Ahead of the release of ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’ next week, we are featuring the striking Jewels created by Andrew Prince and antique Tiaras on loan from Bentley & Skinner worn by the Ladies of the aristocratic Crawley Family through six seasons and two films of Downton Abbey!
We will have an article on just the jewels of the upcoming film in a few days!
The Countess of Grantham, played by Elizabeth McGovern, wore a striking Victorian Pearl and Diamond Tiara, which was debuted in Season 1 and continued to be worn through the series until the Season 6 Christmas Special. This piece is one of two which seem to have been portrayed as family heirlooms and are period appropriate for an Aristocratic Family of that age and stature, continuing to be worn through the series.
From Season 3, the Countess of Grantham began wearing a Pearl and Diamond bandeau Tiara created by Andrew Prince, which was also worn in Season 4.
A striking pear-shaped and Palmette Tiara by Andrew Prince was worn by the Countess in the Season 4 Christmas Special and for the Royal Dinner in the first Downton film, and also promises to make an appearance in the upcoming film.
In Season 4, the Countess also wore this late Edwardian Tiara by Andrew Prince for her Anniversary Dinner and later an At-Home during the Season 4 Christmas Special.
In addition to the diamond star Tiara worn in the Season 3 Christmas special, the Countess also wore striking larger Tiaras, likely also created by Andrew Prince for the Court Presentation and the Ball at Grantham House for the Season 4 Christmas Special.
In the first Downton Film, the Countess wore an antique Diamond Tiara from Bentley & Skinner for the big Ball at Harewood House.
Throughout the series, the Dowager Countess, played by the legendary Dame Maggie Smith, wore a striking Diamond Tiara, which is likely a paste piece from the George III era. The Tiara had been worn by the Countess, Cora, in season one, but was regularly worn by the Dowager Countess through the end of season six.
The Dowager usually paired the Tiara with one of two diamond chokers, a pearl and diamond necklace, and a long paste diamond chain.
The Dowager Countess did wear some other Tiaras over the series, including an Andrew Prince piece in Season 4, two antique Diamond Tiaras in the Season 4 Christmas Special, and a striking Diamond Tiara from Bentley & Skinner in the first Downton Film, almost always paired with the same necklaces to portray a sense of continuity.
While no Tiaras were worn for the first two seasons, Lady Mary, portrayed by Michelle Dockery, wore the striking Diamond Floral Tiara on loan from Bentley & Skinner for her Wedding to Mathew Crawley at the start of Season 3, which was also worn for Lady Edith’s failed wedding later that season. The Tiara reportedly originated from Princess Louise, Duchess of Fife.
Lady Mary wore a series of petit diamond bandeaus created by Andrew Prince from Season 3 onwards to the first Downton film, including a larger bandeau worn for the Ball in season 4.
Lady Mary wore a Diamond Floral Bandeau at the end of the Season 3 which was also worn for a couple of occasions in Season 4, alongside a striking Georgian paste bandeau.
Unmarried for most of the series, the character of Lady Edith did not wear many grand jewels, with the exception of an antique diamond necklace in Season 3, an Andrew Prince floral Tiara in the Season 4 finale, and a diamond bandeau in the Season 5 finale, while the two headpieces worn for her Wedding in season 6 were both costume pieces.
In the first Downton film, Lady Edith, as Marchioness of Hexham, wore a Pearl Bandeau and Star Tiara from Andrew Prince and also an antique Diamond Tiara on loan from Bentley & Skinner for the grand Ball at Harewood House.
In Season 3 and 4, Lady Rose MacClare, played by Lily James, wore a delicate Diamond Leaf Bandeau Tiara, which was also worn by the Countess of Grantham in the Season 5 Christmas Special.
Lady Rose MacClare wore this Diamond Trellis Bandeau in Season 3 and 4, which was later worn by Lady Edith in the Season 5 Christmas Special.
Lady Rose’s mother, the Marchioness of Flintshire, wore a Diamond Fringe Tiara on two occasions during the Crawley’s stay at Duneagle Castle in Scotland.
In the Season 4 Christmas Special, the character playing Freda Dudley-Ward, the mistress of the Prince of Wales, wore a Diamond Tiara from Andrew Prince which is identical to the Tiara of Countess Karin Bernadotte.
For the Royal Visit to Downton Abbey in the first Downton Film, the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara and Vladimir Tiara were recreated for Queen Mary, while the Harewood Fringe Tiara was made for Princess Mary.
In the second Downton Film, Lucy Smith wore this Pearl and Diamond Tiara on loan from Bentley & Skinner for her wedding to Tom Branson, which were displayed in the window of the Bentley & Skinner shop in the summer of 2022.
We will have an article on just the jewels of the upcoming film in a few days!
The Jewels of the Dollar Princesses
