Princess Anne was a vision in teal on Monday as she attended the annual Commonwealth Day service in London. While royal fans were impressed with her recycled look, they were particularly drawn to the brooch she was wearing. The Princess Royal headed to Westminster Abbey without her husband, as she joined her brother, King Charles, and the rest of the royals for the poignant ceremony.
Anne looked stunning in a patterned teal coat, which she has worn on various occasions since 2013. She paired it with a colour-matching hat, black gloves, a black leather bag, and black heels. But it was her stalactite brooch that caught people’s attention, and it turns out that the gold and diamond accessory carries quite a sentimental value for the royal.
The eye-catching piece has been in Anne’s collection for decades – since 1973 – when it was given to her by her mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, as a wedding gift after she married her first husband, Captain Mark Philips.
Anne’s brooch is estimated to cost around £16,000 by jewellery experts.
Maxwell Stone, of Steven Stone, said: “Princess Anne wore a large diamond and yellow gold brooch that’s been identified as her stalactite brooch. Created by Andrew Grima, it’s been in her jewellery box since 1973.
“It’s a particularly sentimental piece for Anne as she received it from her Mother as a wedding gift when she tied the knot with her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips. I’d estimate it to be worth £16,000.”
The jewellery expert added: “[The timeless piece] not only celebrates Queen Elizabeth II’s legacy but also highlights the enduring power of royal tradition.”
Royal fans praised the princess on social media, with one person writing: “Good to see this brooch out and about.”
A second one added: “The pin she wore in the lapel today is VERY interesting!”
A third fan said: “The large gold brooch is unusual but stunning.”
A fourth person commented: “The BROOCH!!!!! Is that one she has worn before? It’s breathtaking.”