The Burmese Ruby Tiara

The Burmese Ruby Tiara

Priceless wedding gifts from around the world were sent to Princess Elizabeth, the heiress presumptive to the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, upon her wedding to Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh (shortly before the wedding he renounced his Greek and Danish titles and was created Duke of Edinburgh). Of the 2,500 wedding presents, the most priceless included Queen Mary’s gifts including the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara, a tiara from the Nizzam of Hyderabad and 96 rubies from people of Burma.

The extremely wealthy Nizam of Hyderabad gave the princess a free hand in choosing what she wanted for a wedding gift. He instructed Cartier to let her choose from their collection. So off the princess went to Cartier and she picked a detachable floral tiara (that could be worn as brooches) and a necklace.  Meanwhile, the Burmese people sent their beloved princess the rubies, which are believed to protect the wearer from the 96 diseases that could harm the human body.

In the 1970s, Queen Elizabeth II had the Nizzam’s gift dismantled and she commissioned Garrard to make  a new tiara using the Burmese rubies. It is designed in the form of a wreath of roses. The petals were made of silver and diamonds while clusters of gold and rubies formed the centre of the flowers.

The queen sparkled with the Burmese ruby tiara during the state banquet that she hosted in honor of President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. As rubies were said to protect one from evil spirits, did she deliberately  choose it to indicate something? The press and netizens went abuzz. You could read them here, here and here. Nevertheless, Queen Elizabeth II, as always, looked majestic.

Queen Elizabeth II wearing the Burmese Ruby Tiara during the state banquet in honor of President and First Lady Trump.