Since 2014, following King Juan Carlos’s abdication, Queen Sofia has stopped appearing in public wearing tiaras. The baton has been passed to Queen Letizia, who now has the honor of wearing the most impressive diadems from the royal treasury, known as “joyas de pasar”—jewels passed from monarch to monarch. In addition, Doña Sofia occasionally lends her daughter-in-law pieces from her personal collection. Over the 52 years since her marriage to the honorary king, Doña Sofia has showcased many magnificent jewelry pieces to the world, both from the royal collection and her private trove, replenished with gifts and inheritance.
Her mother, Queen Frederica, possessed a dazzling collection inherited from the Greek royal family and her own mother, Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia. At her wedding to Juan Carlos in 1962, Doña Sofia received numerous gifts, which she later wore at official receptions and in portraits. Let’s look at six tiaras that tell her story as both princess and queen.
1. The Prussian Tiara. This was the first diadem in Sofia’s collection, a wedding gift from her mother. Crafted in the neoclassical style by Berlin jewelers Koch, it is an elegant piece made of platinum and diamonds. The tiara consists of two bands and is the personal property of the queen, who has often lent it to her daughters and daughter-in-law.
2. The Floral Tiara of Franco. This transformable piece, created by the London jeweler J.P. Collins in 1879, was a wedding gift from General Franco. It can be worn as a tiara, necklace, or even a brooch. In the 1970s and 1980s, it was one of her most frequently worn tiaras, becoming a symbol of her early decades as consort, and later as queen.
3. Mellerio Tiara. A gift from the Count of Barcelona for Sofía’s engagement to Don Juan Carlos. Created in 1867, it is known as the ‘Shell Tiara’ because of its design. Made of platinum, studded with diamonds and pearls. This jewel marks one of the last great family events of Queen Isabella II.
4. The Niarchos Rubies. A luxurious parure of Burmese rubies and diamonds by Van Cleef & Arpels, given as a gift by Greek shipowner Stavros Niarchos. Queen Sofía never lent this tiara to her daughters or her daughter-in-law, underscoring its exceptional, personal significance. Elegant and understated, this piece is a perfect match for the queen emerita.
5. Fleur-de-Lis Tiara. The most important diadem in the royal collection, created in 1906 for Queen Victoria Eugenie. It symbolizes the Spanish monarchy, and it was this very tiara that Doña Sofía chose for her last official dinner as reigning queen in 2014—a farewell gesture full of symbolism.
6. Cartier Tiara. A gift to Queen Victoria Eugenie in 1907, this French-designed piece is adorned with pearls. It was passed down to Infanta Maria Cristina, and then to Doña Sofia. This tiara is considered one of the queen’s favorites, and is thought to suit her best. These jewels are not just ornaments; they are silent witnesses to personal and national history, a legacy that has accompanied Queen Sofia on her journey from princess to monarch.
