The second Prince William popped the question with the late Princess Diana’s iconic sapphire ring, it was clear that Duchess KateSome sentimental jewels would be passed on.
In the ten years since her death, the Duchess has made it a point of paying tribute to her mother in law with her jewelry. She wears pieces from her collection for special occasions.
These subtle fashion choices are not only ways to honor Diana, it’s also exactly what the late royal would have wanted. Before her death, she wrote a “letter of wishes” that stated how she wanted her jewelry to be dispersed.
“I would like you to divide my personal chattels at your discretion between my sons and godchildren, the division being three quarters to my sons and one quarter to my godchildren,” she wrote. “I would like you to allocate all my jewelry to the share to be held by my sons, so that their wives may, in due course, have it or use it. I leave the exact division of the jewelry to your discretion.”
While Meghan MarkleWho married? Prince Harry in 2018, has some memorable pieces like Princess Diana’s iconic aquamarine cocktail ring and her butterfly earrings, Duchess Kate has her fair share of meaningful memorabilia — most of which are made with sapphires or pearls.
The Cambridge Lovers Knot is a favorite piece of hers that she has worn multiple times. Diana was given the tiara. Queen Elizabethquickly became one her favorite.
The jewel vanished after her death. It returned on Kate’s head in 2015 for a diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace. She’s since worn the tiara to multiple engagements, including a Diplomatic Corps in 2018.
In June 2022, the Duchess of Cambridge brought out Diana’s double-drop diamond sapphire earrings for Trooping the Colour during the queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The earrings and matching layered necklace were worn by Diana during a 1991 visit to Canada and again at the 1996 Met Gala.
In 2021, Kate wore the late Princess of Wales’ three strand pearl bracelet for the celebration of The Big Lunch initiative. Nigel Milne first designed the piece in 1988 for the late monarch. The simple, yet elegant accessory was worn by Kate during her royal tour of Sweden and Germany.
The Hold Still author has also taken some creative liberty with her mother-in-law’s mementos, redesigning her sapphire and diamond necklace and earrings using jewels from a set previously gifted to her mother-in-law.
The gemstones, commonly referred to as The Saudi Suite are originally a wedding gift for Princess of Wales from Crown Prince Fahd in Saudi Arabia.
The duchess of Cambridge has worn the sapphire earrings many times, but she paired them with the matching necklace most recently in 2020, when she was with Prince William.
From the four string pearl choker worn to Prince Philip’s funeral to the Collingwood pear earrings donned at a Spanish state banquet, keep scrolling to see every time Duchess Kate paid tribute to Princess Diana with her jewelry.
