Why Royal Bride Harriet Sperling Didn't Wear One of New Mother-in-Law Princess Anne's Tiaras at Royal Wedding to Peter Phillips
The NHS nurse eschewed the Royal Family's jewels in favor of a special headpiece.
On Saturday, June 6, NHS nurse Harriet Sperling officially became a member of the Royal Family when she married Princess Anne's son, Peter Phillips. Notably, Sperling didn't wear one of the Royal Family's tiaras, despite many commentators believing she might opt for a headpiece belonging to her new mother-in-law, Princess Anne.
For her royal nuptials, the bride wore a custom Emilia Wickstead column wedding gown, featuring long lace sleeves and a high-neck. Instead of borrowing a tiara from the Royal Family's extensive collection for her wedding, Sperling loaned a headpiece from the jeweler responsible for creating her engagement ring, Pragnell.
As noted by the jeweler's website, the Pragnell Tiara's "diamonds highlight a festoon of glittering laurel leaves and articulated floral motifs." Sperling paired the decadent headpiece with matching earrings from the jeweler and a long, sumptuous veil featuring an embroidered hem.
Harriet Sperling poses with husband Peter Phillips following their royal wedding on June 6.
"Favored as a bridal headpiece and owned by the Pragnell family, this delicate tiara has been worn by generations of Pragnell family members and was present at the coronation of both King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II," the jeweler's website explained.
Per the jeweler, the Pragnell Tiara is "very rare" in its design as it references both the Edwardian and the Deco periods. Despite not belonging to Princess Anne, Sperling's new mother-in-law does have an unexpected connection to the headpiece.
Harriet Sperling arrives at the royal wedding wearing the Pragnell Tiara.
As noted by the designer, the Pragnell Tiara bears a "great resemblance to the tiara owned by The Princess Royal, [shown] in the official photograph celebrating her fiftieth birthday in 2000," the jeweler noted.
Harriet Sperling wearing a custom Emilia Wickstead gown and the Pragnell tiara.
Despite forgoing a Royal Family tiara on her wedding day, Sperling made a romantic choice by wearing a headpiece tied to her engagement ring from Phillips.
