Theodora, the fourth child of former King Constantine II and Anna-Marie, has managed to keep her personal life out of the spotlight.
Born on 9 June 1983 in London, she grew up in Hampstead and as a child she hung out with Princes William and Harry.
After her studies (she studied theatre at Brown University and Central Saint Martins), in 2010, the blue-blood moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming an actress (both her parents and her godmother, Queen Elizabeth II, were strong supporters of her decision).
She appeared in small roles under the name “Theodora Greece” and made her television debut series “Bold and Charming” in the role of Allison Montgomery.
And while she considers Los Angeles one of the most beautiful places in the world, her love for Greece remains strong and one of the reasons her wedding will take place in Athens is to fulfill her father’s wish.
Despite the postponements, all signs point to this being the wedding of the year. The bride, according to royal tradition, will wear one of the royal family tiaras on her wedding day.
In the minds of commoners, tiaras are among the accessories worn mostly by princesses in nostalgic movies.
However, in the life of the crowned heads, there are several complicated rules regarding etiquette and protocol concerning tiaras.
From appropriate occasions to which royal member is allowed to wear a particular tiara, the policy is much more complex than we thought.
According to protocol, tiaras are not to be worn before the wedding day, an old tradition where the tiara symbolizes the loss of innocence and the culmination of love.
More specifically, tiaras are advised to be worn at events that start after 5 pm and if worn during the day, diamond tiaras are avoided while there is sunlight, as opposed to events held in the evening where it is considered appropriate (a protocol that has been relaxed quite a bit in recent years).
One of the exceptions is royal weddings, as they are usually held at 11am and brides are entitled to wear one (or a few choices) usually indicated.
Tiaras are family heirlooms and are usually “borrowed” for life from another royal member. Once “borrowed”, the candidate may choose whether or not to wear it.
For example, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, currently has three tiaras lent to her by Queen Elizabeth II: the Cartier Halo, the Cambridge Lover’s Knot and the Lotus Flower. However, the Duchess prefers the latter two, as she hasn’t worn the Cartier Halo since her wedding day, despite having it at her disposal.
As for Princess Theodora, there are a few options she could choose for her wedding day and they have been worn by her sister Alexia, her mother Anna-Marie and her aunt Margaret II.
Alexia’s tiara
Alexia first wore her diamond tiara in 1990 and it quickly became a favourite, as she favoured it for many formal occasions, from formal royal occasions to weddings. The tiara with geometric motifs bearing specially cut gemstones in different sizes was presented to her by her parents on the occasion of her coming of age. The tiara also belonged to Alexia’s aunt and her mother’s sister, Margaret II of Denmark, and she has lent it to her younger sister, Theodora, for several occasions.
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Margaret II’s turquoise tiara
Theodora could also borrow one of the tiaras of her aunt, the former Queen of Denmark, who recently announced her resignation from the throne. Over the years, Marguerite has preferred for her appearances this light and more subtle jewellery, with small turquoise flowers, pearls and diamonds, which she chooses to wear at formal dinners.
This jewellery has been lent to other royals from time to time, and Princess Theodora has worn it for the 40th anniversary celebrations of her aunt Margaret II’s reign in 2012.
