On October 20, 2010, Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with a 12-carat oval Ceylon blue sapphire, framed by a halo of 14 diamonds and set in white gold. Not only has the Princess of Wales’ engagement ring gone down in history as one of the most recognizable pieces of jewelry, but it’s also brimming with nostalgia—William popped the question with the same sparkler that his late mother, Princess Diana, received from King Charles III to mark their engagement. On November 15, 2023, Kate wore another piece of jewelry from Diana’s collection—and it perfectly matched her engagement ring.
When the Princess of Wales delivered a keynote speech at the Shaping Us National Symposium at The Design Museum in London yesterday, she donned a pair of sapphire and diamond drop earrings that once belonged to her mother-in-law. The item, composed of two sapphires surrounded by a halo of diamonds, has a very similar look and feel to her engagement ring.
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Kate has worn these glittering jewels on multiple occasions. She first sported the accessory at Trooping the Colour in 2022, and this year, she wore them at the Commonwealth Day Service in March and again at Trooping the Colour in June, People reports. Diana was also frequently spotted in the diamond and sapphire set, such as during a visit to Canada in 1991, on the cover of British Vogue in 1994, and at the Meta Gala in 1996, according to the outlet.
For the past decade, Kate has worn a smaller pair of sapphire and diamond earrings. Before 2022, no one saw the princess wear the original larger set after Diana’s death, so some believed that Kate revamped Princess Di’s accessory. Lauren Kiehna of The Court Jeweller debunked the rumors, explaining that the earrings are two separate pieces of jewelry. “The sapphires in Diana’s earrings are cabochons, and the sapphires in Kate’s smaller earrings are faceted,” Kiehna clarified to People.
Throughout the years, Kate has often honored her mother-in-law by wearing items from her jewelry collection and wardrobe. One of her go-to accessories is Princess Di’s Lover’s Knot Tiara, which Kate often chooses to pair with her outfits for state occasions. “I think we have seen lots of examples where the reference is very intentional, and I think that Kate uses fashion to pay tribute to Diana in a very positive way,” Bethan Holt, fashion news and features director of The Daily Telegraph told People.