Small Diamond Crown of Queen Victoria

The Small Diamond Crown of Queen Victoria is a miniature imperial and state crown made at the request of Queen Victoria in 1870 to wear over her widow's cap following the death of her husband, Prince Albert.

Following the death of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Victoria's husband, in 1861, Queen Victoria withdrew from public life and wore a black and white ensemble colloquially known as widow's weeds, which she continued to wear until her death in 1901.

The new small crown was created as a substitute, meeting both the ceremonial duties of a monarch and her own desired form of dress as a widow.

[3] It contains 1,162 brilliant and 138 rose-cut diamonds weighing 132 carats (26.4 g) that were taken from a large necklace belonging to the queen.

When the new queen consort, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1936–1952), decided not to wear the Small Diamond Crown, it was deposited by Queen Victoria's great-grandson, George VI, in the Jewel House at the Tower of London, where it remains on public display.