When Meghan Markle, our new Duchess of Sussex, stepped out of the the car to arrive at St. George’s Chapel, she absolutely took our breath away. That boat neck gown! That smile! That exceptionally long veil! But Royal Wedding fans were eagerly awaiting to see if Markle would wear a tiara — and not only did she come through with one, but it is stunning.
People reports that Markle wore the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiara. It’s a diamond and opal-encrusted tiara that was commissioned for Queen Mary, wife of King George V, by English jeweler Garrard in 1925. Garrard is still around today, and you can even purchase your own similar headpiece. The tiara’s centerpiece features detachable diamond; Queen Mary often placed sapphires there for some blue sparkle. On her big day, Markle opted for the diamonds. The tiara now lives in the Royal Vault, and is on loan by Queen Elizabeth II for Markle’s big day.
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The veil is held in place by Queen Mary's diamond bandeau tiara, lent to Ms. Markle by The Queen. The diamond bandeau is English and was made in 1932, with the entre brooch dating from 1893.
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) May 19, 2018
The Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiara holds Markle’s incredible veil in place. The veil, like her gown, was designed by Clare Waight Keller, who is the first female creative director of Givenchy. The cathedral-length veil is a stunning 120 inches long. It’s longer than the hemline of her gown’s train. Which might explain why we saw her young pageboys, Brian and John Mulroney — twins sons of Meghan’s best friend Jessica Mulroney — adorably struggling to lift it on the stairs as she walked into St. George's Chapel.
And People also notes that her veil is symbolic — it’s embroidered with organza flowers that represent the 53 countries of the former British Commonwealth Empire. Nowadays, the Commonwealth is a voluntary organization in the UK’s post-colonialist world. Member countries include Canada, Australia, South Africa, and India.