In the years after she married Prince Edward, the Duchess of Edinburgh took several opportunities to turn her tiara moments into a trip down memory lane by recycling her bridal headpiece.
Look no further than her outfit at Crown Prince Haakon of Norway's wedding with Mette-Marit in August 2001 for proof. Sophie (née Rhys-Jones) was the picture of elegance as she arrived at Oslo Cathedral in a corset wedding guest dress with liquid blue satin draped across the top, gathering for the cowl neckline before falling into a structured A-line skirt.
She accessorised with a bridal white shawl draped across her arms, elbow-length gloves in the same angelic colour and a pearl choker.
© GettyOn top of her flicky brunette pixie cut – which she has since swapped for much blonder and longer hair – sat her diamond wedding tiara, which she had worn to make her tiara debut two years earlier.
Sophie's wedding tiara
© GettyFor her big day on 19 June 1999, Prince Edward's wife and the former PR boss paired her bespoke crystal-studded Samantha Show coat dress – which was hiding a near-identical structured second wedding dress underneath – with the Anthemion tiara which was gifted to her by her late mother-in-law Queen Elizabeth II.
Duchess Sophie: 5 top facts
© Victoria Jones/Shutterstock1. PR girl
Sophie built a successful career before marrying Prince Edward. She worked for Capitol Radio and later launched her own public relations agency, RJH Public Relations, which she ran with her business partner for five years.
2. Dog lover
Sophie is a well-known dog lover and is the patron of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. In January 2025, she visited the organisation's training centre and had adorable puppy cuddles with a nine-week-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy.
3. Bahamas proposal
Prince Edward proposed to Sophie after five years of dating during a holiday to the Bahamas in 1998. He presented her with a two-carat oval diamond, flanked with two-heart shaped gemstones.
4. Stepping up
As the Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie is a full-time working member of the royal family. She has augmented her duties since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from royal duties and Prince Andrew relinquished his official roles. Alongside this, she balances being a devoted mum to her two children: Lady Louise Windsor, 21, and James, Earl of Wessex, 17.
5. Princess wedding
Her 1999 wedding to Prince Edward was low-key but still attracted 200 million TV viewers. Her silk dress was adorned with 325,000 crystals and pearls, and her Anthemion tiara was selected from the late Queen’s private jewellery collection.
Expert jeweller at F. Hinds, Jeremy Hinds told HELLO!: "Whilst there aren’t many confirmed details about the Anthemion tiara, it is speculated that its diamonds originated from Queen Victoria’s Regal Circlet crown, and have been swapped out and rearranged in a daintier fashion." He estimating the tiara is worth around £1 million.
© Gamma-Rapho via Getty ImagesAccording to the Court Jeweller, the circlet was made with a set of detachable fleur-de-lis, a Maltese cross, and anthemion elements that could all be swapped out and rearranged.
Sophie has re-worn the piece at several royal weddings since then, including Princess Martha Louise of Norway and her late first husband Ari Behn's in 2002, King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark's in 2004, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden's in 2010.
