Queen Mary of Denmark Rings in the New Year in a Unique Tiara That Was Created from a Diamond Belt
- - Queen Mary of Denmark Rings in the New Year in a Unique Tiara That Was Created from a Diamond Belt
Meredith KileJanuary 3, 2026 at 1:27 AM
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Martin Sylvest Andersen/Getty
Queen Mary of Denmark -
Queen Mary of Denmark celebrated the new year in style, sporting a champagne gown and a custom-made bandeau tiara
The Queen helped design the tiara in 2024, pulling the impressive, rose-cut diamonds from a medieval-inspired belt made by goldsmith Carl Martin Weisshaupt in 1840
She and King Frederik also wore unique and ornate collars denoting them as members of Denmark's prestigious Order of the Elephant
Queen Mary of Denmark rang in the new year in style.
The Danish royal and her husband, King Frederik, celebrated the holiday with a New Year's Reception and Banquet at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen on Thursday, Jan. 1, and the Queen dressed for the festive occasion in a champagne-colored Jesper Hovring gown.
She and the King also both donned the unique and ornate collars that denote them as members of the Order of the Elephant, a Danish order of chivalry and Denmark's highest-ranked honor. New Year's Day is one of the few collar days for the order.
Keld Navntoft / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP via Getty
Queen Mary and King Frederik X attend the New Year's Reception and Banquet at Amalienborg Palace on Jan. 1, 2026
But the standout piece of the Queen's elegant ensemble was her bandeau tiara. The circlet's impressive rose-cut diamonds were actually pulled from another piece in the royal archives: a medieval-inspired belt made by goldsmith Carl Martin Weisshaupt in 1840, according to The Crown Jeweller.
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Queen Mary and experts from the Danish Royal Collection designed the new tiara in 2024, removing the largest diamonds from the belt setting but leaving spacers so that they can be replaced if desired.
Martin Sylvest Andersen/Getty
Queen Mary of Denmark attends the New Year's Court at the Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen on Jan. 1, 2026
The King and Queen's eldest child, Crown Prince Christian, 20, was also in attendance at the New Year's reception. However, their other three children — Princess Isabella, 18, and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, 14 — were not photographed at the event.
In addition to the repurposed tiara, Queen Mary's gown was also a bit of recycled royal fashion. The lace bodice and sleeves were reportedly added to the Jesper Hovring piece since the last time she wore it.
The practice of recycling past looks has become popular among modern royals, in particular, Kate Middleton. The Princess of Wales' habit of upcycling and rewearing past favorite outfits is, by now, practically a sartorial calling card. She's frequently been known to add a statement bow to jackets and dresses in order to give them a completely new look.
In November 2024, PEOPLE spoke with Bethan Holt, fashion director at The Telegraph, about the princess's habit, which may raise eyebrows with critics.
“I think she is trying a more sustainable way of dressing. She already has a vast and extensive wardrobe, so why shouldn’t she be looking for ways to take existing pieces and re-imagine them?” said Holt, who is also the author of The Duchess of Cambridge: A Decade of Modern Royal Style.
The Danish royals' festive celebration kicked off the new year on a high note, after December 2025 ended with a tragedy that connected Queen Mary back to her home country of Australia.
On Dec. 14, the King and Queen shared their condolences following the terror attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, a mass shooting at a Hanukkah event, in which at least 16 people were killed and at least 40 others were injured.
"We and the people of Denmark are profoundly saddened by the tragic news of the terror attack at Bondi Beach today," the message said. "We extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to all those affected, their loved ones, the people of Australia and the Jewish community."
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