The Princess of Wales is synonymous with sapphires. Bold, brilliant and blue, the sapphire or ‘royal blue’ shade is often associated with noble families and imperial rulers. The vivid and vibrant royal blue color has regal roots — the hue was created in England and first used in the early 1800s. Designed as a “power color” the shade was originally created by clothiers for a robe making competition for Queen Charlotte, consort of King George III.
Today, Princess Kate frequently wears her favorite cobalt suits, coat dresses and heels accented by her sparkling sapphire accessories. In fact, the princess has always been a fan of the precious blue stone and has actually been wearing jewelry pieces featuring the blue gem for years.
Here are 6 of Kate Middleton’s Favorite Sapphire Jewelry Pieces:
1. Cabochon Sapphire Drop Earrings
These stunning sparklers have a long royal lineage and hail from Princess Diana’s treasured accessory cache. Thought to have been received as a wedding gift after her marriage, Lady Diana wore these cabochon sapphires for many special and ceremonial occasions including for dances on tour in Melbourne and to attend the Council of Fashion Designers Awards at Lincoln Center in New York in January 1995. For the US visit, she wore slicked back hair and a moody midnight blue slip dress by Catherine Walker paired with these dazzling sapphire earrings.
Designed to resemble a daisy flower charm, each sapphire is set in a ring of diamonds which are designed to look like petals. Believed to be constructed of white gold, the top sapphire is surrounded by eight diamonds and the bottom stone is encircled by nine diamonds. The softer cabochons have been polished but are not faceted thus rendering a softer but still prismatic effect. Diana also wore the earrings with lace sheath dresses for special charity fundraisers and the cover of British Vogue in honor of her 33rd birthday in July 1994.
2. Two Drop Sapphire and Diamond Pendant Necklace
A classic oval sapphire surrounded by a halo of diamonds with a smaller hanging sapphire bordered by additional diamonds, this pendant necklace is believed to have been reinvented from a piece originating in Princess Diana’s collection. Many assume the necklace was constructed from a pair of Diana’s earrings and some royal watchers suggest it originated from the sapphire suite gifted to Prince Charles and Princess Diana as a wedding present from the Saudi Royal Family. The princess received an Asprey designed suite from the Crown Prince Fahd of Saudi Araboia in 1981.
Princess Kate first appeared in the necklace to meet with the President of the Ukraine in a cornflower blue Emilia Wickstead dress in October 2020. She’s since worn the necklace on five more occasions including to visit Evelina London Children’s Day Surgery Unit.
3. Sapphire and Diamond Engagement Ring
Princess Diana’s unforgettable engagement ring was designed by crown jewelers Garrard and cost around $30,000 when it was produced. The weighty ring consists of 14 diamonds surrounding a large 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire all set in 18-karat white gold. Today, Princess Kate is rarely photographed without the marriage token and only removes it for sporting engagements, hospital visits and casual at-home meetings and family snaps.
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Princess Diana was so concerned about cutting her first born Prince William during an official photograph session at Kensington Palace in December 1982 that she swapped the sizable ring for a duplicate design consisting of a polished sapphire cabochon with rounded edges. The copycat replica ring was worn in order not to scratch the young newborn prince.
4. Sapphire and Diamond Oval Drop Earrings
One of Princess Kate’s most recycled pairs — these earrings feature a small sapphire in a halo setting. The dainty drop earrings boast a faceted sapphire stone encircled by round rows of small diamonds.
Princess Diana wore the drop earrings as studs and later they were refashioned to make the delicate drops. The Berkshire born princess debuted the blue earrings in the gardens of Clarence House on June 3, 2011 for official photographs taken ahead of the Wales’ royal tour of Canada. Princess Kate also worn them for Commonwealth Day in March 2022 and other official engagements.
5. Queen Mother’s Sapphire and Diamond Fringe Earrings
Originally belonging to the Queen Mother, these dazzling fringe earrings call to mind the flapper era of the Roaring Twenties. Featuring sizable square sapphires outlined with diamonds, these Art Deco earrings were believed to have been a gift to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother from Queen Mary on the occasion of her wedding.
Queen Elizabeth II never donned the inherited earrings and they remained unworn for many years. Later, Princess Kate debuted the fringed earrings at a Hedge Funds Award ceremony in October 2015 in a floral maxi dress from Erdem and wore them again for the U.S. state banquet and pre-coronation reception in May 2023.
6. Elsa Peretti Color by the Yard Sapphire Earrings and Necklace
A sapphire station necklace with matching earrings, the princess has worn these two Tiffany pieces on multiple occasions before and after marrying into the royal family.
Notably, the princess wore the earrings and necklace featuring an 18-karat gold chain with one oval sapphire cabochon and two round brilliant cut diamonds for her engagement photocall with Prince William in November 2010.
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