The Firm’s ‘secret weapon’ has been reigning supreme among the royals when it comes to glittering style this year
The Duchess of Edinburgh continued her reign as one of the Firm’s most regal dressers at an engagement at St James’ Palace on Tuesday. Sophie joined King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester to recognise the work of local and regional government employees in communities up and down Britain.
A wide range of attendees were present at the event, including leaders who work on Violence Against Women and Girls, a cause that has long been close to the Duchess of Edinburgh’s heart.
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Sophie, 61, was the picture of elegance at the palace, choosing one of her most luxurious gowns for the occasion. A Giorgio Armani long-sleeved silk maxi dress was the order of the day, which the Duchess paired with diamond earrings from the Adore Jewels collection and a rose gold and diamond necklace from Chopard’s ‘Happy Diamonds’ collection.
It is not the first time that the Duchess of Edinburgh has donned this slinky gown, having selected the number for the Awareness Foundation dinner at the Lansdowne Club in November 2025. Sophie also stepped out in the dress in December 2024, when she wore it for a visit to the Buckingham Palace picture gallery.
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Sophie also wore the Armani number to join the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke of Kent in the Buckingham Palace picture gallery during the 2024 Qatari state visit MINA KIM/Getty Images
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The Chopard necklace is also a regular selection from the Duchess’s jewellery box. The mother of two first stepped out in the piece when she joined King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and the Princess of Wales for the royals’ annual festive outing at Sandringham in December 2024, pairing the jewels with a blue woollen coat. Many wondered at the time whether the diamonds were a Christmas present from Prince Edward. If so, they certainly seem to be a successful one, with Sophie wearing them so soon into the new year.
The Duchess of Edinburgh has stepped into 2026 with an impeccably elegant approach to royal dressing. Last month, she was a vision in emerald as she joined Queen Camilla to support King Charles for the premiere of his documentary Finding Harmony at Windsor Castle.
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Sophie wore a silk-satin midi dress from Galvan Margot for the occasion, which she paired with Prada pointed pumps and a rose gold diamond bracelet by Chopard. In a nod to one of the King’s most treasured causes, the Duchess wore a brooch that was handcrafted by graduates from the King’s Foundation, as did Queen Camilla and the Duchess of Gloucester.
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The Duchess of Edinburgh speaks to Kate Winslet in the Grand Reception Room after they attended the premiere of Finding Harmony: A King’s Vision at Windsor Castle on 28 January Pool/Getty Images
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Prince Edward was not on hand to join his wife at the engagement at St James’ Palace on Tuesday, as he is currently on a royal engagement in Dubai. The Duke of Edinburgh became the first member of the royal family to comment on the Windsors’ involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. The Prince was put on the spot while speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai when a journalist asked him his thoughts on the United States Department of Justice’s release of three million files related to the late child sex offender – files that include a number of email exchanges between Epstein and Prince Edward’s older brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
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Prince Edward broke his silence about the Jeffrey Epstein scandal while speaking at a Leadership Forum in the UAE Joosep Martinson – International Skating Union/Getty Images
‘Well, with the best will in the world, I’m not sure this is the audience that is the least bit interested in that,’ Prince Edward reportedly said when asked how he was coping with the scandal engulfing his family. ‘They all came here to listen to education, solving the future, but no, I think it’s all really important, always, to remember the victims and who are the victims in all this.’
Prince Edward is currently in the UAE to ‘champion the importance of education’, particularly ‘non-formal education and experiential learning, to develop skills and opportunities for young people worldwide.’
