Royal bride Harriet Sperling’s tiara choice was a modern pivot that broke tradition

Everyone loves a royal wedding, with all the pomp and ceremony that Britain does well paired with the joyful grandeur of a high-profile wedding. For her wedding to Queen Elizabeth II’s grandson, royal bride Harriet Sperling embraced the opportunity to go all out with her bridal look, from her custom Emilia Wickstead highneck lace gown to her diamond and pearl earrings. The most surprising fashion choice for her royal wedding look was—surprisingly—her tiara.

“Historically, second royal marriages have often moved away from tiaras entirely,” Nilesh Rakholia, founder of Abelini, told Marie Claire. In the past, second marriages were much lower-key affairs, with more simply bridal attire. “When Queen Camilla married King Charles in 2005, she chose a feathered headpiece, and when Princess Anne married Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence in 1992, she wore flowers in her hair.” Many expected Harriet Sperling to wear a simple headpiece or eschew hair accessories altogether. “As this was a second wedding for both Harriet and Peter, wearing a tiara already marked a notable modern pivot.”

In the year 2026, fashion rules feel outdated—we should all wear whatever makes us feel fabulous, especially on one of the most important days of our lives—but the decision to wear a tiara to her wedding was still a significant choice. “What makes it more interesting is the choice itself,” Rakholia explains. “Rather than selecting from Princess Anne’s personal collection, she wore the Pragnell family tiara.” Pragnell is a stalwart British jeweller, with over 170 years of experience and significant royal ties.

“Pragnell has longstanding ties to the Royal Family, notably its association with Queen Elizabeth II’s engagement ring, which famously incorporated diamonds taken from a tiara belonging to Prince Philip’s mother, Princess Alice,” Rakholia said. “While it is not part of the official royal collection, it carries its own strong heritage associations, having been present at the coronations of both King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.”

The tiara’s royal ties strike the balance between respecting royal traditions for second weddings, and embracing the whimsy of bridal fashion. “This choice speaks through heritage rather than sheer extravagance,” Rakholia explains. “There is a real sense of continuity in selecting a house with such established royal associations, making the symbolism subtle rather than overt,” he notes. “It sits firmly within a refined, traditional aesthetic that complemented her structured Emilia Wickstead gown, while still feeling modern in restraint rather than ceremonial excess.”