The tiaras were out in full force at last night's white-tie banquet at Buckingham Palace, for which Queen Elizabeth chose a sparking ruby and diamond topper to complement her cream-colored evening gown by Angela Kelly.
But this morning, some on social media are speculating that the British monarch's jewelry was a dig at the American president, a rumor which has since spilled over into a variety of publications.
"Queen Elizabeth II (Maybe) Threw Shade At President Trump With Her Outfit" reads one headline; "Did Queen Elizabeth shade Trump with her ruby tiara?" questions another. There are numerous others.
Of course, it's impossible to be entirely certain of any person's motivations, but I'm pretty confident that Queen had no intention of insulting the American President with her choice of jewels.
First, let's take a look at the claim, which seems to have its root in the symbolic meaning of the tiara's rubies.
According to the House of Garrard, the jeweler which initially crafted the tiara, the "Burmese Ruby and Diamond Tiara was commissioned by The Queen herself in 1973 to include rubies gifted to her on her marriage from the people of Burma."
The statement goes on to speak about those rubies' symbolic meaning.
"The 96 rubies are a symbolic gesture, as rubies in Burmese culture protect from illness and evil, in this case to protect the wearer from the 96 diseases that can afflict humans. The rubies and diamonds are set in a series of rose motifs inspired by the Tudor Rose, the heraldic symbol of Britain," reads the memo.
It's that bit about protecting the wearer from illness and evil that people really seem to have latched on to in the hours following state banquet as "shading Trump."
But the Queen more likely picked out her tiara thinking about how the red rubies, along with her white dress, and the blue in her order, would together nod to the colors of both the American and British flags, and reaffirm the goal of this week's state visit.
"The purpose of a state visit is to make the guest feel as welcome as possible," wrote royal commentator Victoria Arbiter in a Twitter thread, reiterating the Queen's role in the state visit process. "It’s about reaffirming relationships and it is the Queen’s constitutional duty to lead the visit regardless of how controversial the figure might be."
In dissecting today's rumor, it is important to acknowledge that the Queen's jewelry is often more than aesthetic. What members of the royal family choose to wear can and does send a powerful symbolic message. And even though the royals are outwardly apolitical, it's also naive to separate a monarch's riches from politics, particularly when the gemstones in question came from Burma, a country which was under British colonial rule when they were given as a gift to then-Princess Elizabeth for her wedding.
But the Queen wasn't making a statement about Trump's controversial stances with her tiara, just like she wasn't taunting him with her brooches during their tea in Windsor last year.
During that particular internet cycle, royal jewelry expert Ella Kay wrote of the Queen's duty in matters of diplomacy, and just how seriously she takes the responsibility of serving as the "living embodiment of the state."
"The Queen often uses her brooches to make statements, but like everything else she does, those statements are diplomatic. Jewels are used as a gesture of acknowledgment, not insult; they're used to build and reinforce bridges, not burn them down," Kay wrote on her blog, the Court Jeweller.
"The Queen isn't in the business of causing controversy. Her entire six decade reign has been geared toward avoiding controversy as much as possible. She is the living embodiment of the state, and in that representative role, she remains studiously neutral."
Considering today's speculation about the Queen "shading" Trump, Kay believes that while the Queen's ruby and diamond tiara does have "great personal meaning and importance," Elizabeth choice to wear it is not a statement on the monarch's political leanings, or her personal feelings about the U.S. president.
"The rubies in the tiara are a symbol of the long, healthy life that people wish the Queen to have," she said in an email to Town & Country.
As the digital director for Town & Country, Caroline Hallemann covers culture, entertainment, and a range of other subjects
