The tiara decision before Meghan Markle’s wedding unfolded amid royal debate over jewelry access and display preferences
The selection of Meghan Markle’s wedding tiara was shadowed by a dispute with royal stylist Angela Kelly, who resisted handing over jewelry for trial before the ceremony so the double styling could be explored. This tension was shared in Prince Harry’s memoir, The Reserve, and covered by Daily Mail reports.
In Harry’s account, the bride-to-be’s relatives suggested Meghan borrow one of Princess Diana’s pieces for the big day. Meghan, touched by the idea, worked with the outfit designer to attach a veil to Spencer’s tiara, a process that extended over hours of careful fittings and adjustments.
Shortly before the wedding, Queen Elizabeth II proposed a different option, inviting the couple to consider a piece from her own collection.
According to the duke, the invitation extended to Buckingham Palace offered Meghan a chance to try items in the sovereign’s private setting, a space she had rarely entered, with the Queen and her jewelry expert guiding the selection of five crowns that could suit the bride.
Angela Kelly, the Queen’s stylist, was present during the jewelry review.
The couple initially settled on two pieces featuring emerald and aquamarine stones, and the Queen suggested testing them with a hair stylist beforehand to ensure the look was flawless for the ceremony.
When Harry requested that Angela Kelly transfer the chosen crown to Kensington Palace for Meghan to wear, the response was delayed and ultimately refused, with a remark that police involvement would be necessary for such a transfer.
Subsequently, Kelly permitted a purchase of the jewelry in exchange for a receipt, a compromise that maintained the ceremonial integrity of the jewelry selection process.
Harry recalled in his memoir the moment as a goosebumps-inducing warning that this matter was far from finished, signaling ongoing tensions within the process.
Meghan ultimately wore the diamond tiara centered on a prominent 10-diamond brooch that had a historical link to the 1893 wedding of Prince Harry and Queen Mary of Teck, a ceremony marked by a gift from Lincoln County representatives in the United States.
Earlier reports noted that Prince Harry had considered delaying the release of his memoir around the time of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, underscoring the sensitive nature of royal family narratives.