- The British royal family’s jewelry collection includes a wide range of crowns, tiaras, and brooches, amongst other heirlooms.
- Though arguably priceless, many pieces are estimated to be worth millions.
- Queen Camilla’s coronation crown, for example, is worth approximately $500 million.
It’s no secret that the British royal family has one of the most impressive jewelry collections in the world. Known collectively as the Crown Jewels, these wearable heirlooms date back centuries and include the likes of the Imperial State Crown, the Cartier Halo Tiara (worn by Kate Middleton on her wedding day), and, perhaps most famously, Princess Diana’s sapphire and diamond engagement ring. Though many items will stay with the royal family forever, that hasn’t stopped jewelry experts from weighing in on just how valuable they are.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the biggest ticket item on the list is the aforementioned Imperial State Crown, which King Charles III wore for his 2023 coronation. Its estimated value of between $3-5 billion far exceeds any other item; thanks in part to its 2,868 diamonds, Queen Elizabeth II once joked that it was so heavy, “your neck would break” if you looked down while wearing it.
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“It can be quite hard to look at sometimes because of the sheer light that comes off them,” The Crown Jewels author Anna Keay once said of the topper’s gemstones. “It’s literally dazzling…visually overpowering. It signifies majesty.”
Literally dazzling indeed. From the family’s most valuable tiara to the brooch that reportedly inspired Princess Diana’s engagement ring, here’s a look at the 10 most expensive pieces of jewelry in the British royal family’s collection—including some privately owned items that have actually been sold.
Imperial State Crown
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Featuring an astonishing 2,868 diamonds (amongst other jewels), the Imperial State Crown is reserved for two special events: State Openings of Parliament and coronations. At its center lies the Cullinan II, a 317-carat diamond discovered in a South African mine in 1905. Obviously priceless, some estimate that the crown is worth as much as $5.7 billion, per the International Gem Society. Queen Elizabeth II once joked that the topper was so heavy, “your neck would break” if you looked down while wearing it.
Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace
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The Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace was a wedding gift to the former Princess Elizabeth when she married Prince Philip on November 20, 1947. Today, it’s worth roughly $86 million, according to jeweler Steven Stone’s magazine Crisscut, and features over 50 diamonds. Kate Middleton wore the piece for the first time to a black-tie reception at the National Portrait Gallery back in 2014.
Granny’s Chips
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The Cullinan III and IV brooch, colloquially known as Granny’s Chips, is estimated to be worth “well over” $200 million, per The Guardian. It is made up of two diamonds cut from the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond—a.k.a. the world’s largest diamond—with a total weight of 158 carats. In 2023, Queen Camilla included both stones in her coronation crown.
Queen Camilla’s Crown
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Speaking of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation, the latter monarch opted to wear Queen Mary’s Crown, now known as Queen Camilla’s Crown, which was originally crafted back in 1911. The addition of the Cullinan III, IV, and V diamonds added an extra 3,106 carats of weight. (It also previously featured the controversial Koh-i-Noor diamond, which has since been removed.) Though undeniably priceless, jewelry experts such Maxwell Stone of Steven Stone estimate its worth to be somewhere around $500 million.
Williamson Pink Diamond Brooch
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Designed for Queen Elizabeth II by Cartier in 1953, the star of the Williamson Pink Diamond brooch is a 23.6-carat brilliant-cut pink diamond. The late monarch wore the sparkler during her Silver Jubilee celebrations back in 1977. In addition to its pink center stone, the brooch also features 170 small brilliant-cut diamonds, 12 baguettes, and 21 marquise-cut diamonds, and is worth an estimated $34 million, per Crisscut.
Delhi Durbar Emerald Choker
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The Delhi Durbar Emerald choker is part of a set called the Delhi Durbar Parure that was created for Queen Mary in 1911 by the former crown jeweler Garrard. Most famously worn by Princess Diana (as both a headband and a necklace), the Art Deco-style piece is worth an estimated $20 million, according to Max Stone of Steven Stone, per Express. Her daughter-in-law also wore it to the Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony in 2022.
Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara
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Clocking in at approximately $13 million, the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara is the most expensive tiara in the royal family’s collection. The stunning Art Deco piece features a massive 93.7-carat emerald at its center surrounded by smaller diamonds and emeralds. It made its public debut in October 2018 at the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank.
Princess Diana’s “Swan Lake” Necklace
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Designed by Garrard with input from Princess Diana, the “Swan Lake” necklace gets its name from a performance of Swan Lake that the late royal attended in June 1997. Following her tragic death just two months later, Garrard sold both the necklace and its matching earrings to a private buyer, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Princess Diana Memorial Fund. The jewels were subsequently auctioned off in 1999 and again in 2010. Most recently, current owner Mark Ginzburg attempted to sell the necklace for $12.1 million in 2017 and for $15 million in 2023, per The Court Jeweller.
Delhi Durbar Tiara
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The Delhi Durbar Tiara is another notable piece from the Delhi Durbar Parure thanks to its impressive size and equally impressive cost (estimates put the piece somewhere in the ballpark of $10-12 million). First worn by Queen Mary in 1911, Queen Elizabeth II famously loaned the topper to Camilla, then known as the Duchess of Cornwall, for a state banquet in 2005. The milestone moment marked Camilla’s entrée into formal royal duties.
Prince Albert’s Brooch
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Prince Albert’s brooch dates back to 1840 when the late royal gifted it to his future wife, Queen Victoria, on the eve of their wedding. The sparkling accessory, which reportedly inspired Princess Diana’s engagement ring, is today worth an estimated $10 million, per Crisscut. It was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth II’s and was most recently seen on Queen Camilla during Germany’s state visit to the U.K. in December 2025.
