Kate Middleton Sports a Famous Tiara That Belonged to Princess Diana

Dec 10, 2015 02:53 PM EST

The Duchess of Cambridge could not have gotten more attention by wearing the Lover's Knot tiara - an elegant headpiece that not only once belonged to her famous mother-in-law, but also has a rich history dating back to the reigning monarch's own grandmother - Queen Mary.

The Daily Mail reports that Kate wore the diamond and pearl Cambridge Lover's Knot tiara to Queen Elizabeth's annual Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace, said to be the largest reception held by the Queen each year.

As befitting all female members of the royal family, Kate followed tradition by setting a bejewelled crown atop her head for the special event.

What caught the attention of the public was that though Kate had previously been seen with various other famous tiaras in the past, this was the first time she wore a tiara that was distinctly made famous by the late Princess Diana herself.

The elegant headpiece was designed by the royal jewellers Garrard and was fashioned from jewels that were had long been in Queen Mary's family. She had it made in 1914 and picked copied the tiara design of one piece owned by her grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse, wife of the first Duke of Cambridge, seventh son of King George III, in 1818.

It was only fitting then to have such a tiara find its way on the head of the current Duchess of Cambridge.

So it was fitting that the Duchess of Cambridge had dusted off some of the royal family's finest jewels.

Queen Elizabeth eventually inherited this tiara from Queen Mary, but Queen Elizabeth later gave it away as a gift to Diana on the occasion of the latter's wedding. What is unclear is whether the tiara reverted to the ownership of the Queen after Diana's death. It is also not known whether the tiara was given to Kate or was loaned.

Diana made the tiara famous by wearing it to many important state functions over the course of her royal career. She often liked to pair this tiara with a lacy white gown. Kate meanwhile wore the tiara with an icy blue gown, which, based on her recent history, seems to be fast becoming her favorite color for evening occasions. 

Meanwhile, Cosmopolitan reveals that Kate made fresh headlines when she reappeared the next day in a blue, 80s inspired business suit to join in the revelries at the annual Charity Day with trading firm ICAP. It was a fun event that featured ping pong, a piñata, and men dressed in high heels. Despite not wearing a tiara, most thought that Kate's new haircut more than made up for it.