Battle of the bling! As Kate's Lotus Flower steals the show at the state banquet, which royal family owns the most beautiful tiara? 

• Kate wore the Lotus Flower Tiara at the state banquet to welcome Chinese leader Xi Jinping and wife Peng Liyuan
• Some of the world's most beautiful tiaras are owned by royal families around the globe 
• Key pieces include The Luxembourg Empire Tiara, often seen on the head of the Grand Duchess Maria Teresa
• Other highlights include the unique Romanian Greek Key Tiara and Sweden's Braganza tiara
• See more news and style from the Duchess of Cambridge at www.dailymail.co.uk/kate 

Few pieces of jewellery suggest blue blood like a tiara does. Worn on the grandest of occasions, they are shimmering visions of wealth, perfectly perched on some of the world's most regal crowns.

On Tuesday night at Buckingham Palace, all eyes were on the Duchess of Cambridge as she attended her first state banquet to welcome the Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan.

Kate, 33, matched a beautiful red dress by Jenny Packham - a nod to China's flag - with the Lotus Flower tiara once owned by the Queen Mother. The delicate diamond tiara has fan motifs crowned by floating diamond arches and is also known as the Papyrus Tiara; it was created by British jeweller Garrard from one of the Queen Mother's own necklaces.

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Although only the third time Kate has worn a tiara - she famously wore the Cartier Halo Tiara for her wedding in 2011 and the Lotus Flower Tiara for the Queen's annual diplomatic reception at the Palace in 2013 - this is the second time the mother-of-two has plumped for this stunning headpiece, indicating that just like the Queen's late sister, Princess Margaret, this could become her diadem of choice for official functions.

Leslie Field, author of the Queen's Jewels, said of the Egyptian-style tiara: 'It's a beautiful pearl and diamond piece. It's very much in the Twenties style and probably quite lightweight and comfortable to wear.'

While the British royals certainly have an enviable collection of tiaras, their regal counterparts in dynasties elsewhere in the world certainly aren't lacking either.

Europe's royals can lay claim to having some of the most beautiful and expensive adornments in their possession with the Dutch and the Swedish royal families boasting some exquisite sparklers in their prestigious collections. 

Elsewhere, money is seemingly no object for the Middle Eastern royals, who can commission diamond-heavy creations on a whim. In the Far East, namely with the collections of the Malaysian and Thai royals, there are tiaras so historic and expensive they're beyond a valuation.  

British jeweller Dinny Hall told that tiaras and royalty enjoy a long-standing love affair. 'For me the heyday of the great Royal tiaras was the mid to late 19th century - in the British Court Queen Alexandra always wore hers with the most stylish aplomb.'

'Today, I think that Princess Mary of Denmark should be crowned "queen" of the tiaras in particular the Ruby and Diamond Ivy motif creation first worn at the coronation of Napoleon, though now altered to suit Princess Mary.'

She adds: 'I think my personal favourite is still the George III Fringe Tiara tiara worn by Princess Elizabeth on her wedding day in 1947 – and still worn by the Queen today.'

And when it comes to value? It's almost impossible to put a sale sign on them. Dinny explains: 'They are priceless really... the heritage and intrinsic value make it very difficult to put a price on them.'

Here, FEMAIL picks out some dazzling diadems from the world's royal families:

UNITED KINGDOM  

CURRENT STAR OF THE COLLECTION: The Cartier Halo tiara

VITAL STATISTICS: 739 brilliant-cut diamonds and 149 baguette-cut diamonds

WHO'S WEARING IT: The Duchess of Cambridge

Cartier made the halo tiara after being commission by the Queen's father, King George VI in 1936. The band was originally made for the Queen Mother before being passed down the family lineage. Although the Queen has previously lent the priceless headpiece to Princesses Margaret and Anne, it's been seen in most recent times on the head of the Duchess of Cambridge. Kate wore it at her wedding to William in 2010.  

BEST OF THE REST: Where to begin? There's the striking Russian Fringe diamond tiara, the King George III tiara. Another UK gem is the Cambridge Lovers Knot, which was made for Queen Mary and given to Diana by the Queen. Look out too for the Delhi Durbar tiara made in 1911 and worn by the Duchess of Cornwall in 2013.

