It's one of the most popular pieces of jewelry ever worn by a royal — and it might be inherited
by Princess Charlotte.
But why isn't everyone happy about it?
This is the Princess Diana heirloom that everyone is talking about.
After the funeral of Queen Elizabeth, the world has been reminded of how power is passed
down through the generations in a monarchy.
And with that power comes a lot of wealth.
Foreign Policy reports that British royals are collectively worth a shocking $28 billion
in assets alone.
After Prince William and Prince George, 7-year-old Princess Charlotte is third in line for the
British throne.
But according to some reports, she's first in line for some of the most sought-after
pieces of jewelry that her late grandmother, the beloved Princess Diana, once possessed.
Palace insiders proclaim that when the time is right, young Princess Charlotte will indeed
have her "pick of the palace jewels," which is quite the extravagant prize.
The little princess is the first granddaughter of the late Princess Diana of Wales and the
first in line for the Spencer tiara.
At this particular moment, the famous tiara is under the care of Charles, 9th Earl Spencer,
who is Diana's brother.
The earl is Prince William's maternal uncle and, as such, the two have already openly
discussed the prospect of gifting Princess Charlotte the Spencer Tiara, and according
to some reports, the inheritance is all but guaranteed.
One unnamed palace insider reportedly told New Idea,
"William is quite aware the earl has daughters of his own, but the two have agreed that Diana's
iconic piece belongs to her first granddaughter."
When it comes to crowns, the Spencer tiara is a pretty rich one, both in terms of jewels
and its place in history.
According to Vogue, the coveted headpiece was first crafted in 1930 for Lady Cynthia
Hamilton to don at her wedding to the 7th Earl Spencer Albert Edward John.
But most people will recognize it as the tiara Princess Diana wore on her wedding day to
then-Prince Charles back in 1981.
"Suddenly, the eyes of the world, in some ways, were on them, and that was because of Diana."
The relatively lightweight accessory is fitted with several Spencer diamonds positioned around
a diamond-encrusted floral piece.
Reader's Digest reports that it was crafted by world-renowned court jeweler Garrard, a
company whose handiwork can be found on the heads of modern royals to this very day.
While some claim the stylish Princess Diana chose to wed in this tiara for the sake of
comfort, others believe it made a subtle statement about the leading lady holding power in her
own right — and right on the top of her head.
In addition to its rich history, the tiara also takes the crown for popularity, beating
out even Princess Catherine's Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara in terms of public appeal.
Though it may be a major part of royal history, the Spencer tiara is currently the property
of the Spencer family.
Whenever the stunning headpiece isn't being displayed in elaborate museum exhibitions,
its home is with the Spencers, and it has not officially been gifted to Charlotte ... just yet.
According to People, much of the speculation around Charlotte inheriting the tiara originally
derive from the "Power & Image: Royal & Aristocratic Tiaras" exhibition, which displayed the coveted
accessory bedazzled in pear, rose-cut, and circular diamonds for the first time in several decades.
Beneath the stunning display lay the following caption,
"The tiara was most recently worn by Celia McCorquodale — niece of the 10th Earl Spencer
Charles — at her wedding in the Spring of 2018.
The Spencer Tiara is now set to be inherited by Princess Charlotte."
While several palace insiders have weighed in on the discussion, stating that Princess
Charlotte will, in fact, inherit the tiara, this conclusion still has some critics – and
some commentators simply disagree.
The Court Jeweler projects that the tiara will actually wind up in the hands of Louis
Spencer, Viscount Althorp, who is Princess Diana's oldest nephew.
The reasoning behind this theory is pretty straightforward: It centers on keeping the
royal bling in the Spencer family by passing it down through male heirs.