The Duchess of Edinburgh was spotted wearing an elegant set of Chopard diamonds during her visit to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
The 60-year-old royal, who recently celebrated her milestone birthday, showcased the sparkling new jewels during Thursday’s engagement in Surrey.
The ever-diligent Duchess was visiting Sandhurst in her capacity as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Corps of Army Music, where she enjoyed a performance from the Band of the Coldstream Guards.
Royal watchers were quick to notice her stunning new jewellery set, which reports in Tatler suggest may have been a thoughtful present from her husband, Prince Edward.
Prince Edward sparks speculation following Duchess of Edinburgh’s latest move
Getty
The new jewellery set consists of three pieces from Chopard’s Happy Diamonds collection: a necklace, stud earrings, and a bracelet.
The duchess first wore these elegant diamond pieces during the Royal Family’s annual festive outing last December, when she joined King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and the Princess of Wales.
On that occasion, she paired the sparkling diamonds with a blue woollen coat, prompting speculation about whether the set was a Christmas gift from Prince Edward.
The repeated appearance of these jewels so early in the new year suggests they have become a favoured addition to the duchess’s collection.
The Duchess of Edinburgh dazzled at a dinner with new jewellery
Getty
For her Sandhurst engagement, the duchess braved the winter weather in a grey wool coat by Suzannah London, a designer also favoured by the Princess of Wales.
Inside the academy, Sophie removed her coat to reveal an elegant polka-dot dress from Prada.
The duchess was welcomed with a special fanfare performed by seven band members dressed in their distinctive scarlet tunics and bearskin caps.
The Band of the Coldstream Guards, who performed for the duchess, have a rich history of playing at prestigious royal events, including Trooping the Colour and the Remembrance ceremony at the Cenotaph.
In a fitting tribute to her role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Corps of Army Music, Sophie wore the corps’s badge as a brooch during the event.
The special badge features the corps’s Latin motto “Nulli Secondus” (meaning “second to none”) alongside an oak and palm wreath.
Following the musical performance by the Coldstream Guards, the duchess participated in a significant ceremony at the military academy.
She officially opened the Duchess of Edinburgh Hall, a new facility named in her honour at Sandhurst. The opening was marked by the unveiling of a golden plaque bearing her name, commemorating her connection to the prestigious military institution.
