Since Al13 introduced us to some of Imelda Marcos' jewels I have been keeping an eye open (as I hunt through press items) to see if I can identify the origins of any of the tiaras.

According to numerous items on the net (including Ursula on her Royal Magazin site https://royal-magazin.de/england/nobles/beaumont-tiara-jewels.htm ) the tiara seen below, found in Imelda Marcos' stash, originally belonged to Baroness Beaumont.



My interest was renewed when I saw a photo of Baroness Beaumont attending the Opening of Parliament. Mona Stapleton inherited the barony in her own right following the death of her father, the 10th Baron Beaumont, in 1895. (Technically she didn't get the title until 1896 see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mona_Fitzalan-Howard,_11th_Baroness_Beaumont )

In 1914 she married Baron Howard of Glossop but, as she was a peeress in her own right, the UK press referred to her as Baroness Beaumont.

After the war ended the press started to carry photos of her wearing a tiara at the Opening of Parliament. None of the press photos of her with the tiara is of very high quality; nevertheless, they raised queries in my mind.

As I looked at photos of her year after year, I initially realised that her tiara was never worn with the pearls surmounting the small motifs.

Below are a couple of examples (at random)

1930



1927



1928



Then, I saw a photo of the Baroness wearing a brooch which I think is the central element in the tiara.



Closer view



Rotating the image makes it easier to compare the brooch to the central element of the tiara.

Brooch and tiara centre as worn by Baroness Beaumont.



These two items seem to be a perfect match --despite the poor image of the tiara centre. What my eye has focused on are the four diamond below the diamond at the top of the element.

This X pattern of the four diamonds is not in the tiara owned by Imelda Marcos.

Marcos tiara centre compared to Beaumont.



Adding to all the queries I have it is clear that the Marcos tiara has the same X shaped configuration of diamonds at the top of the smaller side elements as the Beaumont tiara.



I cannot see why, even if the Beaumont tiara was sold by whoever inherited it from Baroness Beaumont, would anyone go to the expense of changing a minor part of the central element. I accept that, perhaps, the Beaumont tiara may have had pearls surmounting the smaller elements. But it is strange that no photo has emerged of it being worn in that way.

Unfortunately, I cannot find any information about when or if Baroness Beaumont's tiara was sold.

Has anyone any information?

Or any ideas about whether the two tiaras are the same?