It was worn at the coronation of King Edward VII and disappeared in 2018: the tragic story of the Duchess of Portland’s tiara

Designed by luxury brand Cartier and forged in gold and silver, the tiara was worn by Duchess Winifred at the coronation of King Edward VII. After being guarded for years, it was taken to the Harley Gallery Museum in the United Kingdom to be exhibited. But, only 90 seconds were enough for a criminal gang to destroy his display case and take away one of the most important pieces of British royalty.

This is the story of the Portland Tiara, a piece covered in brilliants, diamonds and precious stones, which is valued at more than 3.5 million pounds. Which is part of the family legacy of the British crown and the country’s national treasure, and has been missing since 2018.

What was the tiara like and who did it belong to?

The portland tiara It is one of the most recognized jewels of the British crown. This piece acclaimed for its beauty and historical significance was designed in 1902 by the exclusive luxury brand Cartier so that Winifred Anna Cavendish-BentinckDuchess of Portland, wore it at the coronation of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. It was a gift from her husband, William Cavendish-Bentick, on the grounds that his wife was one of those chosen to hold a canopy over the future queen during the ceremony.

This piece is forged in gold and silver inlaid with brilliants, precious stones and cut diamonds. briolette (a very popular style from the Victorian era, where the jewelry is shaped like something resembling an elongated pear). And in its center is the star of the crown: the Portland diamondwhose value is around 4 million euros and dates back to the 19th century. After the ceremony, some of the gems were removed to become a brooch that matched the game.

The tiara represents the power that the British nobility had at that time. It is part of not only the family legacy, but also the historical and cultural legacy of an entire nation. That is why after being kept as a treasure for years, it was loaned to the Harley Gallery Museum on the Welbeck Estate for public display, along with the brooch.

The disappearance of the tiara in 2018

As of 2016, the tiara, along with its matching diamond brooch, were being displayed at the Harley Gallery Museum at Welbeck Abbey, Nottinghamshire at the Portland Collection Gallery. Both pieces were in a armored showcase to protect them.

Although, everything changed for British history when in the early hours of November 20, 2018 They disappeared. A criminal gang crashed an Audi A5 into the museum and smashed the display cases with power tools. The alarms went off immediately but when the security guards arrived, there were no longer any traces of the criminals or the jewelry. The robbery only lasted 90 seconds.

The accused

As soon as the theft was reported, an investigation to recover the lost treasure began within minutes. A few weeks later, the remains of the burnt car in a nearby city, leading to the arrest of five suspects in December 2018. However, due to lack of evidence, they were released shortly after.

The judicial authorities and the prosecutor’s office believe that the tiara and brooch were taken to a workshop in the jewelry neighborhood. Hatton Grace in London a few hours after the robbery, to be dismantled and sold separately. This is because it is a very iconic piece to enter the illegal market without being recognized.

The story of the robbery was published on the BBC program “Crimewatch” and offered 112,000 euros to anyone who offers clues or concise information about the possible whereabouts of the jewelry. 13 suspectsaged between 21 and 49 from Nottinghamshire, London and Birmingham, were arrested and were part of a complex investigation which involved not only robbery, but also other crimes including conspiracies to rob, selling stolen goods, and carjacking.

Three of them, on July 8, 2022, were declared guilty of stealing the tiara and brooch, which are believed to have been moved from London to Türkiye. Despite this, the whereabouts of the British legacy still unknown.