The Princess of Wales may have worn only a few tiaras since joining the monarchy, but one stands out — a piece she returns to with such consistency that it suggests a story of sentiment, symbolism, and secrets the public has yet to hear.

April 29, 2011

Kate Middleton made her tiara debut for the ultimate special occasion: her wedding day! Kate borrowed Queen Elizabeth’s Cartier Halo Tiara for her 2011 wedding to Prince William at Westminster Abbey.

December 3, 2013

It was another year and a half before Kate donned her second tiara, the Lotus Flower, at a diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace.

“It’s a beautiful pearl and diamond piece,” expert Leslie Field, author of The Queen’s Jewels, previously told PEOPLE the Egyptian-style tiara, which was also previously owned and often worn by the Queen’s late sister, Princess Margaret. “It’s very much in the ’20s style and probably quite lightweight and comfortable to wear.”

October 20, 2015

The then-Duchess of Cambridge opted for the Lotus Flower Tiara again for her first official state banquet in 2015, welcoming Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Madame Peng Liyuan. She paired the stunning accessory with a red Jenny Packham dress.

December 8, 2015

Kate chose the Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara for the Annual Diplomatic Reception in 2015, worn with an ice blue gown by Alexander McQueen. The piece was a favorite of Princess Diana, who wore it on multiple occasions.

December 8, 2016

Kate sported the Lover’s Knot Tiara again for the annual diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace in 2016.

A little more than a century old, the tiara was originally commissioned from famous court jewelers Garrard by Queen Mary sometime in 1913 or 1914. It’s actually a replica of a 200-year-old Gothic Revival tiara owned by Mary’s grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse, the Duchess of Cambridge.

July 12, 2017

Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara proved to be a favorite of Kate’s when she wore it for a third occasion, this time for a state banquet at Buckingham Palace on the first day of the Spanish state visit, hosting King Felipe and Queen Letizia.

December 5, 2017

Three years, one tiara! The Duchess of Cambridge wore the Lover’s Knot Tiara again for the 2017 reception for diplomats at Buckingham Palace. Her classic updo showed off diamond and pearl drop earrings and a diamond necklace.

October 23, 2018

Kate sparkled in jewels as she headed to a state banquet at Buckingham Palace. She was dazzling once again in Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara.

December 4, 2018

Why change a good thing? Kate opted for the Lover’s Knot Tiara for the 2018 reception for diplomats at Buckingham Palace.

June 3, 2019

The royal mom of three wore her go-to Lover’s Knot Tiara — paired with the Queen Mother’s sapphire and diamond fringe earrings and a sash signifying her new position as a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order — for the U.S. State Banquet in June 2019.

December 11, 2019

Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara made yet another appearance on Kate’s head for the 2019 Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace, an annual pre-Christmas event. She paired the sparkler with statement earrings and an elegant updo.

November 22, 2022

After nearly three years without wearing a tiara (at least partially due to the COVID-19 pandemic), the newly minted Princess of Wales stepped out for the South Africa state visit in the Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara once again. For the first state banquet of King Charles’ reign, she paired the sparkler with a white caped gown by Jenny Packham, a bracelet that belonged to Queen Elizabeth and earrings that previously belonged to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.

December 6, 2022

Kate had her second tiara moment as Princess of Wales just two weeks later at the Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace. She changed it up a bit, opting to wear to the Lotus Flower Tiara for the first time since 2015 with a red Jenny Packham gown.

June 1, 2023

Princess Kate wore her first tiara of 2023 for a special occasion: the royal wedding of Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa of Jordan! For the evening banquet following the ceremony, Kate sparkled in a pink gown with her go-to headpiece, Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara.

November 21, 2023

The Princess of Wales had a surprise in store for the South Korean state visit: a new tiara! Wearing her fourth-ever tiara, Kate donned the Strathmore Rose, a headpiece that belonged to the Queen Mother and hasn’t been worn publicly since the 1930s.

December 5, 2023

Princess Kate returned to an old favorite for the 2023 Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace: Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara. She also repeated her pink Jenny Packham gown, making her look a complete replica of the one she wore to the Jordan royal wedding earlier in the year.

July 8, 2025

The Princess of Wales was back in a tiara for the first time in a year and a half as she attended the state banquet at Windsor Castle in honor of the French state visit. Although she participated in the Qatar state visit in December 2024, she did not attend the state banquet then amid her cancer journey.

For the state banquet, she paired Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara with a caped red dress designed by Sarah Burton, her royal wedding dress designer, for Givenchy.

September 17, 2025

Kate had a golden princess moment for the state banquet at Windsor Castle during U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the U.K. She wore a couture look by British designer Phillipa Lepley consisting of a full-length, hand-embroidered gold Chantilly lace evening coat over a silk crepe gown.

The royal once again topped her look with her choice headpiece: Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara.

December 3, 2025

The Princess of Wales made her debut in Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara for the German state visit, marking her fifth-ever royal headpiece…and her biggest to date!

According to Garrard, the royal accessory was crafted in 1853 for Queen Victoria under the direction of her husband, Prince Albert. Princess Kate may have chosen the tiara for the German state banquet to pay tribute to their guests, as Prince Albert was from Germany.

While the diamond tiara originally featured opals, Queen Alexandra later replaced the opals with rubies. The headpiece was also worn by the Queen Mother and Queen Elizabeth, although the late monarch wore it only once during her reign, during a 2005 trip to Malta — and Kate’s wear marked the first time it has been worn in public since.