Camilla, Duchess Of Cornwall, Sparkles In Crown-Like Tiara, But She’ll Never Be Queen

The Duchess of Cornwall was one of many royal family members present at a Tuesday night state banquet at Buckingham Palace. The banquet was thrown to celebrate a visit from Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, but the tiaras were the real stars of the event.

Camilla made her appearance in a honeycomb tiara with a distinctly crown-like look. The tiara was given to Camilla by Queen Elizabeth as a long-term loan, a wedding present she received after marrying Prince Charles.

It’s known as the Boucheron Honeycomb Tiara, and it was once a favorite of the Queen Mother’s. She wore the stunning headpiece up until her death in 2002, according to Hello! Queen Elizabeth, who inherited the breathtaking tiara, then loaned it to Camilla.

Camilla completed her ensemble with a long white coat dress adorned with a blue royal sash.

Though her magnificent crown would seem to suggest otherwise, the truth is that Camilla will never become the Queen of England. When Prince Charles ascends the throne to become King of England, Camilla will be his Queen consort.

Rumors have been rampant that Camilla will soon be Queen after stepping out in the famous honeycomb crown, but there are limits to the title, according to International Business Times. As Queen consort, Camilla is a queen only because she will be married to England’s King, which is what Prince Charles will someday be.

Camilla can choose to be styled as Queen, Queen Consort, or Princess Consort. “When [Prince Charles] accedes to the throne, she will be the wife of the king. The wife of the head of state is not a joint head of state, however. The sovereign reigns on his or her own,” explained Professor Pavlos Eleftheriadis.

Camilla’s tiara was impressive, but it was easily outshined by Kate Middleton’s head accessory. The Duchess of Cambridge was dazzling in the famous Lovers Knot tiara, known to be Princess Diana’s favorite. Kate took the tiara out of the vaults for a 2015 event at Buckingham, and has worn it several times since.

Queen Maxima, meanwhile, wore the Stuart Tiara to the event, according to Town & Country. The Dutch royal family inherited an important part of this headpiece in 1702 from King William II and Queen Mary II: the huge diamond at the top.

The fabulous central diamond is a massive 39.85 carat rose cut stone. Before it became an integral part of the Stuart Tiara, this jewel was a brooch and later a pendant for a necklace. It became the focal point of the Stuart Tiara in 1897, originally designed for Queen Wilhelmina.