Princess Anne Paired a 135-Year-Old $260,000 Royal Choker With a Paisley Dress From the '70s

Aside from its standout royals and long-standing traditions, the British royal family is known for its glittering sets of jewels that the women casually wear to engagements and other special events. Princess Anne, one of the hardest working members of the family, opted for a bold look for a cause close to her heart—and donned an accessory totaling over a quarter million dollars for some sparkle.

The Princess Royal attended the 30th Anniversary International Financial Review Annual Awards Dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on March 17. As if to give a nod to St. Patrick's Day, Anne wore an intricate green paisley printed dress for the event, with a royal purple satin scarf tossed elegantly over her shoulder. The item counts as a re-wear, as she previously wore the paisley dress on December 7, 1971 while accepting Britain's Sportswoman of the Year at the Sports Writers annual ball in London, one fan pointed out on X.

In the present day, Anne paired the frock with with an opulent pearl choker with vertical diamond encrusted bars, and a hexagonal blue sapphire in its center at the brooch. The necklace dates back to the 1890s, according to fine jewelry expert Maxwell Stone of U.K. jewelry retailer, Steven Stone. Stone notes that the choker originally belonged to Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia and "was later acquired by Queen Mary, who frequently wore it throughout the 1930s."

"Princess Anne’s sapphire choker is a striking piece, featuring four rows of pearls interspersed with 20 diamond bars, all centered around an angular sapphire and diamond clasp," Stone explained. "Following Queen Mary’s passing in 1953, the choker was inherited by Queen Elizabeth II. As she rarely wore chokers, she gifted it to Princess Anne in the early 1970s. Since then, the Princess Royal has reserved it for special occasions, including her 50th birthday and Prince William’s wedding gala in 2011."

The expert added, "I’d estimate the choker’s value to be approximately £200,000”—or just under $260,000 USD.

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