The moment Harriet Sperling arrived at All Saints Church for her wedding to Princess Anne's son Peter Phillips I was surprised. Not because she didn't look sensational, as she definitely did, but because Harriet put her own spin on a royal bridal tradition.
In the lead-up to the couple's big day there had been so much speculation over whether she'd be lent a tiara from the Royal Family. Princess Anne has several headpieces that her daughter-in-law could've worn and Harriet chose to borrow a tiara from Pragnell jewellers instead.
This was unexpected, though the new Mrs Phillips' tiara has a special and subtle connection to the Princess Royal. It's something you probably wouldn't know just by looking at it, though I suspect Harriet decided on the Pragnell Tiara for this reason.
On the Pragnell website they share some details about several historic tiaras and the one Harriet wore for her and Peter's wedding features diamonds and pearls. The Pragnell Tiara combines Edwardian and Deco design elements which the jewellers state is "very rare".
There are laurel leaves and articulated floral motifs "bearing great resemblance to the tiara owned by The Princess Royal, in the official photograph celebrating her fiftieth birthday in 2000."
This tiara is owned by the Pragnell family and has been worn to the coronations of both Princess Anne's grandfather King George VI and mother Queen Elizabeth II. The tiara worn by the Princess Royal for her 50th birthday pictures is the Meander Tiara which is believed to have once belonged to Prince Philip's mother.
This is the same piece Zara Tindall borrowed for her wedding in 2011 and both pieces have geometric motifs in diamonds. Princess Anne has worn this tiara frequently over the years and Harriet's decision to wear a tiara that resembles it could be seen as a sweet nod to this sentimental item whilst still doing things her own way.
Pragnell designed her engagement ring, so going for the Pragnell Tiara pays tribute to this connection whilst still honouring Princess Anne. Perhaps there was also an element of the couple wanting to do things a little differently to other royal weddings as this is a second marriage for both of them.
When Peter married his first wife Autumn in 2008 she borrowed Anne's Festoon Tiara and all of his cousins who've got married so far have all worn one of Queen Elizabeth's tiaras.
His and Harriet's wedding on 6th June was much more low-key than all of these - except for perhaps Princess Beatrice's wedding which took place during the pandemic. Peter and Harriet tied the knot in a private ceremony and the reception was held at Gatcombe Park, the Gloucestershire estate where Peter, Zara and Princess Anne all live.
It was a royal wedding done their way and in another subtle hat tip to tradition, Harriet's gorgeous bouquet contained the traditional sprig of myrtle. Royal brides have had myrtle in their wedding bouquets since the 1800s and it's a symbol of love, innocence and fertility.
