When Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh married Prince Edward at St. George’s Chapel on June 19, 1999, the bride’s silk organza Samantha Keswick (née Shaw) wedding dress with long sleeves, a V-neck, and 325,000 crystals and pearls was praised for its elegance. However, what really stole the show were her accessories. To top off her look, Sophie wore a pair of black-and-white pearl drop earrings and a matching cross necklace that the groom designed with Asprey and Garrard and gave to her as a wedding gift, according to Express. On March 13, 2023, the duchess breathed new life into those special earrings by wearing them for King Charles III’s first Commonwealth Day service since he became monarch in September of 2022. She paired the accessory with an all-white blazer and skirt set, nude pumps, and a white fascinator.
This isn’t the first time the royal has worn the drop earrings since she tied the knot. On December 1, 2022, Sophie’s wedding accessory made an appearance while she was visiting Guildford, England. Two weeks later, she donned the jewelry item again at Britannia Royal Naval College. Commonwealth Day marked the first official event Sophie attended with the rest of the royal family since using her new royal title as the Duchess of Edinburgh, and she chose a sentimental object to make her debut. On March 10, 2023, King Charles announced that his youngest brother, Edward, would be referred to as the Duke of Edinburgh, which his father, Prince Philip, previously used. That made Sophie the duchess of Edinburgh, which was a title Queen Elizabeth II previously used before she became monarch.
Another accessory that Sophie wore during her nuptials was the Anthemion Tiara. According to The Court Jeweller, the diamond-encrusted tiara was a new headpiece made with antique pieces just for her. The glittering accessory was another wedding gift from Edward. The palace said the piece came from Queen Elizabeth II’s private jewelry collection, although it never confirmed the exact origination. Since tying the knot, the tiara has been a staple in Sophie’s wardrobe, and she’s worn the glittering piece to many royal events. In June of 2019, for a Buckingham Palace state banquet, the royal sported the tiara with a lilac gown. The queen’s dresser, Angela Kelly, wrote in her book, The Other Side of the Coin: the Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe, that jeweler Harry Collins redesigned the headpiece for the banquet.
Of course, Sophie’s wedding dress was the focal point of her look when she married Edward. Her bridal gown designer, Keswick, told Tatler that the bride’s big day was a moment she would “forever hold very dear.” The designer also revealed that underneath the long-sleeve ensemble was another gown that served as her second look. “There was an evening dress under the coat dress, which was to remain super private for the evening dinner, and I had to get the fabric perfectly dyed to color-match the beautiful stone of St. George’s Chapel,” Keswick said.
Edward and Sophie, who met at a tennis match in 1993, hosted a simple wedding, even though it was a royal affair. Their big day didn’t have any ceremonial state or military involvement, according to Tatler. Nonetheless, the event was broadcasted live on television, and 200 million viewers tuned in to watch the royal couple say “I do.”
