‘I copied the Princess of Wales’ Coronation flower crown – and it only cost £28’
The Princess of Wales’s floral headpiece by Jess Collett and Alexander McQueen was the most discussed fashion statement of the Coronation. As soon as pictures emerged of the Princess’s delicate non-tiara, commentators were predicting that - as with so much of what Catherine wears - women the world over would follow suit. Well, I am that influence exemplified.
As the cherubim voices of the Westminster Abbey choir sang Parry’s I Was Glad, my iPhone was already alight with search results for “silver floral headpiece.” I was in the midst of planning my son’s COVID-delayed christening, and felt there was no better excuse for a shimmering headpiece.
The Princess of Wales’s headpiece was designed in collaboration between Jess Collett and Alexander McQueen. The piece was inspired by Collett’s “Golden Crown”, a triple-band headdress topped with gold leather clusters of leaves, all hand-sewn. The Golden Crown, often rented for weddings or photoshoots, is available in the milliner’s London shop and served as the template for the Princess’s piece.
Collett recently told the Telegraph that the crystals on Catherine’s headpiece, placed by embroiderers at McQueen, “caught the light and [...] captured the imagination and gave them a fairy-tale, tiara-like effect.” I felt it was the most magical alternative to a tiara, which are usually traditional at Coronation services. For this modern version of the ceremony, it had been decided that tiaras would be eschewed in favour of more demure alternatives; inspiration appeared to have been taken from the garlands worn by the late Queen Elizabeth’s maids of honour, whose Norman Hartnell gowns at the 1952 Coronation were complemented by delicate floral headpieces.
I lament that at my 2017 wedding, I eschewed a bridal tiara in favour of a fresh floral crown which was all the rage at the time. I was told that I would live to regret this; after all, we are only afforded so many possible tiara moments in our lifetime (unless, of course, we are the Princess of Wales). So I knew that the non-tiara Coronation headpiece, was the perfect inspiration for this new opportunity to have my moment without going for the full tiara on my son’s big day.
The King had barely reached the Nave when I began to narrow down my options for a lookalike non-tiara. The results were slim, as photographs of the Princess had only just reached news desks, much less lookalike websites, but the trend was already out there.
Most luxury milliners were still leaning towards colourful silk floral hatbands or wider brimmed, vintage-inspired hats, rather than delicate metallic headdresses, Obviously, Jess Collett’s own Golden Crown, a whopping £4,950 masterpiece, would fit the bill, but I didn’t have royal budgets to play with.
I found that Next had a pretty silver and crystal option for £145, so this was an early contender, but still felt like a lot of money. Bridal retailer Liberty in Love had a pretty pearl-encrusted style, as did many other bridal retailers. I’d recommend these styles if you’re thinking of wearing them for your wedding, but for a christening, they didn’t feel quite right. I discovered several independent milliners on Etsy, like Yorkshire-based Lillibet’s Milinery - how appropriately named for a royal lookalike! - and her silver leather flower crown.
Eventually, I settled on a wildly inexpensive £28 piece from Welsh brand Collett and co on Etsy, worried I would panic at the last moment and decide to leave the headpiece at home. It was, after all, a very tiara-esque design, and this was a cosy village christening in the Cambridgeshire countryside.
I paired my silver leaf headband with an icy blue dress from Ghost and felt like a grown-up Queen Elsa. I thought of my three young nieces, and how they would delight in wearing a shimmering headband and shiny dress to channel their favourite film character. I felt I had to brave the non-tiara headpiece in their honour. I hope they have the confidence to wear exactly what they want when they grow up.
On a sunny Sunday earlier this summer, we christened our son Arthur in the village church. I wore the silver leafed headpiece, to the delight of my nieces who eyed it enviously, perhaps hoping to borrow it one day.
Several friends pulled me aside and, in hushed tones, complimented me: “you look just like the Princess of Wales!” I didn’t, but I had my tiara moment - six years after my wedding. Despite my worries, no one seemed to scoff at the non-tiara. Instead we all enjoyed the opportunity to dress up. I eagerly await our next event invitation, so I can wear those sparkly leaves another day.
