Queen Camilla supports Princess Eugenie with Greville Emerald Kokoshnik tiara amid Andrew scandal

Always remember to keep your crown polished.

Queen Camilla appeared in a seldom-seen tiara yesterday evening while hosting the annual Diplomatic Reception at Windsor Castle: the Grevile Emerald Kokoshnik tiara.

She paired the dazzling headpiece with a white embroidered evening gown and the blue Garter sash for the evening’s festivities.

Interestingly, Camilla seems to be using her jewelry to send a message of support to her step-granddaughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Other members of the royal family, including Kate Middleton, are known for making similar quiet gestures with their jewels.

In addition to the tiara, Camilla wore a pear-shaped diamond demi-parure and her Van Cleef & Arpels serpent necklace, which she inherited from her grandmother. She also donned one of the Queen Mother’s all-diamond Cartier art deco bracelets on each wrist; on her sash was Queen Victoria’s diamond bar brooch.

The tiara design was inspired by the kokoshnik headdress of the Russian Romanovs, created in 1921 by Boucheron for Dame Margaret Greville, a close friend of the Queen Mother.

Upon Greville’s death in 1942, it was famously bequeathed to the Queen Mother. The tiara, however, was never worn in public by either the Queen Mother or Queen Elizabeth II.

The Greville Bequest is an interesting one, as it’s personally owned by the family, unlike the Royal Crown Jewels. The public is only aware of a small fraction of the jewels that were included in the sizable gift.

After Greville’s estate had been settled, the Queen Mother received a black tin trunk that read “MHG,” which she opened to discover a true treasure trove of more than 60 pieces of jewelry from some of the most prestigious designers in the world.

Princess Eugenie was the first to wear this tiara in public, borrowing it from Queen Elizabeth II for her wedding, which took place inside St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on Oct. 12, 2018.

Her sister, Princess Beatrice, famously wore Queen Elizabeth II’s vintage white Norman Hartnell gown for her private wedding ceremony at the Royal Chapel of All Saints at Royal Lodge in Windsor, which took place during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

As only the second British Royal to wear said tiara, she seems to be signaling support to the Princesses during a time in which they very much need it.

Their father, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, was stripped of his Royal title at the end of October.

Around the same time, it was announced that the sisters would keep their Royal titles; their mother, Sarah Ferguson, can no longer use “Duchess of York” in any capacity.

Though they are not officially considered “working Royals,” Princess Eugenie and Beatrice continue to be involved in family events, and their relatives have shown support for the pair amid the scandal.

As Queen, Camilla often pulls from the iconic archives of the palace (and the family’s personal collection) for public appearances and high-profile events. She frequently selects pieces of jewelry that go back generations, many of which have not been seen since the last century.

For Christmas 2023, Camilla wore the Raspberry Pip Brooch, reportedly belonging to the Queen Mother’s own mother, the Countess of Strathmore.

Another favorite has become Queen Elizabeth II’s sapphire and diamond necklace and bracelet, part of the jewelry suite gifted to the late Queen by her father, King George VI, as a wedding present in 1947, aptly named the King George VI Sapphire Suite.

The list goes on…

With such treasures at her disposal, it comes as no surprise that she uses jewelry to send messages of support or remembrance of others.

Needless to say, Queen Camilla’s regal style is truly polished.