As the saying goes, heavy is the head that wears the crown. But as it happens, the intricacies of who gets to wear which tiara is an intricate one, and it fell on the head of Queen Elizabeth to decide, following certain rules and regulations.

The sparkling headpieces historically signify royal lineage, status and tradition, but no matter how extravagant or elaborate their design and use follows along with some simple rules: they do not fully encircle the head like a crown would. Typically speaking, the royal tiaras only appear on the heads of Queen Elizabeth’s family members because she loaned them out for special occasions.

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Elizabeth died in September 2022 with her eldest son, King Charles III, ascending the throne and getting ownership of the jewels.

Keep scrolling for a look at the tiaras Queen Elizabeth pᴀssed down over the years: