Tiara Thursday (on a Friday): The Dutch Laurel Wreath Tiara

This is an appropriate tiara to discuss around Princess Beatrix's birthday:

Embed from Getty Images

Princess Carolina of Bourbon-Parma wearing the Dutch Laurel Wreath Tiara

The Dutch Laurel Wreath Tiara is often labeled the oldest in the family collection (it's probably around 200 years old or so), which is appropriate for a tiara that happens to be a diamond interpretation of the wreath headdresses of ancient Greece and Rome. I've always felt the Dutch version has a sturdier look than some the other wreath tiaras out there, such as Mathilde's Laurel Wreath Tiara or Lilian's Laurel Wreath Tiara, probably in part because of the diamonds that highlight its base.

Princess Beatrix wearing the tiara to celebrate her 18th birthday in 1956
ANP - Benelux Press - Reuters /ANP Archief, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

The antique tiara may have been acquired for Princess Beatrix's 18th birthday in 1956 by her parents, Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard, or it may date back to Princess Louise, sister of King Willem I. Either way, it became a staple of Princess Beatrix's younger tiara appearances after she turned 18.

Princess Beatrix wearing the tiara in 1958
ANP - ANP Foundation /ANP Archief, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

But eventually - as she gained access to other tiaras, it seems - Princess Beatrix's use of the Laurel Wreath Tiara tapered off. Others in the family continued to wear it, including Beatrix's sisters, Princesses Margriet and Christina.

Video: The wedding of Prince Constantijn and Laurentien Brinkhorst

Princess Laurentien wore the tiara when she married Beatrix's son, Prince Constantijn (and afterward); Princess Carolina of Bourbon-Parma (Beatrix's niece) also used it on her wedding day. Surprisingly, this remains one of the few Dutch tiaras that Queen Máxima has not tried out yet - though I would love to see it on her or back on Beatrix, just for a change.

Who do you think wears this wreath tiara best?