Princess Isabella of Denmark Makes Her Tiara Debut on 18th Birthday in a Touching Family Heirloom

King Frederik and Queen Mary's daughter celebrated her milestone birthday in style.

Princess Isabella wearing a gold gown and tiara on her 18th birthday
(Image credit: Steen Evald/Kongehuset)

Princess Isabella of Denmark is marking a major royal milestone for her 18th birthday. The second child of King Frederik and Queen Mary celebrated her big day on Monday, April 21—and her first-ever tiara is an especially meaningful one.

The princess wore an elegant orange gown for her official birthday portraits, with the Danish royal family releasing three different photos to celebrate the occasion. As is tradition, she received her first tiara as an 18th birthday gift, and the stunning turquoise piece she debuted in the photos has a sweet tie to her grandmother, Queen Margrethe.

Isabella wore the Turquoise Daisy Bandeau for her special moment, a headpiece that was a gift from her grandmother, whose nickname happens to be Daisy. According to the palace, the tiara is crafted "from gold and decorated with 11 rosettes of daisy-like flowers of decreasing sizes, made of turquoise and diamonds."

Queen Margrethe—who abdicated the throne to her son, Frederik, in January 2024—regularly wore the tiara over the years, including during a 2012 state visit with the president of China.

Princess Isabella wearing a gold gown and tiara on her 18th birthday

Princess Isabella wore an elegant off-the-shoulder gown in her portraits.

(Image credit: Steen Evald/Kongehuset)

Princess Isabella wearing a gold gown and tiara standing in a mirror on her 18th birthday

Her sash marks an important milestone as the princess was awarded the Order of the Elephant, the most important order of chivalry in Denmark.

(Image credit: Steen Evald/Kongehuset)

Queen Margrethe toasting the president of China in 2012 at a state banquet

Queen Margrethe wore the same tiara and earrings during a 2012 banquet.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Per the royal family, the turquoise tiara hails from "the late 19th century" and originally was owned by the Swedish royal family until Crown Princess Margareta of Sweden died in 1920. Margareta's daughter, Princess Ingrid, married King Frederik IX of Denmark, and the tiara then was passed down through the Danish royal family.

The delicate bandeau can also be "taken apart and used as a bracelet"—a useful function for a teenage princess. In addition to her new tiara, Isabella wore a pair of turquoise and diamond drop earrings once worn by her grandmother, along with a matching sash which indicates an important honor for the young royal.

Princess Isabella wearing a gold gown sitting in a chair in 18th birthday portrait

Princess Isabella wore the Turquoise Daisy Bandeau and coordinating earrings.

(Image credit: Steen Evald/Kongehuset)

For her birthday, Princess Isabella officially became a member of the Order of the Elephant, the most prestigious order of chivalry in Denmark. Pinned to the order's sash is a white enamel elephant accented with diamonds and a portrait of her father, King Frederik.

Princess Isabella also celebrated her birthday with a glamorous party on April 15, joining her parents and siblings Princess Josephine, Prince Vincent and Crown Prince Christian for a gala concert at the Royal Theater in Copenhagen.

Kristin Contino
Senior Royal and Celebrity Editor

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.