The Duchess of Edinburgh’s German State Banquet Tiara Moment

Today, the Duchess of Edinburgh celebrates her birthday, and in her honor we’re taking a closer look at her most recent tiara appearance: a mixture of blue and green gemstones worn during the German state visit.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were part of the royal family party in attendance at December’s state banquet at Windsor Castle, which was given in honor of the visiting President of Germany. They’re pictured here during the procession at the start of the banquet, walking just ahead of their nephew and niece, the Prince and Princess of Wales.

For the banquet, Sophie reached into her wardrobe archive for a gala gown from Suzannah. The 1950s-inspired gown is in an extremely dark shade of navy blue, providing a solid background for Sophie’s decorations: the sash and star of the Royal Victorian Order and the Royal Family Orders of King Charles III and Queen Elizabeth II.

Sophie’s jewelry accessories for the banquet are all pieces from her personal collection. The tiara, a convertible jewel that can also be worn as a necklace, features a modern diamond design with a sea-green aquamarine centerpiece. Sophie has been wearing the piece both as a tiara and a necklace for two decades.

Sophie paired the tiara on this occasion with a suite of jewelry that is a newer part of her collection. The diamond and sapphire necklace, earrings, and bracelet all come from Graff. They’re part of the brand’s cloud-inspired Nuage line. She has been wearing the jewels for gala occasions since at least 2022, when she debuted them during a Platinum Jubilee tour of Gibraltar. She also memorably wore the earrings and the bracelet for the coronation in 2023.

There was some serious deja vu when Sophie stepped out in the gown, decorations, tiara, and jewels for the German state banquet. Exactly a year earlier, she wore the very same ensemble for a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in honor of the Emir of Qatar. The only changes were her hairstyle, her handbag, and the position of the RVO star. Clearly Sophie loves this combination of jewels—but what did all of you think of the combination of the green aquamarine and the dark blue sapphires?

Coverage of jewels worn for the funeral of Princess Irene in Athens is coming up soon! Be sure you’re checking back here at The Court Jeweller often, and also don’t forget to subscribe to Hidden Gems to receive Wednesday’s newsletter (for all subscribers) and Saturday’s article (for paid subscribers).