The British duchy of Cambridge carries with it a lot of spectacular jewellery originally owned by Augusta of Hesse-Kassel, Queen Mary’s grandmother. The Cambridge emeralds were reset into an art deco parure, and used in a massive tiara known as the Delhi Durbar Tiara, shown here on Queen Mary.

Most interesting, the Cambridge Lovers Knot tiara is most famously now associated with Diana, Princess of Wales. It was the Queen’s gift to her on her wedding day, and  she wore it to many functions. She also created a stir when she wore the art deco choker set with the Cambridge emeralds as a bandeau style tiara around her forehead.

The Cambridge tiara originally had upright pearl spikes; these were removed long ago. It is said that Diana did not like wearing it as it was too heavy; it remains to be seen if Kate, the newest Duchess of Cambridge, brings the piece back out of the royal vaults. If she decides against doing so because of the inevitable comparisons with Diana, who could blame her?