The Deeper Meaning Behind Princess Kate And Princess Charlotte Flower Crowns

It’s a matching moment for Princess Charlotte and her mother, the Princess of Wales.

At the coronation of her grandfather, King Charles, Princess Charlotte wore a delicate silver bullion and crystal flower crown by Jess Collet and Alexander McQueen as she attended the historic ceremony at Westminster Abbey. The headpiece matched her mother, Kate Middleton, who also chose such an intricate diadem by the designer in lieu of a tiara. The eight-year-old wore a simple white sheath dress, also by McQueen, with embroidery featuring rose, thistle, daffodil, and shamrock motifs—the four flowers of the United Kingdom—to accompany the statement piece of jewelry. She stood patiently alongside her mother, who was dressed in full royal regalia.

It’s important to note that the significance of the moment goes far beyond an (albeit beautiful) outfit coordination. The jewelry design is seemingly a nod to a motif used throughout Charles’s coronation of the Green Man. An ancient figure from British folklore, the Green Man symbolizes spring and rebirth. He wears a crown of oak, ivy, and hawthorn, and the emblematic flowers.

READ: All Of The Details And Hidden Meaning Behind Princess Kate’s Coronation Outfit

In addition, King Charles has had a lifelong interest in nature, gardening, and the preserving environment. His granddaughter, as well as his daughter-in-law, wearing such a botanical motif is a unique and visual way to pay homage to the passion—and causes—of their new monarch. 

It’s also telling that the Princess of Wales opted for such a piece over a tiara. There was much debate over whether or not she’d choose a grand archival piece—which may have come across as tone-deaf given Britian’s ongoing cost of living crisis, or featured jewels of complicated origins—or forsake it for something else completely. She made the latter choice, which visually evokes her own path forward, as well as a new era for the monarchy. Fittingly, she had her daughter embody the same.

It’s not the first time young Charlotte has shown a touching familial tribute through her jewelry. For her grandmother’s funeral, she wore a small horseshoe brooch—a nod to Queen Elizabeth’s lifelong love of horses. It looks like Princess Charlotte has already mastered sartorial symbolism. 

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