All the tiaras worn for Le Bal des Débutantes – and the sparkling histories behind the heirloom pieces

In the ultimate meeting of two grand royal houses, Eulalia was accompanied to Le Bal by Albert Windsor: the grandson of the Duke of Kent and late Duchess of Kent

Hubert Cecil

Naturally, the Princess was the epitome of regal glamour in an embellished, haute couture gown by Lebanese designer Tony Ward, which featured a low neckline and a dramatic train. The perfect partner for such a dress? The sweeping lines of the Fleur-de-lys Tiara, made by Viennese jeweller Moritz Hübner in 1912, are inlaid with ancient diamonds that were originally set in the Order of the Holy Spirit, awarded by King Charles X of France.

Superbly presented, the three large, fleur-de-lys motifs can also be detached and worn separately as brooches. Passed down through the Bourbon family, this tiara once belonged to Princess Maria Anna of Parma and served as the ideal finishing touch for Princess Eulalia’s look.

Gabrielle Janssens de Balkany in a diamond and sapphire Belle Epoque Tiara

A truly global jet-setter, Gabrielle Janssens de Balkany was born in Thailand and grew up between Switzerland, England and Spain, where she has settled (for the time being, at least). The daughter of businessman Olivier Janssens and Elisabeth de Balkany, she has an impressively aristocratic lineage, counting Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy, as well as King Umberto II and Maria José of Italy, as her grandparents. While the provenance of her diamond and sapphire Belle Epoque tiara that she wore to Le Bal is unknown, it could well have been an heirloom once owned by Maria José herself – after all, Gabriella wore the sapphire necklace that her grandmother made so famous while in exile. Passed down through the Princess of Naples, the necklace has graced the wedding of King Baudouin of Belgium, the enthronement gala of Prince Albert of Monaco, one very glamorous swimming pool photoshoot, and now, Le Bal.