The Queen's favourite tiara is Queen Mary's Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara and wears it with such frequency she is also pictured in it on bank notes and coins. However at the state banquet at Buckingham Palace to welcome the Chinese premier, Her Majesty wore the Modern Sapphire Tiara, which is also known as the George VI tiara, made from gems owned by Princess Louise of Belgium, who died in 1924. 

The Duchess of Cornwall tends to opt for more architectural pieces including the Boucheron Honeycomb Tiara, which is officially called the Greville Tiara after Boucheron made it for a society maven called Mrs Greville in 1921. When she died without heirs in 1942 she left it to Queen Elizabeth (the future Queen Mother) and it became one of her favourites.

Camilla has also worn the Delhi Durba Tiara, which was made by Garrard in 1911 for Queen Mary to wear for a ceremony in India to mark the succession of King George V as King Emperor. 

It is made up a tall circlet of lyres and S-scrolls, with festoons of roses and brilliant-cut diamonds. Queen Mary lent the tiara to Queen Elizabeth in 1946 for the 1947 South African Tour and it remained with her until her death in 2002. In 2005, it was lent by The Queen to The Duchess of Cornwall.

Another diadem owned by the Queen is the Oriental circlet, an Eastern-inspired diamond and ruby piece designed by Prince Albert and made by Garrard for Queen Victoria in 1853. It was originally set with opals which were switched to rubies by Queen Alexandra as the tiara passed from queen to queen. The

Designed by Prince Albert and made by Garrard for Queen Victoria in 1853, this tiara was originally set with opals. They were switched to rubies by Queen Alexandra as the tiara began to pass from queen to queen. It was frequently worn by the Queen Mother, and passed to the Queen on her death in 2002. The Queen has only worn it once to date. 

The Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara, the aunt of Tsar NIcholas II, commissioned this tiara of 15 intertwined diamond circles and hung with pendant pearls in 1874. She hid it in a vault at the Vladimir Palace in 1918 where it remained until the British secret service smuggled the jewels out of Russia in a plain bag. The Duchess passed the tiara to her daughter,  Princess Nicholas of Greece who sold this one in 1921 to Queen Mary, who then passed it to the Queen on Mary's death in 1953.

The Queen has worn it three ways - with pendant emeralds, pearls and without either, which seems to be the lightest option. 

GREECE  

CURRENT STAR OF THE COLLECTION: The Ruby Olive Wreath tiara

VITAL STATISTICS: A flexible tiara with an olive wreath motif, diamond leaves and deep red rubies

WHO'S WEARING IT: Queen Anne-Marie of Greece   

Queen Anne-Marie of Greece has other pieces shining bright in her tiara collection but the rubies on her olive wreath tiara arguably shine the brightest. Passed down from Queen Olga of Greece, the colourful diadem has accompanying earrings and a necklace to go with it. 

BEST OF THE REST: The Greek Emerald Parure tiara dates back to 1867 and is frequently worn by Queen Anne-Marie. It has five huge emeralds on the band, and a matching emerald necklace to go with it. Also of note is the diamond and pearl Antique Corsage tiara which is has enjoyed a journey down the lineage of several different royal families including Sweden, Denmark and Greece. It was most recently seen on the crown of Tatiana Blatnik as she wed Prince Nikolaos of Greece in 2010.

DENMARK

CURRENT STAR OF THE COLLECTION:  Pearl Poiré Tiara

WHO WEARS IT: Queen Margrethe of Denmark 

VITAL STATISTICS: The Danish collection of royal tiaras may not quite be as extensive as their Swedish counterparts but they do have some show-stoppers within their grasp including the Danish Ruby Parure Tiara (read more below). The pearl poiré is the pick of the diamond-clad collection and dates back to the early 19th century. Made in Berlin, it comprises 18 pearl poirés (dropped pearls) which are framed by diamond-encrusted arches. 

BEST OF THE REST: A striking tiara littered with diamonds and glistening ruby gems was presented to the Crown Princess Mary of Denmark as a wedding gift in 2004 after it was handed down from Frederik's grandmother Queen Ingrid.

