A royal wedding is traditionally the first time the bride wears a tiara, so fans had spent months speculating what headpiece Sarah Ferguson would choose for her milestone moment in July 1986.
Except, the big reveal didn't happen quite as everyone expected. Instead of stepping out of the car at Westminster Abbey to show off a tiara, the royal bride teamed her Lindka Cierach wedding dress with a crown made up of white gardenias, which were reportedly Prince Andrew's favourite flowers.
© GettySarah later removed the flower crown to reveal the York tiara, which was a gift from her in-laws Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. It's thought that the switch, which took place following her wedding ceremony, was symbolic of her entering the royal family.
© GettyIt's possible that she also had her late mother-in-law in mind when it came to her floral headpiece. Nineteen years earlier, the Queen looked pretty in petals as she attended the Marquess Of Hartington's royal wedding with Amanda Carmen Heywood-lonsdale in London.
Looking elegant as always, the monarch teamed her knee-length coat with white accessories, including small heels, leather gloves, a handbag tucked over her wrist and a white petal hat.
© PA ImagesSarah – who shares daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie with Andrew – enjoyed a very close relationship with the Queen. She said on the Tea with Twiggy podcast that Her Majesty was not just a relation by marriage, but she also acted as "more of a mother" to her than anyone else and was her "greatest mentor."
After her death in September 2022, Sarah released a heartfelt tribute that said, in part: "To me, she was the most incredible mother-in-law and friend. I will always be grateful to her for the generosity she showed me in remaining close to me even after my divorce. I will miss her more than words can express."
© Anwar HusseinSarah and Andrew got divorced in 1996 but remained amicable, with the former couple continuing to reside together in Royal Lodge Windsor.
"We always say we are the most contented divorced couple in the world. We're divorced to each other, not from each other," Sarah explained to The Telegraph.
"We are co-parents who support each other and believe that family is everything. I'm proud of the job we have done together in bringing up our children and sustaining a strong family unit. Our bywords are communication, compromise and compassion."
The former Duchess of York also continued to wear her Burmese ruby engagement ring until 2003, a whopping 11 years after the couple separated. Meanwhile, she recycled her wedding tiara, a floral-shaped diamond scroll headpiece designed by Garrard, for five years after her divorce.
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