They say a picture is worth a thousand words – and through her glittering jewelry selection, the Princess of Wales is sending hidden but sincere messages.
Whether it’s a tribute to her family, a gesture of happiness or a symbol of emotional strength, every piece of clothing Kate wears is imbued with sentiment.
From the earrings she recently chose when she met a young cancer patient to her beloved necklaces featuring her children’s initials, Kate has turned her accessories into powerful symbols of love and hope.
The Garrard sapphire engagement ring previously worn by Princess Diana is one of her most valuable pieces. That includes the simple gold chains adorned with the initials of her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Kate’s love for meaningful jewelry also extends to the gemstones she wears. Whether it is the calming and serene aquamarine that is traditionally thought to give the wearer a sense of peace, or the four-leaf clover that symbolizes luck, hope and faith on her Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra necklace, the pieces are often worn during crucial moments in her royal life.
Earrings with heavenly power
The Princess of Wales wore a pair of her favorite gold earrings as she made a surprise appearance to meet a young cancer patient, photographer Liz Hatton, at Windsor Castle.
The gold Cassandra Goad ‘Temple of Heaven’ earrings worn by the Princess of Wales when she met young photographer Liz Hatton at Windsor Castle last week
The shimmering gold Cassandra Goad ‘Temple of Heaven’ earrings are among the oldest in her collection and were first seen in 2010. The earrings have a very poignant meaning as their design is inspired by the Emperor of China, who was considered the son of heaven, responsible for the heavenly power of the success or failure of his reign.
Emotional earrings
Kate paid tribute to a teenage girl by wearing the Issy Star earrings, which were created in tribute to Issy Phipps who committed suicide in April 2023 and is ‘now a beautiful star’.
Just weeks after Issy Phipps’ suicide, her mother Sarah Renton shared a hug with Kate and gave the princess some earrings in memory of her daughter.
Kate made good on the promise to wear them when she was in Birmingham to mark World Mental Health Day later that year
The Issy Star earrings were created as a tribute to Issy, who ‘is now a beautiful star’, and part of the money raised from the sale will go to mental health charity Brave Mind.
Since ancient times, stars have represented the idea of eternity, freedom and hope, making them the perfect symbol for the young life that was lost, but also for the hope that emerged from that tragedy.
Just weeks after her death, the Princess visited Issy’s old rugby club in Maidenhead for a charity appeal and Issy’s mother, Sarah Renton, presented her with the star earrings in memory of her late daughter.
Kate insisted she would wear the jewelery at a later date in memory of Issy, and she made good on that promise at a public meeting in Birmingham to mark World Mental Health Day in October 2023.
Calming gemstones
To complement her pastel mint green monochromatic ensemble at the 2022 Buckingham Palace Yarn Party, Kate wore aquamarine earrings from Carousel Jewels.
The Princess of Wales wore these aquamarine earrings, which were linked to protecting sailors and ensuring a safe journey, at Buckingham Palace in 2022
Spiritually, aquamarine is associated with protecting sailors and ensuring a safe voyage. The serene blue-green color of aquamarine is also said to cool the mood, keeping the wearer calm and level-headed.
Princess Kate wore the earrings to mark a sign of change as she took on more assignments on behalf of the Queen while transitioning to a senior position.
Family heirloom
All engagement rings are special, but when the Prince of Wales proposed to Kate with his late mother’s diamond and sapphire engagement ring, it was already steeped in history.
The engagement ring Kate wore was chosen by Princess Diana
The iconic engagement ring is a 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 round diamonds set in white gold and was chosen by Diana from Garrard prior to her wedding to the then Prince Charles in 1981. It also reminded Charles of the sapphire and diamond brooch from his mother. , which was originally a gift from Prince Albert to Queen Victoria.
Prince Charles also thought the ring matched Diana’s blue eyes.
Keeping her children close
Kate paid a loving tribute to her children during a trip to Scotland in 2021 with a personalized charm necklace featuring their initials.
The princess’s childhood initials were featured on a necklace designed by Daniella Draper when she took a trip to Scotland with Prince William in 2021
British jewelry designer Daniella Draper’s delicate necklace features the letters G, C and L, representing her three children George, Charlotte and Louis, who did not join their parents on the tour.
The necklace is one of many Kate has in her collection that pays tribute to her children and helps her keep them close to her heart. She has also been spotted in another design from Daniella Draper that features their initials and a trio of stars engraved on it. .
Timeless pearls
Kate has regularly paid tribute to the late Queen with her accessories, so it’s no surprise that the royal family once again turned to a sentimental heirloom piece of jewelry on the one-year anniversary of Her Majesty’s death.
To mark the one-year anniversary of the late Queen’s death, Kate attended a private memorial service dressed in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee diamond and pearl earrings
For the private memorial service at St. David’s Cathedral in September 2023, she chose the late Queen’s diamond and pearl earrings, which the Princess had also worn several times in the week after the monarch’s death, including when greeting well-wishers in Sandringham. .
Lucky symbols
To attend the BAFTAs in February 2020, Kate wore a range of Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery.
The princess wore the Van Cleef & Arpels necklace and earrings to the 2020 Baftas. The four-leaf clover is a symbol of good luck
In selecting mother-of-pearl and yellow gold earrings and a matching necklace from the Alhambra collection, Kate followed a time-honored royal tradition, as Princess Grace of Monaco had been a fan. The four-leaf clover motif is a symbol of luck.
Queen Camilla’s gift
In 2011, Queen Camilla presented her daughter-in-law Kate with a personalized gold bracelet that Kate wore at Wimbledon that year.
Catherine’s charm bracelet (seen here watching Wimbledon with William in 2011) was a wedding gift from Camilla – on one side is the letter C for Catherine with a crown and the other side is a C for Camilla with a crown
The bracelet was both a wedding gift and a welcome gift for the royal family. The link bracelet featured a single charm with engravings on either side: on one side is the letter C for Catherine with a crown and on the other side a C for Camilla with a crown.
Personalized family tribute
When Kate visited families and organizations in Battersea Park in 2020 to discuss parental wellbeing, she wore an All the Falling Stars gift necklace.
Princess Kate received this gift necklace from All the Falling Stars when she visited Ireland. It consists of three gold discs, each engraved with the initials of each of her children
Princess Kate received the gift when she visited Galway in Ireland earlier this year, and following her performance the independent brand received more than 500 orders from around the world.
The necklace consists of three gold discs, each engraved with the first initial of her three children.