The antique heirloom, which is part of the Ruby Parure, is made up of a series of diamond-encrusted leaves punctured by red berries and has been refashioned a number of times since it was first worn circa 1804. Crown Princess Mary also still wears her wedding tiara, a gift from Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik, which sometimes she sports as a necklace, and more recently, with pearls added to it. 

ROMANIA 

STAR OF THE COLLECTION:  The Romanian Greek Key Tiara

VITAL STATISTICS: A diamond and platinum tiara that depicts a traditional Greek design

WHO WEARS IT: Crown Princess Margarita   A unique diadem which has its heritage in Russia; the Greek key tiara found itself in the hands of the Romanian royals after the Russian revolution saw much of its jewels redistributed. 

The Romanian royal family were in 1947 when the country became a republic but Crown Princess Margarita, who now lives in Elisabeta Palace in Bucharest, is regularly spotted wearing the piece.  

The most notable other tiara worn by Margarita has been the Essex Tiara, which she wore on her wedding day in 1996. The tiara, made by Cartier, was loaned to her by the Parisian jeweller.

SPAIN

CURRENT STAR OF THE COLLECTION: Ansorena fleur-de-lys tiara

VITAL STATISTICS: 450 diamonds and 10 Australian pearls dance together on an 18 carat white gold band 

WHO WEARS IT: Queen Sofia

Queen Letizia may be the most photographed member of the royal family but the crowning glory in the Spanish jewel collection has yet to be worn by her. Queen Sofia's beloved fleur-de-lys tiara is one of the weightiest headpieces seen on the royal circuit. Made by Ansorena of Madrid for Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain in 1906, this diamond-heavy band is made of platinum, which is much lighter than silver or gold.  

BEST OF THE REST: Queen Letizia now has a fleur-de-lys tiara to call her own. The 450-diamond encrusted design swirls into the familiar Bourbon symbol at the tiara's peak. The centrepiece fleur-de-lys can be detached and worn as a brooch.

Queen Sofia also wore the opulent Cartier Pearl and Diamond Tiara to the wedding of Danish Prince Frederik and Australian Mary Donaldson. A piece from the collection of Queen Ena, the British princess who married King Alfonso XIII in 1906, it originally had emeralds that were worn in place of pearls. 

One of the current Spanish Queen, Letizia's favourite tiaras is the Prussian Diamond Tiara designed with Greek motifs, a circlet of laurel leaves, a structure of columns and a swinging diamond at its centre. It was made by German jeweller Koch for the wedding of Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia to Prince Ernst August of Hanover in 1913 and was given to her by her father Kaiser Wilhelm II. 

When Victoria Louise's daughter married the future King Paul of Greece, it was passed to her, who then passed it to her own daughter, the future queen of Spain, Sofia.

Letizia wore the Floral Tiara in October 2014 to receive the Chilean ambassador. Made with diamonds set in gold and silver with floral motifs, it was made in 1879 and the central flower can be adapted to be worn as a brooch.

Letizia, who was then the Princess of Asturias, wore it to Queen Beatrix’s dinner on April 29, 2013. 

SWEDEN 

STAR OF THE COLLECTION: The Braganza tiara

VITAL STATISTICS: Dates back to the 1820s and consists of diamond leaves, flowers and arabesques mounted in silver and gold. Measures 12.5 centimetres in height.

WHO WEARS IT: Queen Silvia  

As tiaras go, this is one that really gets jewellery enthusiasts excited. It's imposing, majestic and absolutely riddled with diamonds. Also known as the Brazilian Tiara, it's French-made and was gifted to the second wife of Emperor Pedro I of Brazil. Half-Brazilian Queen Silva now has it in her collection and wore it when she was first crowned Sweden's Queen. A regular fixture at state banquets and family weddings.

BEST OF THE REST: There are several highlights including the striking Baden fringe tiara and the rather striking Queen Josephine's Amethyst Tiara, that is trimmed in diamonds. It is thought to have originated with Napoleon's wife Empress Josephine. The piece can be worn as both a tiara and a necklace. 

