times so if she wanted to go out in glitter, no one was really going to stop her.
Grand Duchess Charlotte wore the tiara for her state portrait and wore it to abdicate
In fact, being the savvy sovereign that she was, Charlotte actually brought the perfect circuity to her reign with her pick. She had taken the throne in 1919 after her sister, Marie Adelaide, was forced to abdicate after perceived sympathy with Germany in World War One. Charlotte knew she had to steady her royal ship and so when she married, just months later, she did so in the Empire tiara, to add the air of regality and stability that her doddering Grand Ducal dynasty needed right there and then.
So this tiara brings drama, history, mystery and, yes, all those diamonds. Since Charlotte's abdication, it's been worn by Jean's wife, Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte, and, in more recent years by the current Grand Duchess, Maria Teresa. However, as of October 3rd, there's a queue and at the top of it is Stephanie, the soon to be Grand Duchess of Luxembourg.
Stephanie of Luxembourg likes to keep things discreet but the Empire tiara is anything but that
The current Hereditary Grand Duchess has, so far, stuck to fairly conservative tiara choices but once her husband has the top job, that's not really an option for the big state events. At some point, this titan of a tiara will appear on the head of the new Grand Duchess and there's every chance it will be within hours of her husband's accession. There are no concrete plans for the day that power changes hands in Luxembourg but a glittering gala isn't out of the question.
And when the new Grand Duchess does choose to wear this tiara, a whole new chapter will be added to its diamond studded story. As if it needs any help. This is a tiara that won't be ignored.
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