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One of the most arresting jewels I have ever seen is a winged tiara which belonged to Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe.


See the V& A Dundee https://mobile.twitter.com/VADundee/status/940965716135735297

The Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe referred to was born Lady Mary Crewe-Milnes, daughter of the 1st Marquis of Crewe and his second wife who was known as Lady Peggy Primrose, daughter of the Earl of Rosebery.

In 1935 Lady Mary Crewe-Milnes married the 9th Duke of Roxburghe. They divorced in 1953.

According to the V & A Dundee where the jewel is now displayed (and every other site I have seen) this extraordinary jewel was commissioned from Cartier by Lady Mary, presumably after she married as she is referred to as Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe.

See V & A Dundee https://www.vam.ac.uk/dundee/info/winged-tiara-to-go-on-display-in-scottish-design-galleries

This BBC site has a video of the jewel https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-42322834

I strongly suspect that whoever did the research has confused two separate Duchesses: Mary Goelet, Duchess of Roxburghe and Mary Crewe-MIlnes, Duchess of Roxburghe.

The former was the mother-in-law of the latter and, as a wedding gift in 1935, Mary Goelet gave her daughter-in-law a winged tiara, described in the press reports as having Mercury wings.





Mary Crewe-Milnes apparently did wear this jewel. I have found 2 reports which indicate this, although I haven't found a photo.

1951


1954


On an internet search images of it come up as the Valkyrie tiara which is what the V & A has termed it. See https://www.google.com/search?q=Valkyrie+tiara&tbm=isch&source=univ&client=firefox-b-d&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjQ8c_kuZjjAhUNXRoKHS5KDeIQsAR6BAgGEAE&biw=1536&bih=710#imgrc=_