Kate Middleton: The Jewels That Define Her Years of Royalty
Take a look at the new Princess of Wales' favorite royal jewels.
Over ten years have passed since Kate Middleton's royal wedding to Prince William. With more than 2 billion people watching, the then-future Princess of Wales arrived at Westminster Abbey in a stunning Alexander McQueen gown to officially join the British Royal Family.
On their 10th wedding anniversary last year, the couple shared two new portraits taken by photographer Chris Floyd, lensed at Kensington Palace. Visible in both photos is the impressive engagement ring that Kate first showed during her engagement announcement in October 2010.
The 18-carat white gold ring has a 12-carat oval blue sapphire and fourteen diamonds, and has a profound meaning for the Prince and Princess of Wales, since it belonged to Princess Diana. At the time of his engagement, William said that giving the ring to his future wife was his way of ensuring that his mother would not miss his wedding day.
Since the engagement, the ring—now valued at more than $400,000—has become one of the most sought-after styles in the world for more than a decade. Alongside the ring, L'OFFICIEL rounds up the most incredible jewels Kate has worn since joining the monarchy.
Engagement Ring
In 2010, Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton while they were on vacation in Kenya, after seven years of dating. He gave her the sapphire engagement ring that belonged to Princess Diana, his late mother.
Princess Diana's Sapphire Earrings
As in the case of the above ring, Middleton is often seen wearing a pair of sapphire earrings, which were also part of Princess Diana's collection, although she has modified them a bit to match her own style. The oval sapphires, surrounded by diamonds, were part of a larger pair, and the Princess of Wales seems to have kept only part of them.
Lover's Knot Tiara
In 2015, Kate wore the famous Lover's Knot Tiara for the first time to attend a state banquet at Buckingham Palace. It was one of Princess Diana's favorite pieces, and although it gave her a headache because it was so heavy, she wore it all the time. The tiara was originally passed on to Queen Elizabeth II by Queen Mary after her death in 1953. In 2022, Kate wore the tiara for her first state dinner as Princess of Wales following Queen Elizabeth's death.
Cartier Halo Tiara
On her wedding day to Prince William, Middleton borrowed Queen Elizabeth II's Cartier Halo Tiara. The delicate diamond and the platinum piece perfectly complemented the Alexander McQueen dress. Although Kate has not yet publicly worn the tiara in the years following her wedding, the piece has a rich history: it was produced in 1936 by King George VI for his wife, who gifted it to Elizabeth on her 18th birthday.
Lotus Flower Tiara
The delicate tiara, which features diamonds and pearls, is a favorite of Princess Margaret and was also worn by the Queen Mother in previous years before King Georg VI took the throne.
Monogrammed Necklace
In early 2020, Kate and William traveled to Wales for official events, and she was photographed wearing a gold coin necklace on several occasions. The piece in question is from the jewelry store Daniella Draper and is engraved with the letters G, C, and L—the initials of their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
Emerald Suite
Kate wore a beautiful set of emeralds and diamonds for the BAFTA 2018 red carpet.
Statement Earrings
Also for the BAFTAs, she wore a sparkling earring and bracelet combo in a more minimal jewelry look.
Van Cleef & Arpels
For the 2020 BAFTAs, she opted for elegant jewelry from her personal collection by Van Cleef & Arpels.
Queen Elizabeth II's Pearl Choker and Drop Earrings
Kate paid tribute to the Queen Elizabeth II at her funeral by wearing two favored pieces that belonged to the late monarch. The four-stranded pearl necklace has also been worn by Princess Diana in 1982. The necklace is made from jewels gifted to the Queen by Japan in the 1970s.