Princess Charlene's Modern, Maritime-Inspired Diamond Aigrette

When Charlene Wittstock married the Prince of Monaco in 2011, she received a bounty of wedding gifts, including a unique diamond aigrette-style tiara

The Princess of Monaco celebrates her birthday today, and we’re joining in the festivities with a deep dive into the creation of her sleek, sophisticated diamond tiara—a jewel that was selected by Charlene from an anonymous design contest before her royal wedding in 2011.

On June 23, 2010, the Palais Princier de Monaco released an official announcement. The news—that the Prince of Monaco was engaged to marry his longtime girlfriend, Charlene Wittstock—had been anticipated for some time. The couple had made their official public debut four years earlier at the opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino. The choice of venue was a significant one, as both Albert and Charlene are Olympic athletes. Albert represented Monaco in the bobsleigh event in five Winter Olympic Games, while Charlene swam for South Africa at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney.

By 2007, Charlene had moved to Monaco. The couple often attended public events together over the years that followed, but when 52-year-old Albert brought 32-year-old Charlene with him to Stockholm for the royal wedding of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden on June 19, engagement-watchers really began to perk up. A joint appearance at such an important moment seemed like confirmation that the relationship was heading for marriage. Indeed, just four days after the Swedish royal wedding, the communication office of the Palais Princier released a simple statement: “Le Palais princier de Monaco a annoncé les fiançailles de S.A.S. le Prince Albert II de Monaco avec Mademoiselle Charlène Wittstock.” It later emerged that Albert had proposed the day after the couple had returned from Sweden.

The Prince of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock’s official engagement portrait, 2010 (Palais Princier de Monaco)

Accompanying the press release was a single photograph of the affianced couple. In the image, which was taken in the palace gardens, Albert wears a business suit and tie. Beside him, Charlene is outfitted in a glamorous green gown, harmonizing with the leafy foliage that frames the picture. Albert supports Charlene’s left arm, which is strategically positioned to show off her impressive diamond engagement ring. The pear-shaped diamond that winks up from the center of the ring is estimated to weigh around three carats. Sentimentally, Albert acquired the ring from Repossi, a jewelry firm which was originally founded in Torino, the same city where they made their first appearance as a couple.

But there was one problem: the ring had not been delivered to the palace in time for the prince’s proposal.