Crown Princess Victoria also showcased the arresting Cameo Tiara at her wedding, which was made in 1809 for the Empress Josephine by her husband Napoleon. Cameos were in vogue at the time and seven were used although they were not intended to together so they are different sizes and colour. 

Each cameo depicts a different scene from Greek myth and is framed in pearls and sits on a base of gold and seed pearls and is worn by Swedish royal brides.

LUXEMBOURG

CURRENT STAR OF THE COLLECTION:  The Luxembourg Empire Tiara 

WHO WEARS IT: Grand Duchess Maria Teresa 

VITAL STATISTICS: There is scant information on how many diamonds there are on this heavyweight, suffice to say it's dripping with diamonds

Among the biggest in Europe, the Luxembourg Empire Tiara has found its way down the family tree onto the head of the Grand Duchess Maria Teresa. This stunning headpiece is awash with diamonds and dates back to the early 19th century.  

BEST OF THE REST: When Princess Claire of Luxembourg wed Prince Felix in 2013, she wore a vine leaf-design tiara with berries. Said to date back from the mid-19th century, it's also often worn by Maria Teresa.

HOLLAND  

CURRENT STAR OF THE COLLECTION: The Antique Pearl Tiara

VITAL STATISTICS: Pearls and fleur-de-lys shaped diamonds in a garland. Seven huge drop pearls can be added for more impact. 

WHO WEARS IT: Princess Máxima  

A simple but beautiful pearl tiara that was based upon a diadem originally made for Queen Anna of the Netherlands, it was created around 1900. Often seen on the head of Princess Máxima, it's also been worn by other modern Swedish royals including Queen Beatrix and Princess Margriet.

BEST OF THE REST: There are oodles to choose from. The Ruby Mellerio tiara, the Rose Cut Diamond Bandeau, the Mellerio Sapphire Tiara and the Dutch Emerald tiara among the most beautiful.

The Antique Pearl Tiara originated with a pearl and diamond headpiece made for Queen Anna of the Netherlands in 1840 by the Russian court jeweller Duval in 1840. 

It is not known what became of that tiara but in 1900 her granddaughter had a new tiara made to replicate the old one with single diamond uprights above a diamond garland. It can be worn on its own of with 7 drop pearls attached to the diamonds.

The pearls date back to the 17th century so are possibly the oldest in the family collection and the largest is extremely rare as it weighs 41 grains.

The Ruby Melliero Tiara was ordered by King Willem III for his young wife, Queen Emma in 1889. The tiara includes three large scroll motifs in rubies and diamonds with two smaller motifs at the sides, all connected by three ropes of diamonds.

Maxima's Dutch Emerald Tiara, which was made in 1900 by emeralds thought to have belonged to Wilhelmina of Prussia (1751-1820), wife of William V of Orange, the design has a central emerald in a swirling knotted diamond base with emeralds on top. Many members of the royal family wore it against their foreheads with the central emerald pointing down. Maxima prefers it as a traditional tiara tucked into her hair. 

NORWAY 

STAR OF THE COLLECTION: Daisy tiara

VITAL STATISTICS: Small, daisy-shaped diamond flowers nestled up to a scalloped edge  

WHO WEARS IT: Crown Princess Mette-Marit   

Said to have been crafted by Garrards in London, this daisy-strewn tiara is Edwardian but seems perfectly suited to Norwegian minimalism. Crown Princess Mette-Marit wore it on her wedding day when she walked down the aisle with Prince Hakkon. Cate Blanchett was rumoured to have borrowed it, or at least worn a very similar version for the film An Ideal Husband.

BEST OF THE REST: Empress Josephine's Emerald Tiara divides opinion and appears more crown-like than its more delicate peers. A favourite with Queen Sonja, it carries geometric emeralds in its design. Another sparkler is the Norwegian Amethyst Parure tiara, which has strong hints of purple and offers a splash of colour to Mette-Marit's outfits.

