The second change in May 1912 involved a fitting for Cullinan IV to be worn when Queen Mary wore the tiara with the Cambridge emeralds as surmounts.
When Queen Mary wore the tiara in 1911 to various functions associated with the Coronation and for the Delhi Durbar the tiara had in the lower portion of the centre of the tiara an element comprising a line of small diamonds with a diamond cluster as a pendant.
As worn to the Delhi Durbar.
In May 1912 Garrard made a fitting so that Cullinan IV could be worn instead of the existing lower element in the centre of the tiara. For this the Cullinan was set diagonally.
According to the Illustrated London News 4 May 1935 the photo below was taken in 1923
According to the National Portrait Gallery UK the photo below was taken in 1926.
The Royal Collection has dated this photo to 1921.
While Queen Mary appears to have been photographed wearing Cullinan IV with the emeralds as surmounts, she kept the original central setting of the tiara so that she could wear it while at the same time wearing Cullinan III and IV as a brooch/stomacher.
For the French state visit of 1939 Queen Mary appears to have worn the Delhi Durbar tiara twice: once for the gala evening at the opera and again for a banquet at the French Embassy.
At the Opera gala she wore Cullinan III and IV as a stomacher and, although we cannot see clearly, I presume that the tiara was worn with the original central element even though HM did not wear the emeralds as surmounts on the tiara.
Entering the French Embassy 1939
When Queen Mary gave the tiara to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother for the South African tour in 1947 the tiara had the original central element as well as the top row of diamonds, which have since been removed.
QEQM in South Africa 1947
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