Both the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex own many beautiful baubles and glamorous gems from the late Princess Diana’s royal jewelry box.
The Duchess of Sussex is in possession of Diana’s diamonds, which encircle the outer rim of her engagement ring, a large aquamarine cocktail ring, a diamond Cartier tennis bracelet, gold cuff bracelet with two blue stones as well as a pair of butterfly earrings. The California based duchess also frequently wears Diana’s gold Cartier watch.
In addition, Duchess Meghan recently stepped out in Diana’s aquamarine ring while clad in a white off-the-shoulder Louis Vuitton gown at the Midtown Hilton for the Ripple Awards on December 06, 2022 in New York City.
And while the Duchess of Sussex has many of Diana’s pieces held privately in her jewelry vault in America, it’s the Princes of Wales who often showcases the priceless pieces while tending to royal duty. Even recently, the Wales matriarch debuted another new heirloom from Lady Diana’s personal collection. In November 2022, Kate showed off a diamond feather brooch worn previously by the People’s Princess as a necklace.
And Princess Kate will likely continue to introduce more pieces of Diana’s sparkly and shimmery accessories into her royal wardrobe over time.
Here are 9 Times Kate Middleton Wore Princess Diana’s Jewelry:
1. Diamond and South Sea Pearl Earrings
First worn by Lady Spencer to the Coronation Banquet of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan in November 1990, these impressive sparkling diamond knot earrings became a favorite of the late princess.
She wore the diamond horseshoe shaped pair to theater performances (Swan Lake), receptions abroad (a trip to South Korea) and to state dinners for diplomats and international officials. The elegant earrings are as versatile as they are glamorous with a detachable swinging South Sea pearl that can be removed and replaced. Kate swapped the large statement pearl from Diana’s diamond scroll earrings and added a smaller and more delicate pearl. Shop a Replikate HERE
2. Cabochon Sapphire Drop Earrings
The Princess of Wales is synonymous with her collection of blue baubles and is strongly associated with sapphire gems. In June 2022, Kate debuted these cabochon sapphire earrings for the annual Trooping the Colour parade.
These stunning earrings feature two separate sapphires with the top stone surrounded by eight diamonds which is linked to a larger cabochon sapphire surrounded by nine diamonds. Kate wore the earrings throughout 2022 and 2023 and has donned the beautiful blue earrings on a total of seven occasions. The sapphire stones in Kate’s earrings are believed to possibly be designed from the strap of Diana’s Saudi Sapphire watch. Princess Diana wore the set during her years as a working royal for a visit to Vienna and Melbourne, a ball at Claridge’s hotel in London and for a few official portraits as well as donning them on the cover of the July 1994 issue of British Vogue. Shop a Replikate HERE
3. Queen Mary’s Art Deco Emerald Choker
Created by official Crown Jeweler Garrard, this glossy green choker coordinates with the jewels in the Cambridge Emerald suite. Inherited by Queen Elizabeth in 1953, the former sovereign never wore the piece as she was not inclined to wear chokers.
Passed on as a lifetime loan to Princess Diana, the monarch presented Lady Di with the necklace as a wedding gift in 1981. Diana wore the dazzling accessory with jade colored dresses and even sported the bejeweled accessory as a headband for a dance with then Prince Charles during a tour of Australia in 1985. The Delhi Durbar Emerald Choker returned to the Queen following Diana’s death and was not seen again until Princess Kate stepped out in the piece for the Earthshot Prize Awards at the MGM Music Hall in Boston in early December 2022.
4. Sapphire and Diamond Oval Drop Earrings
The Princess of Wales has stepped out in these blue earrings over 60 times on royal duty. First worn for an official portrait before a tour of North America, these earrings perfectly coordinate with Kate’s sapphire engagement ring.
