Later this month, the Emperor and Empress of Japan will visit King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Buckingham Palace. We might get to see Empress Masako wearing the Meiji Tiara during this state visit. This tiara is special because it has a design of white diamonds arranged in a festoon pattern. It can be worn with either round or star-shaped toppers, with one larger topper placed at the center.
Japan has the oldest hereditary monarchy globally, with 126 recognized past sovereigns dating back to 660 BC. Their jewelry collection reflects this long history, but the Meiji Tiara from the late 1800s holds great significance. It’s named after Emperor Mutsuhito, also known as Emperor Meiji, whose reign started when he was just 14 years old following traditional succession laws.
Emperor Meiji ruled until 1912 and oversaw a period of significant modernization and progress in Japan. His wife, Empress Shōken, was the first Empress to wear Western clothing and jewelry, marking a shift in the imperial fashion.
During the Meiji era, the tiara was acquired, likely from Chaumet, the Parisian jeweler to the Imperial court, although no official order records exist. Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken are buried together at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo.
Empress Teimei, wife of Emperor Yoshihito, inherited the tiara and is depicted wearing it without the star-shaped toppers in a portrait from 1912. Their son, Crown Prince Hirohito, became the 124th Emperor, reigning for 62 years during the tumultuous 20th century. Empress Nagako, his wife, frequently wore the Meiji Tiara, including during a state visit to Queen Elizabeth II in 1971.
Akihito, their son, met his future wife, Empress Michiko, while playing tennis. Despite initial resistance, they married in 1959, and Empress Michiko chose the Meiji Tiara for their enthronement in 1990 and their son’s wedding in 1993. Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, who will visit Britain soon, ascended the throne in 2019. Empress Masako wore the Meiji Tiara during their celebratory parade, continuing its legacy as a symbol of imperial history, worn by five successive Empresses.
