Princess Anne Dons $260K Choker—and It Has a Special Connection to Prince William

While a royal fan noticed a repeat of her dress from the 1971 Sportswoman of the Year Award, I was more intrigued about the dazzling piece around her neck—the same one she wore at Prince William's pre-wedding gala in 2011 as shown above.

When asked about their relationship, Senior Director of Special Projects & Royals Rachel Bowie shares, "Prince William and Princess Anne aren't known to be especially close, but William does have strong relationships with his royal cousins—in particular Zara Tindall, who is Anne's daughter."

And despite Prince William being more connected to his cousins, Princess Anne still find ways to represent him—like taking inspo from his body language at charity events. We'll never know if this week's rewear was intentional or not, but I like to think she wanted to paid a subtle tribute to her nephew.

The sapphire choker features four rows of pearls with 20 diamond bars that sparkle regardless of what event she is attending. I can see why it's a popular pick in her collection. Per reports, the piece has a long history as it belonged to Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia dating back to the 1890s. It was given to Queen Mary before making its way to Queen Elizabeth II and then Princess Anne in the '70s. A family heirloom indeed.

According to Maxwell Stone of Steven Stone jewelry, the choker is valued at about £200,000, or in our case, $260,000. "The Princess Royal has reserved it for special occassions, including her milestone birthday in 2000 and Prince William's wedding gala in 2011," he shared.

Here's to more standout (and recycled) statement pieces!

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