King Charles and Queen Camilla are celebrating their 21st wedding anniversary on Thursday, April 9, and although they're not marking the occasion in Italy like they did for their 20th, the pair will no doubt be enjoying a special day closer to home. The traditional gemstone gift for a 20th anniversary is emeralds, but for a 21st anniversary celebration, a gemstone that's not quite as well known reigns.
Justin Daughters, managing director at Berganza, tells Marie Claire that "21st anniversaries can be celebrated with the help of iolites, known as 'water sapphires' because of their color that changes from blue to violet."
Iolites are a popular alternative to sapphires due to their lower cost, and Daughters says that they're "an interesting gemstone which has always been connected with wisdom and guidance." Historically, Vikings are said to have used iolites as a navigational tool to help locate the sun, giving the stone an association with intuition and finding your own path.
No matter what The King and Queen share for anniversary gifts this year, it's likely to be a quiet celebration. Former royal gardener Jack Stooks recently shared that "their anniversaries tend to be up in Birkhall near the Balmoral Estate," adding that their celebrations are never "too extravagant."
For King Charles and Queen Camilla, they can't exactly head out on the town like a normal couple, so they tend to enjoy a special night at home. "It's not that easy that they can go and have a nice meal in a restaurant and be left alone," Stooks explains, speaking to Smooth Spins. "It's so difficult."
