This tiara, probably best known for being the wedding tiara of both Queen Sofía and the Princess of Asturias, is one of the most used pieces of their collection. It is known as the Prussian (due to its origins) or the Hellenic tiara (for the classical Greek design)
The diadem was a wedding present for Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia from her father, Kaiser Wilhelm II. It was made by the Imperial jeweller Koch, in platinum and diamonds.
Three pictures of the same photo session: Princess Viktoria Luise wearing the tiara.
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Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
In 1912, Prince Ernest Augustus of Hanover thanked the German Emperor in person for the message of condolence the Kaiser sent after his brother’s death. In Berlin, he met Princess Viktoria Luise and a year later, in May 1913, the Princess married him wearing her father’s present.
Already married to Prince Ernest Augustus of Hanover, who became Duke of Brunswick in November 1913
Ernest Augustus III, who would become the last reigning Monarch of the House of Hanover as the Duke of Bunrswick, and Viktoria Luise of Prussia, the Duchess of Brunswick, had five children. Their only daughter, Princess Frederika of Hanover, received the Prussian tiara from her mother, and took it with her to Athens when she married in 1938 the Crown Prince of Greece. Contrary to many reports in the Spanish press, the Princess didn’t marry wearing this tiara.
HRH Princess Frederica of Hanover
The Crown Prince and Princess had a daughter just ten months after their wedding, Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark, the current owner of the tiara, maternal granddaughter of the original owner, Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia. Queen Frederica lent the tiara to her first daughter for some of her first tiara events, like her coming out ball and her official picture:
HRH Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark at her coming out ball
Official photo of HRH Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark.
Another photo of Princess Sophia from the same session
In September of 1961 the King of Greece announced her engagement to the Spanish Prince Juan Carlos.
The engaged couple during the celebrations of King Paul’s 60th birthday.
In 1962, Princess Sophia married Prince Juan Carlos of Spain in Athens, wearing the Prussian tiara. And through the now Princess Sofía of Spain, the diadem became part of the Spanish collection.
Princess Sophia during her wedding day
TRH the Prince and Princess of Spain
During the first years of marriage, first as Princess and later as Queen, Queen Sofía wore the tiara regularly. However, since her tiara choices grew and her daughters started using this one, Her Majesty stopped using the Prussian diadem so frequently. Since the Prince of Asturias marriage, practically the only member of the Family who has used it is Princess Letizia.
Official picture of Their Royal Highnesses
HM the Queen in the Royal Palace
The Prussian can be considered an starter tiara, it was a present for a young Princess of Prussia, it was used by a young Princess of Hanover and it was the first tiara a young Princess Sophia of Denmark used in public. The first time HRH the Infanta Cristina attended a State dinner in the Royal Palace, she used this tiara. It is, of course, the first tiara the Princess of Asturias wore.
HRH the Infanta Cristina wearing the Prussian tiara during a State dinner at the Royal Palace with her elder sister and her mother
HRH the Infanta Elena
The Infanta Cristina
An older Infanta Cristina with the tiara
Since her first tiara event (her wedding) the Princess of Asturias has worn this tiara more times than any of the other two she’s used.
Wedding of the Princess of Asturias
Princess Letizia during a State dinner
State visit in 2004
Side view of the tiara during the same State Visit
The Princess wears the tiara during a State Visit from India in 2009
State Visit
The last we saw the tiara was in March, during a State visit from Chile
Photos: Corbis, Life, Hola, Terra.
