Sometimes those of us on permanent tiara watch don't get what we want. Case in point: The King and Queen of Sweden began a state visit to France yesterday, and hopes of proper state banquet splendor were (somewhat) high. After all, the British state visit to France this summer was black tie and
the Queen was all tiara'd up. But alas, it was not to be; the dress code was plain suit and tie and a knee-length outfit for Silvia. The Queen, however, did not leave us hanging.
She sported as much of
the Cameo Parure as she could, basically: necklace, earrings, bracelet, and brooch in her hair. She's also got Carl Gustaf's order/portrait miniature on too, and
her version is bedecked with some pretty serious diamond sparkle. The Cameo set has Napoleonic roots, dating back to Empress Joséphine, so it was an appropriate choice. But I still like to think it was a bit of a protest from a jewel-loving queen. Atta girl, Sil.
And sometimes, on tiara watch we do get what we want! Over in Britain, the annual Diplomatic Reception was held last night. This is a tiara event, very formal indeed, but it's one that we don't often get a glimpse of. Some were anticipating the Duchess of Cambridge in a tiara and though she wasn't present, the Duchess of Cornwall shined in something besides her usual tiara and that's a delight on its own. Resplendent, I think, is just the word for this lovely look, kindly shared on Twitter:
This is the Cubitt-Shand Tiara, which comes from Camilla's own family. Camilla wore it for her first wedding and her daughter Laura wore it for her wedding (below). I don't usually go for asymmetry in my tiaras, but the slight variation in this design completely works with its intricate floral motif. I love it.
We know that the Duchess of Cornwall has worn this tiara to this diplomatic event in the past, but we don't always get to see, as I said. Any sighting is an A+ Tiara Watch to me!
Photos: Elysee.fr video, Marc Piasecki via Getty Images, @royalfocus1, Mark Cuthbert via Getty Images
The brooches are from Argentine jeweler Celedonio, and are very skillfully crafted to be sure. But a little too skillfully crafted for me, you know what I mean? 
