Queen Elizabeth II had an extraordinary collection of royal jewels, but on one memorable evening, the tiara she wore belonged to a friend. A last-minute mishap reportedly left the monarch needing a replacement, and a trusted courtier came to her rescue.
© Fox PhotosOn January 3, 1973, Elizabeth attended the Fanfare for Europe Gala at the Royal Opera House in London’s Covent Garden, wearing the Plunket Tiara. The unfamiliar jewel was borrowed from Patrick Plunket, 7th Baron Plunket, a close friend who served in her royal household.
According to multiple accounts, the queen’s own tiara broke while she was traveling to the event. With little time to arrange a repair or retrieve another piece from the palace, Lord Plunket offered a practical solution. His family’s tiara. He lived nearby and was able to fetch it for her to wear that evening.
© MirrorpixA jewel outside the royal collection:
The borrowed diamond tiara gave Elizabeth’s appearance an unusual distinction. While she regularly wore pieces inherited from earlier generations of royal women, this jewel came from outside her family’s collection.
The gala was described as apparently the only occasion on which Elizabeth was photographed wearing a tiara that did not belong to the royal family. The diamond floral design offered an elegant substitute for the evening, with its unexpected history hidden behind the formal appearance.
© MirrorpixPlunket was more than an acquaintance with a conveniently located jewelry box. He served as the queen’s equerry and deputy master of the household, making him a familiar presence in her working life. His loan added a personal story to an evening marking Britain’s entry into the European Economic Community.
Although some accounts suggest Elizabeth had originally intended to wear the Vladimir Tiara, its identity remains uncertain. The better-established part of the reported story is the replacement. She appeared at the gala in the Plunket family’s jewel.
© PA ImagesAnother memorable tiara mishap:
The episode also recalls an earlier complication involving Elizabeth’s wedding jewelry. On November 20, 1947, the future queen wore Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara, borrowed from her mother, for her marriage to Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey.
© CAMERA PRESS/BaronThe royal family’s official website confirms that its frame broke as she was putting it on and required a quick repair before the ceremony. On her wedding day, the solution was to repair the borrowed heirloom.
At the 1973 gala, it was reportedly to borrow an entirely different jewel. Both episodes reveal the unexpected preparations behind two otherwise polished royal appearances.
