Pink Topazes and Aquamarines Steal the Sparkling Show at Royal Ascot

The King and the Queen rode in the first carriage of the traditional procession on Wednesday. They were accompanied by the Earl and Countess of Halifax. Lord Halifax is a member of the board of the Jockey Club, but the couple also have personal connections to the King and Queen. Lady Halifax (born Camilla Younger—actually, the Halifaxes are another “Charles and Camilla”) was married first to Richard Parker Bowles, younger brother of Andrew Parker Bowles. The two Camillas were sisters-in-law from 1973 until 1976.

The King was dapper in a gray suit for the races on Wednesday.

And for the second day running, he wore an interesting tie pin.

While yesterday’s pin is a bit of a mystery, we’ve seen Charles wear this one before. It features the cypher of King Boris III of Bulgaria, who died a mysterious death during World War II.

Queen Camilla (pictured here chatting with Andrew Parker Bowles and Nicholas Soames) wore a light pink coat dress by Anna Valentine with a Philip Treacy hat.

She accessorized with one of my favorite demi-parures from her jewelry collection: the five-stranded pearl choker with the diamond and pink topaz clasp and its coordinating diamond and pink topaz earrings. The jewels were sold at Sotheby’s in 2000, and Camilla has been wearing them since 2006.

In the second carriage, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh rode alongside Nicholas Soames, a grandson of Winston Churchill who was made Baron Soames of Fletching last October, and Lady Sarah Keswick, daughter of the 16th Earl of Dalhousie and wife of a former chairman of the Arsenal football club. Lady Sarah is also one of Queen Camilla’s “companions,” the title that replaced “lady in waiting.”

The Duchess wore an ivory Suzannah dress with a bow detail at the neck with a neutral hat and accessories.

She added a bit of glitter with a pair of pavé-set diamond drop earrings from her collection.

The Duke was also elegant in his top hat and tails.

He added a yellow waistcoat with a subtle check and a tie printed with various racing-related images.

His tie pin is a miniature of the cap badge of The Rifles. Edward is the royal colonel of the regiment’s 2nd Battalion.

In the third carriage, Zara and Mike Tindall rode alongside William Haggas, a noted racehorse trainer, and his wife, Maureen (a former eventer and daughter of the late jockey Lester Piggott).

Zara wore navy for the races with a teal hat and silver accessories.

I especially love the diamond earrings she wore with her ensemble. These look like they might be antiques to me.

And here’s a look at her rings and bracelets.

Mike didn’t wear a tie pin, but he did add a gold pin in the shape of a stag’s head to his lapel. He wore the same pin last year at Royal Ascot as well.

There were no royals or members of the Windsor family in the fourth carriage, but there was a member of musical theater royalty: Lord Lloyd-Webber. He was joined by his wife, Madeleine Gurdon, who is a successful thorougbred breeder and trainer. Another trainer, Sir Michael Stoute, was in the carriage with them, as was Lady Charles Spencer-Churchill (née Elizabeth Wyndham, a sister-in-law of the 11th Duke of Marlborough).

Two more members of the family were waiting in the parade ring: the Princess Royal and her husband, Sir Tim Laurence. Princess Anne wore blue and white for the second day of the race meeting.

She accessorized with pearls, including the necklace that may be the same one worn by the late Queen Elizabeth II. She also added a diamond and aquamarine pineflower brooch, which was once part of a tiara made by Cartier for the late Queen Mother.

And here’s a look at Sir Tim with Mike Tindall in the royal box. That’s a wrap on day two of the races!