PRINCESS Anne is celebrating her 74th birthday today and royal expert Jennie Bond says “family time” will be key to her plans.
Although the Princess Royal is said to be “moderate in everything she does,” one birthday she received an extremely extravagant gift from her mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
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On her 18th birthday, Princess Anne received the exquisite Festoon Necklace.
The antique diamond jewel is adorned with ribbons, bows and pendants and is worth around £2.2 million, according to jewelery expert James Constantinou.
James, owner of Prestige Pawnbrokers and star of Channel 4’s Posh Pawn, told Fabulous: “Containing various hangings of stones, chains and usually a design motif including a garland, flower necklace, leaves or ribbons, festoon necklaces They were popular from the Georgian to the Edwardian period.
“Not only is the value of the diamonds robust enough, but given the history of a piece like this, it would likely be worth millions on its own.
“With the right marketing and the global reach of major auction houses, the piece could fetch more than £2.2 million.”
While Anne received the expensive necklace for her birthday, her younger brother Prince Edward was sadly forgotten for a year, according to reports.
Royal expert Ingrid Seward once said: “At Buckingham Palace he was alone, one year on his birthday he went to breakfast with the Queen and nothing was said.
“No card, no gift. She didn’t know it was his birthday.”
TIARA TO MATCH
The stunning necklace wasn’t the only great gift Princess Anne received.
The late Queen’s only daughter also received matching pendant earrings so she could wear the pair as a set.
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In the years that followed, Princess Anne would finalize the jewelry look with Princess Andrew’s Meander Tiara and the Halo Roll Tiara.
However, the glittering ensemble became truly complete when she received the Festoon Tiara in 1973 from the World Wide Shipping Group when naming one of their ships.
Last year, Tatler hailed Princess Anne as a “discreet glamazon” as she dazzled on the set of a State Banquet for the Republic of Korea.
The Princess Royal accessorized with a Maureen Baker evening gown as she arrived with dignitaries.
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ANNE’S INJURY
The Princess Royal recently spent five days in hospital after suffering a concussion in a horse riding accident at the Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire.
Anne suffered “minor injuries and concussion” after an “impact to the head or legs of a horse” on June 23.
The royal is believed to have been walking around the property with horses nearby at the time of the incident.
She was admitted to Southmead Hospital in Bristol, Buckingham Palace said, where she remained for five days.
During her time in hospital, the princess was forced to cancel her upcoming commitments – including a trip to Canada and an appearance at the State Banquet.
But last month she appeared in high spirits as she made a surprise appearance at the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) National Championships.
The Prince and Princess of Wales sent a message to Anne, posted on their social media profiles, saying: “Super soldier! Great to see you back so soon! W&C x.”
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BIRTHDAY PLANS
Although it is thought that Princess Anne will celebrate her birthday behind closed doors, the former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond shared how she might spend the day.
Speaking to Fabulous, she said: “She’s an outdoorsy kind of person, as you know.
“She is also a woman with an extraordinary work ethic and I don’t know what she will do for her birthday, but I guarantee if there is any kind of real commitment where she is needed, she will put that first.
With the right marketing and the global reach of major auction houses, the piece could fetch more than £2.2 million
James Constantinou
“However, she will be with her family. I hope Zara can make a bit of a fuss with her mother because Anne had a hard time with that horrible accident where it looks like she was kicked by a horse.
“Yes, she is very moderate in everything she does, but maybe a small glass of something legal. “And if she is in Scotlandthen one of the famous barbecues on the moors or something like that.
“But hopefully family time for her.”
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‘TERRIFIED’ Anne
Princess Anne is a key member of the king’s lean, working-class monarchy.
The devoted royals played an important role by coming forward to support King Charles after he stepped back from royal duties following his cancer diagnosis.
The princess, often dubbed the hardest working royal, is known for her no-nonsense approach and commitment to royal duty.
In fact, in 2023 she performed over 450, which was more than any other royal.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said The telegraph: “Anne is one of the best advertisements for the royal family because she is hardworking, dedicated and popular because people look at the way she handles things and like it.
“The public sees Anne as someone who has her feet on the ground, I think the institution really needs her.”
In 2022, Princess Anne replaced Prince Harry as Captain General of the Marines.
The post became available after Harry and his wife Meghan Markle stepped down as senior royals.
One of his first assignments in this role was a trip to Papua New Guinea and Australia for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
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