Royal Spanish Tiaras: the Ansorena Fleur-de-Lis Tiara

When I think of royal tiaras, I think of antique pieces that have been handed down through the ages, property of the crown instead of belonging to the individual. Sure, there are exceptions. Queen Elizabeth has a few tiaras that belong to her and not the state. And her sister had an amazing tiara she bought with her own funds and then wore in a photoshoot in her bathtub. There's a Spanish tiara that also fits the bill: the Ansorena Fleur-de-Lis Tiara

A relatively new tiara to the royal scene it has a bit of mystery surrounding it. How did Queen Letizia come to own it? There are two possible scenarios, according to royal scuttlebutt. The first is that her husband, King Filipe, who was at the time not yet king, commissioned it from the jeweler Ansorena and gave it to his wife for their 5th anniversary.

The second rumor is that the late head of the jeweler put it into production, with his intent being to give it to the new Spanish princess. However, he died before work could be completed. Supposedly, according to the story, the firm reportedly carried on without him and gave the tiara to Letizia anyway.

Royal gifts are a tricky lot. Especially for the Spanish crown. Given the hardships the country has faced in recent years, that could explain why no one had seen Letizia in public in the tiara until a 2015 birthday gala. She had worn the fleur-de-lis central element as a brooch several times - the fleur-de-lis is the symbol of the House of Borbon and is therefore associated with the current royal family (let's not forget the even more fantastical tiara that this one seems to be slightly modeled after). But perhaps it took a very special birthday gala, that was as much about family as it was about royal diplomacy, for her to break it out of the vault and wear it.

We may never know how she came about having this lovely tiara. But I for one am glad to see that royals still receive such. They are under constant scrutiny and unlike most celebrities, they can't squawk or tweet about it. They merely have to endure it. I feel some shiny and sparkly objects should be their reward. But what do you think?