She was the first princess in the direct line of succession to the Danish throne for decades and now, as she turns 18, she gets a tiara of her own. As Princess Isabella of Denmark reaches this milestone birthday, she's been given a gem that links her to two queens and a very famous Crown Princess. Quite in keeping with her own place in modern royal history.
Isabella's first tiara is a gift from her grandmother, Queen Margrethe, who abdicated in 2024. Margrethe was always rather fond of it, so that's one box ticked, and she wore it frequently in the last years of her reign so it has that regal vibe that all good tiaras need. But it's also a much loved family heirloom and Margrethe has shown just how important it is by passing it on to the eldest of her female descendants as soon as she had a chance.
The tiara first belonged to Margrethe's grandmother, Crown Princess Margareta of Sweden, whose tragic, unexpected death in 1920 plunged her family into mourning and left her adopted home country bereft. Margareta's only daughter, Ingrid, inherited it and brought it with her to Copenhagen when she married the future Frederik IX. Queen Ingrid died in 2000 and the tiara ended up with the eldest of her three daughters, Queen Margrethe, who wore it to State Dinners, guaranteeing its regal status. She also lent it to other relations, including her niece, Princess Theodora of Greece, who wore it in 2012. But it seems that Denmark's groundbreaking queen always had plans for this gem and now they've come to pass. The tiara belongs to Princess Isabella.
The gala portraits (whatever they may be, I prefer official photos but this phrase seems to be all the rage so let's go with it) also show that Isabella has inherited more than a stunner of a gem from her grandmother. She's chosen to wear this turquoise and diamond tiara with a bright orange gown which is very stylish and really very Margrethe. The jewels on the tiara are shaped into daisies (granny's nickname is Daisy) while it's a bandeau style with roots in French design (providing a link to her grandfather, Prince Henrik, who was French). It's delicate enough to be a first tiara but also striking enough to look very royal. And it's provided this princess with her own place in royal history with Isabella proving she's more than ready to take it up.