JORDAN

CROWN JEWEL IN THE COLLECTION: Cartier tiara

VITAL STATISTICS: Building up to a high arch, this extravagant diamond headpiece appears to float about the head   

WHO WEARS IT: Queen Rania  

Middle Eastern high society has a 'bigger is better' approach when it comes to jewellery and their royalty's tiaras are no exception. Jordan's late Queen Alia was gifted this beautiful Cartier tiara from her husband King Hussein. 

Queen Alia met an untimely death in a helicopter crash in 1977 and the headwear was passed down to Princess Haya, who is the wife of the Sheikh of Dubai. Jet-setting Queen Rania has borrowed it on numerous occasions ensuring it's been seen at many high profile events in recent years.   

BEST OF THE REST: So delicate it hardly looks regal, Queen Rania's tiara, which she wore to a state dinner with the Queen and Prince Philip in 2006, and is thought to date to 2001.

Queen Rania's Boucheron bracelet tiara is so delicate it can be transformed to wear on a wrist. The Boucheron Emerald Ivy Tiara is also an eye-catcher, with its emeralds a vision of bright green. 

BELGIUM

CURRENT STAR IN THE COLLECTION: The Laurel Wreath

VITAL STATISTICS: Dripping with 631 diamonds and a classic Greek design but easy to wear and also converts into a necklace

WHO WEARS IT: Princess Mathilde, Queen Paola   

Belgium's go-to tiara for royal weddings, state banquets...pretty much every regal occasion in fact. The pretty laurel wreath's exact origins are much debated but what is certain is that it was gifted to Princess Mathilde ahead of her wedding to Prince Philippe in 1999. 

BEST OF THE REST: Queen Paola's Art Deco Queen Elisabeth Diamond Bandeau was loaned to Princess Mathilde for her wedding in 1999. 

MONACO 

CURRENT STAR IN THE COLLECTION: Cartier tiara with pearl drops

VITAL STATISTICS: A white gold and platinum band with pear-shaped pearls 

WHO WEARS IT: Princess Charlotte, Princess Caroline   

A wedding present for Princess Charlotte, this Cartier Pearl Drop tiara was crafted in Paris as a gift from Charlotte's husband, Count Pierre de Polignac. Princess Caroline and Princess Charlotte have both been spotted wearing it although it's rarely seen in public, making it even more of a treat to see when it does surface.

BEST OF THE REST: Although Princess Grace owned at least three tiaras in her lifetime, Princess Caroline tends to favour designs from the Hanover family including the Brunswick tiara, which was once part of Empress Joséphine's jewel collection.

MALAYSIA  

CURRENT STAR IN THE COLLECTION: Gandik Diraja

VITAL STATISTICS: A diamond and platinum headpiece which uses several traditional Malaysian motifs

WHO WEARS IT:  Queen Haminah Hamidun 

Remounted in 1984, this substantial headpiece is Malaysian in style and is cleverly designed to turn into a locket and matching brooches. Many of the country's queens have been seen wearing it.

BEST OF THE REST: Other distinguishable headwear includes a sparkler-encrusted tiara shaped like a palm tree, which is often worn by Queen Haminah Hamidun 

FROM LICHTENSTEIN TO SWEDEN: EUROPE'S FIVE RICHEST ROYAL FAMILIES

Lichtenstein might be the wealthiest and Norway the poorest but there are plenty of royals in between. Here's who has what:

1. The Lichtensteins of Lichtensten

Worth an estimated £4.9bn, the dynasty is entirely self-funded which makes owning the world's largest family-run private banking and asset management company thoroughly useful.

2. The Grimaldis of Monaco

Prince Albert II is worth an estimated £1bn and boasts several estates in France and Monaco as well as interests in a Monte Carlo resort.

3. The Windsors of the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and others

The Queen has a personal fortune of £295m, although estimates vary and some take into account the publicly owned royal palaces. Her only privately owned residences

4. The Orange-Nassaus of the Netherlands

Much of the family's private fortune of an estimated £131m comes from privately owned shares in oil company Shell, although given the Dutch royals don't have to make their accounts public, it could be larger.

5. The Bernadottes of Sweden

Sweden's Carl XVI Gustaf is the wealthiest of the Scandinavian monarchs and has an estimated £27.5m in the bank.