Kate Middleton’s thoughtful jewellery tributes to Queen Elizabeth and

The Princess of Wales is renowned for her impeccable fashion sense, but it’s the thoughtful details that set her style apart.

A key aspect of her elegance lies in her carefully chosen jewellery, often selected for its deep personal and historical significance.

Kate frequently pays tribute to members of the Royal Family – most notably Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana – through her choice of accessories.

Whether it’s a delicate pair of earrings or a striking necklace, her accessories often carry sentimental meaning, particularly on significant occasions.

Below, we explore some of the most poignant moments where Kate’s jewellery choices have told a story of heritage, remembrance and connection.

Honouring history at a Holocaust memorial service

Kate used her jewellery to convey a touching message at the Holocaust memorial service marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, held at Guildhall in London on January 27.

Dressed in a sophisticated all-black ensemble, Kate chose pieces with layers of significance

At the heart of her look was a £275 five-strand vintage pearl necklace from Susan Caplan – a particularly moving choice given that it is a Jewish-owned brand.

The Princess of Wales wore a £275 five-strand vintage pearl necklace from Susan Caplan – a Jewish-owned brand – to the Holocaust memorial service marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, held at Guildhall in London

She paired the necklace with the Bahrain pearl drop earrings, a treasured royal heirloom.

Made from pearls gifted to Princess Elizabeth by the Hakim of Bahrain for her wedding to Prince Philip, the earrings became a favourite in the early years of her marriage.

The late Queen later loaned them to Princess Diana and Sophie, the then Countess of Wessex. However, since Remembrance Sunday in 2016, Kate has worn them exclusively.

Completing her trio of pearl pieces was Princess Diana’s three-strand bracelet, designed by Nigel Milne.

More than just a beautiful accessory, the bracelet was part of a collection supporting Birthright, a British charity for mothers and babies, now known as Wellbeing of Women.

Diana wore it during her 1989 tour of Hong Kong, paired with her iconic Catherine Walker ‘Elvis’ dress.

With each carefully selected piece, Kate honoured the legacy of the women who came before her, while marking the solemnity of the occasion – demonstrating that, for her, jewellery is more than just an accessory.

Kate paired her necklace with the Bahrain pearl drop earrings, a treasured royal heirloom, as well as Princess Diana’s three-strand bracelet. Diana wore the bracelet during her 1989 tour of Hong Kong, paired with her iconic Catherine Walker ‘Elvis’ dress

First state banquet as the Princess of Wales

When Kate made her debut as the Princess of Wales at the first state banquet of King Charles III’s reign in 2022, her thoughtful jewellery choices spoke volumes.

Held in honour of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the grand occasion saw Kate step into her new royal role wearing a breathtaking ivory Jenny Packham gown.

However, it was her carefully selected accessories that added a deeper layer of significance to the ensemble.

The focal point of her look was the Lover’s Knot riara, which Queen Elizabeth gifted to Princess Diana upon her marriage to Prince Charles. It soon became a favourite of Diana’s, making Kate’s choice particularly poignant, as she was honouring the legacy of her late mother-in-law.

Kate also wore Diana’s South Sea pearl earrings, which have a rich history. Diana first wore them at the coronation banquet for Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan in 1990, and they soon became a signature piece in her collection.

Featuring a horseshoe and laurel design, the earrings showcase a double curve of baguette-cut diamonds, a central cluster of marquise-cut stones and a single pearl drop.

At the first state banquet of King Charles’s reign, Kate paid tribute to her late mother-in-law, Diana, through her carefully chosen accessories

Remembering Queen Elizabeth during the Emir of Qatar’s state visit

During the Emir of Qatar’s state visit to the UK in early December last year, Kate once again used her jewellery to honour the legacy of the late Queen Elizabeth.

Dressed in a flawless burgundy ensemble, comprising an Alexander McQueen coat and matching Sahar Millinery hat, Kate exuded elegance. She selected two pieces of jewellery deeply connected to the late monarch: the Bahrain pearl drop earrings and the Japanese pearl choker.

This combination, also favoured by Princess Diana, added a layer of historical significance to the occasion.

It is believed that the Japanese government gifted the pearls in the necklace to Queen Elizabeth during her first state visit to Japan in 1975. She later commissioned the court jeweller, Garrard, to craft the striking four-strand choker, complete with a central diamond clasp.

The choker was first loaned to Kate for the Queen and Prince Philip’s 70th wedding anniversary celebrations in 2017.

She has continued to pair it with the Bahrain earrings for significant occasions, including the funerals of Prince Philip in 2021 and Queen Elizabeth in 2022.

Diana, too, memorably wore the necklace in 1982 during the state visit of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.

In early December last year, Kate greeted the Emir of Qatar during his state visit to the UK in a flawless burgundy ensemble – and she carried the late Queen’s memory with her as she did so

The Japanese pearl choker was previously worn by Queen Elizabeth during a visit to Bangladesh in 1983, right, and by Princess Diana at a 1982 Hampton Court Palace banquet held during the state visit of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands

Dazzling elegance at the state banquet for the King and Queen of the Netherlands

For the state banquet with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands in 2018, Kate chose jewellery steeped in royal heritage.

She wore Queen Alexandra’s wedding necklace – a stunning piece gifted by King Edward VII to his bride, Alexandra of Denmark.

The necklace features eight pearls encircled by diamonds and connected with delicate diamond festoons, and three detachable diamond and pearl-drop pendants.

It later became a cherished heirloom of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, who even wore it for her daughter’s wedding at Westminster Abbey.

Kate complemented the necklace with the Lover’s Knot tiara, an iconic piece with 19 diamond arches and 38 drop-pearls, which was a favourite of Princess Diana’s.

Kate also honoured her late mother-in-law by wearing the Collingwood pearl drop earrings, which were gifted to Diana before she became the Princess of Wales.

The dazzling diamonds and pearls stood out beautifully against Kate’s icy blue taffeta gown by Alexander McQueen.

Kate wore Queen Alexandra’s wedding necklace during state banquet held for the King and Queen of the Netherlands at Buckingham Palace in October 2018. The jewels had previously been inherited by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, right

Princess Diana wore the Lover’s Knot tiara and Collingwood earrings in Washington DC in November 1985

A solemn tribute on Remembrance Sunday

For last year’s National Service of Remembrance, Kate chose the Bahrain pearl drop earrings, which were worn by Queen Elizabeth II in her first royal command portrait by Dorothy Wilding in 1952 and remained a staple throughout her reign.

Kate paired the jewels with a military-inspired coat by Catherine Walker – a re-wear from 2020.

She subtly updated the look by removing the shoulder fringing, changing the buttons and adding a velvet bow at the neckline, while keeping the structured silhouette, mandarin collar, epaulettes and waist tabs intact.

To complete the ensemble, she wore a Juliette Botterill flower and feather teardrop hat, adding a touch of grace to her all-black attire.

For Remembrance Sunday in 2024, Kate selected the Bahrain pearl diamond drop earrings from the late Queen’s private collection

Sentimental jewels for King Charles’s coronation

In a heartfelt tribute to the late Queen, Kate wore the George VI diamond festoon necklace for the first time in the official portrait for the King’s Coronation.

A gift from her beloved father, George VI, Queen Elizabeth wore the showstopping necklace, featuring three strands of graduated stones, throughout her reign.

George VI commissioned Garrard to create the piece in 1950, using 105 loose diamonds that had been stored in a reserve.

Kate paired the exquisite necklace with Diana’s elegant South Sea pearl earrings.