Jewelry Expert Reveals Special Meaning Behind Princess Anne's Accessory at Recent Event

The royals are known for putting a lot of thought into their outfits, whether they're honoring the late Princess Diana (remember Meghan Markle's butterfly earrings ?) or paying tribute to the countries they visit (who can forget Kate Middleton's subtle nod to Ukraine ?). And now, it looks like Princess Anne is following suit with a meaningful piece of jewelry.

According to Steven Stone 's Leading Jewellery Expert, Maxwell Stone, the Princess Royal's latest jewelry selections have been "oozing with sentiment." And this time, she donned a sparkly piece while attending a ceremony at the Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem. For the occasion, she wore a gray polka-dot skirt suit with black heels, but the most eye-catching part of her ensemble? Her dazzling brooch.

If you look closely, you'll notice that the 74-year-old royal is wearing two brooches and a pin. But there's one that's shaped like a loosely knotted ribbon, and Stone calls it a "poignant piece."

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He said, “Princess Anne accessorized with a particularly poignant piece during her visit to the Netherlands—a brooch that’s been in her jewelry box for five decades. Taking the form of a loosely-knotted ribbon, the brooch is made of gold studded with diamonds and was first worn by Anne at Buckingham Palace in February 1969, when she met Colonel Frank Borman, who served as commander of the Apollo 8 mission."

As seen below, the princess is all smiles as she stands beside her mother and greets Borman. And sure enough, the same golden brooch is fastened to her dress.

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Stone also noted that this has been the royal's go-to accessory for several years. He continued, "A versatile workhorse in Anne’s collection, the Princess Royal tends to reserve the piece for daytime wear but has worn it to some significant evening events—including a trip to Washington D.C in November 2014, during her trip to Uganda in October 2022, and to Southport War Memorial in October 2023. She often pairs it with her iconic Grima Pearl earrings—another of her longest-serving pieces of jewelry."

If you need proof, here's a snap of the Princess Royal donning the same brooch in 2014, when she celebrated the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta at the Library of Congress.

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And here's another of the royal wearing the accessory with a stunning orange coat dress while attending an Easter Sunday church service at St George's Chapel in 2016.

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FYI, Stone estimates that this brooch is worth a whopping $40,000. But this is just one of several of her go-to pieces. On occasion, you may have spotted her wearing the equestrian-themed horse brooch, her diamond bow brooch and her sapphire and pear brooch, which once belonged to her late mother.

Keep the dazzling accessories coming, Anne.

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