Duchess Sophie marks 27th anniversary with Edward’s sentimental pearl necklace
Sophie wore the black-and-white pearl necklace Edward designed for their wedding, a rare anniversary gift that still felt intimate 27 years later.
Sophie’s anniversary jewel is proof that the best luxury gifts do not expire when the occasion ends. On the couple’s 27th wedding anniversary, the Duchess of Edinburgh wore the black-and-white pearl necklace Prince Edward designed for her as a wedding gift, a piece that still carried the same emotional charge nearly three decades after it first appeared at their marriage.
Edward and Sophie married on 19 June 1999 at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, and the matching necklace and drop earrings were created by Asprey and Garrard for the wedding day. The necklace reportedly carried a cross motif, which gave the set a personal note rather than the usual display-first grandeur. Sophie paired the jewels with a Samantha Shaw dress decorated with more than 325,000 pearls and crystal beads, turning the entire look into a study in symbolism and craftsmanship.
That is the lesson for anyone choosing anniversary jewelry: the most memorable pieces usually begin with a story, not a price tag. Edward did not simply buy something beautiful. He commissioned something unusual, black-and-white pearls, a cross pendant, matching earrings, and had it made for Sophie’s wedding look. The result was polished enough for a royal chapel, but personal enough to remain meaningful 27 years later. That combination is what makes a gift feel like part of a marriage, not just part of a wardrobe.
The couple marked the anniversary during Royal Ascot on 18 and 19 June 2026, continuing a pattern of celebrating publicly at the races. HELLO! noted that they were spending their anniversary there, and the royal court circular confirmed that King Charles III and Queen Camilla were also present at Ascot on 18 June. In 2025, the pair were likewise seen at Royal Ascot for their 26th anniversary, which gives this year’s jewelry moment an added sense of continuity.
Edward and Sophie became the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh in March 2023, and their 25th anniversary in 2024 was marked with a new portrait at Bagshot Park, Surrey. Seen together, the portrait and the pearl set show a clear pattern: the most enduring anniversary gifts are the ones that can be worn again, remembered again, and folded back into a couple’s shared history without losing their meaning.
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