There is some dispute whether the sapphires originated from Princess Diana’s collection and were refashioned into a new pair for Kate or were a gift from William to his wife. The earring duo feature an oval faceted sapphire surrounded by a ring of small diamonds all hanging from a single smaller diamond drop clasp. As of now, there is no concrete evidence the earrings were a part of Diana’s collection. Shop a Replikate HERE
5. Prince of Wales Feather Brooch
With a detachable emerald drop, this diamond brooch has already been seen on the princess on two separate occasions in different variations. Kate wore the feather emblem pin featuring three ostrich feathers with an emerald border for the South African President state visit on November 22, 2022.
Later, clad in an Erdem peplum skirt suit, she donned the royal heirloom without the hanging emerald. The piece was a gift from the Queen Mother to Diana following her engagement to Prince Charles in 1981. The badge has been worn by Princess Diana as a pendant necklace and Queen Camilla as a brooch.
6. Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara
Often mistaken for the Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara, the Princess of Wales has been worn this special diadem on numerous official occasions. Commissioned by Queen Mary and created by official royal jeweler Garrard, Kate’s opulent crown features 19 pear shaped pearls suspended off a diamond frame.
The late Queen Elizabeth wore the piece for special trips like a visit to Canada in 1959, a Governor’s Ball in 1954 as well as farewell state dinner for Winston Churchill in 1955. The Queen wasn’t seen in the headpiece after 1967. Diana was offered the tiara for her wedding but selected the Spencer tiara instead; she would later wear the heavy and headache-inducing crown to the opening of parliament and notable palace events like a State Banquet for Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. Princess Kate has been seen in the Lover’s Knot Tiara on 11 occasions since its debut in 2015. Shop a Replikate HERE
7. Collingwood Pearl Earrings
A wedding gift to Princess Diana from Collingwood Jewelers ahead of her wedding to Prince Charles, the late princess first stepped out in these pearl drop earrings at a banquet a month before the royal wedding on July 29, 1981.
As the pearls perfectly coordinate with Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara, Diana often wore the pretty bell shaped earrings for fancy palace parties and special affairs with her beloved tiara. She was spotted in the earrings abroad and donned them at a banquet in Paris, the British Embassy in Washington and to watch a performance at an opera house in Milan, Italy. She also famously wore the pear shaped pearls with her black off-the-shoulder ‘Revenge Dress’ by Christina Stambolian at the Serpentine Gallery In London in June 1994. Kate first stepped out in the pearls for the Spanish state banquet in 2017 and has also worn the earrings in Belgium and to diplomatic receptions and palace galas. Shop at Replikate HERE
8. Queen’s Japanese Pearl Choker
Loaned to her daughter-in-law Diana for the Dutch State Banquet in November 1982, the Queen gave the former Princess of Wales the four-strand pearl choker for official royal engagements. The pearls comprising the choker were reportedly lent to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth from the Japanese government and a unique diamond clasp was used to fasten the piece.The pearl choker has become an iconic part of royal history now that Princess Kate has donned the accessory for momentous and memorable events.
Kate was first spotted in the collar necklace for the Duke of Edinburgh’s 70th wedding anniversary dinner on November 20, 2017 in Windsor. Later, Princess Kate would wear the choker for the Duke’s funeral procession as well as for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey. She again donned the piece for a somber occasion wearing it for the Royal Festival of Remembrance in 2022 and in Scotland for the Coronation Service at St. Giles’ Cathedral in July 2023. Shop a Replikate HERE
9. Nigel Milne Three-Strand Pearl and Diamond Bracelet
In the summer of 2017, Kate stepped out at a reception in Germany with some new arm candy in the form of this three-strand bracelet. Designed for a charity project by Nigel Milne supporting Birthright, the bracelet features three rows of shiny cultured pearls with six diamond halo spacers.
Diana famously wore the bracelet with her oyster pearl embellished white Catherine Walker ‘Elvis’ dress during a visit to Hong Kong. (The tall collar of Diana’s pearl encrusted bolero resembled the King of Rock and Roll’s jumpsuits.) Princess Kate has worn the three-strand bracelet for a few occasions since its debut including for a military parade in Jamaica in March 2022 and a Governors-General reception in September 2022.
