{"id":506378,"date":"2026-06-18T16:33:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T16:33:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/506378\/"},"modified":"2026-06-18T16:33:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T16:33:11","slug":"sophie-duchess-of-edinburgh-rewears-her-pearl-wedding-necklace-to-royal-ascot-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/506378\/","title":{"rendered":"Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, Rewears Her Pearl Wedding Necklace to Royal Ascot 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Estimated2 min read<\/p>\n

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh made a more formal entrance at Royal Ascot<\/a> on Thursday, riding in the second carriage of the Royal Procession. The couple joined Princess Anne and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence. Known as Ladies\u2019 Day, the third day of the prestigious event is usually the most fashionable. Sophie arrived dressed in midi Suzannah London dress, covered in tiny bows, with a navy saucer-style headpiece.<\/p>\n

\"RoyalSamir Hussein\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

The Duchess of Edinburgh in the Royal Enclosure.<\/p>\n

But what stood out most was the Duchess\u2019s necklace of alternating white and black pearls, interspersed with white gold rondels and a matching cross pendant. It is part of a suite that Sophie wore on her wedding day to Prince Edward in 1999, a fitting choice the day before their 27th wedding anniversary. Her husband designed the pearl-studded pieces himself, which are estimated to be worth<\/a> upwards of $35,000. The parure came with a matching set of earrings<\/a>, although Sophie appears to be wearing a different set at Royal Ascot today.<\/p>\n

\"PrinceAnwar Hussein\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Sophie on her wedding day in 1999.<\/p>\n

The matching navy dress and hat was quite similar to her look on Wednesday<\/a>, when the Duchess wore a nearly all-black ensemble, with a different dress by Suzannah London as well as a hat from one of her go-to milliners, Jane Taylor. Sophie\u2019s father, Christopher Rhys-Jones also joined the couple on Wednesday as Royal Ascot regularly draws not just working members of the royal family but also their relatives and in-laws.<\/p>\n

\"RoyalMax Mumby\/Indigo\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

The Edinburghs at Ascot yesterday.<\/p>\n

Ladies\u2019 Day originated in 1823, when an anonymous poet described<\/a> the Thursday of the annual gathering as \u201cLadies\u2019 Day…when the women, like angels, look sweetly divine.\u201d The theme has endured for two centuries, and the day remains the most closely watched on the fashion calendar of the entire week.<\/p>\n

That said, Royal Ascot is known for its stringent dress codes, which vary by enclosure within the racegrounds. In the Royal Enclosure, men are required to wear morning dress\u2014a black or grey coat, waistcoat, and top hat\u2014while women must wear dresses of modest length with straps at least one inch wide. Most critically, hats are mandatory; fascinators and headpieces with bases smaller than four inches are not permitted. The Queen Anne and Village Enclosures maintain a slightly more relaxed standard, requiring tailored suits for men and hats or fascinators for women, though the overall expectation remains firmly formal.<\/p>\n

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Rachel King (she\/her) is a news writer at\u00a0Town & Country. Before joining\u00a0T&C, she spent nearly a decade as an editor at\u00a0Fortune. Her work covering travel and lifestyle has appeared in\u00a0Forbes,\u00a0Observer,\u00a0Robb Report, Cruise Critic, and\u00a0Cool Hunting, among others. Originally from San Francisco, she lives in New York with her wife, their daughter, and a precocious labradoodle. Follow her on Instagram at\u00a0@rk.passport<\/a>.<\/p>\n