The Chaumet Tiara, With Diamonds and a Central Emerald Let’s start with the historical tiara and the real woman who wore it wondrously. The owner of this famous jewel—still worn today by the women of the Luxembourg royal family —did not seem destined to become a grand duchess. Born on January 23, 1896, Charlotte was the second child of William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Infanta Marie Anne of Portugal. Her father, who became Grand Duke in 1905, died in 1912. At that time, his eldest daughter, Maria Adelaide, ascended to the throne—a succession made possible by the abolition of the Salic Law, which had restricted the line of succession to males only. Maria Adelaide of Luxembourg, however, was not cut out for that role. She suffered greatly from internal political conflicts, compounded by the occupation of Luxembourg by German troops in August 1914—which resulted in the violation of the country’s neutrality and the threat of annexation to Belgium. Considered too lenient toward the Germans, Marie-Adelaide abdicated in January 1919 in favor of her …