Princess Anne’s $650,000 Brooch Was an Homage to Queen Elizabeth

Princess Anne attends QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot

Photo: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Princess Anne, the hardest-working member of the royal family, recently made an appearance at a gala dinner supporting the Eric Liddell 100, which celebrates the life and times of the Scottish athlete and his historic performance at the 1924 Olympic Games. While her vintage dress may have gotten the majority of the spotlight—the Princess Royal wore a Frank Usher dress from the 1960s—her sapphire-and-pearl brooch was a touching tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth.

According to experts from U.K. retailer Steven Stone, Anne wore one of Elizabeth’s favorite pieces. The piece first entered the royal collection in 1866, when Alexandra, Princess of Wales at the time, purchased it as a wedding present for her sister, Empress Maria Feodorovna. Later, Queen Mary acquired the brooch and it was passed down to Queen Elizabeth and now, Anne.

The brooch features a sapphire surrounded by two rows of diamonds and a distinctive drop-pearl embellishment.

“The eye-catching piece features a sugarloaf cabochon sapphire encircled by two rows of diamonds and has a removable pearl droplet that hangs delicately underneath,” jewelry expert Maxwell Stone explained. “The incredible sapphire and intricate diamond detailing would give this piece an estimated value of over £500,000 [approximately $648,880].”

Queen Elizabeth in the Solomon Islands

Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

Stone expanded on the piece’s history and mentioned that Queen Elizabeth wore it on some of her most memorable royal tours.

“It’s heartwarming to see Princess Anne paying tribute to her late mother through her jewelry—particularly such a historic piece. The brooch originally belonged to Empress Maria Feodorovna and was reportedly bought by Queen Mary,” Stone added. “When Queen Elizabeth II inherited the throne, her grandmother’s brooch was passed down to her and she wore it multiple times over the years—making it one of the most popular pieces from the late monarch’s brooch collection.”

Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace

Pool Photograph/Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

Anne is a patron of the Eric Liddell 100 and at this year’s event, she presented an award while wearing the dramatic backless dress. The organization works to inspire young people to make a “positive impact on their community” and celebrate Liddell’s legacy, values, and integrity.

Related Posts

“Tears in the Jungle: AngryGinge Collapses Into His Mother’s Arms After His Victory — ‘I Just Wanted to Make You Proud.’ Viewers Say It’s the Most Emotional Finale in Years.” DI

“Tears in the Jungle: AngryGinge Collapses Into His Mother’s Arms After His Victory — ‘I Just Wanted to Make You Proud.’ Viewers Say It’s the Most Emotional…

Jim Carrey ‘Sickened’ by Hollywood’s ‘Spineless’ Standing Ovation for Will Smith: The $200 Million Reckoning

The world watched in stunned silence as the 94th Academy Awards pivoted from its glittering display of cinematic achievement into a globally televised act of shocking public…

The Unscripted Ballroom: Hidden Mics Expose the Raw, Emotional Chaos Behind the Glamour of Strictly’s Legendary Blackpool Special

The Unscripted Ballroom: Hidden Mics Expose the Raw, Emotional Chaos Behind the Glamour of Strictly’s Legendary Blackpool Special There are few locations in show business that hold…

The Hilarious Moment 50 Cent Obliterates Eminem’s Serious Interview With a Single, Iconic Line: ‘Who Is This Guy?’

The Moment the Interview Became an Instant Classic: Eminem’s Serious Film Chat Hilariously Hijacked by a Surprise Appearance In the meticulously choreographed world of Hollywood press junkets…

Thrown Away at a Farm Gate, This Puppy Became Mom to Ducklings DD

What stopped me that morning wasn’t the sunrise. It was my puppy acting like a mother. Down by the little pond behind our house outside De Moines’s…

“You Never Gave Up On Me Once”: Ali’s Heartbreaking, Transformative Farewell to La Voix Shatters the Strictly Ballroom

“You Never Gave Up On Me Once”: Ali’s Heartbreaking, Transformative Farewell to La Voix Shatters the Strictly Ballroom The glittering, high-stakes arena of Strictly Come Dancing is…