Prince William may be second in line to the throne behind his father, Prince Charles, but that doesn’t mean he and Kate Middleton aren’t already preparing for their roles as king and queen. And now we have a better sense of the crown we’ll see the Duchess of Cambridge wear when it comes time for her coronation.
“Kate will be crowned alongside William at his coronation in Westminster Abbey,” Paul Burrell, who served as butler to the Prince’s mother, Princess Diana, tells the new issue of Us Weekly. “She’ll be crowned queen consort, much in the same way the Queen Mother was [to Queen Elizabeth II’s father, George VI.]”
And let’s just say that crown is a sight for sore eyes. Created by then-crown jeweler Garrard & Co. in 1937 for Queen Elizabeth, the diamond consort crown is decorated with some 2,800 diamonds — though the pièce de résistance is undoubtedly the 105-carat Koh-I-Noor diamond that serves as the centerpiece.
The spectacular stone was presented to Queen Victoria back in 1851 and became part of the Crown Jewels collection upon her death. It was used in the diadems of Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary before being transferred to the Queen Mother’s headpiece.
While nothing is quite as elaborate as the crown Duchess Kate will wear to assume the role of queen, we have been treated to several beautiful tiara moments from her over the years.
The mom-of-three chose the Cartier Halo Scroll to complement her iconic Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton wedding gown at her April 2011 nuptials, and she’s subsequently favored the diamond and pearl Lover’s Knot Tiara (a go-to of her late mother-in-law Princess Diana) for state dinners and diplomatic receptions.
Both jewels are more than regal enough to tide Us over until the historic day arrives.
For more details on how Kate is preparing to become queen, pick up the new issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now!
