Kate Middleton is no stranger to making a style homage to Princess Diana. Indeed, for Commonwealth Day celebrations at Westminster Abbey this March, Catherine chose the Collingwood drop pearl earrings, jewels beloved by her late mother-in-law. Diana owned the earrings before she became the Princess of Wales, having been gifted them as a wedding present by Collingwood jewellers, a favoured house of the Spencer family.
Princess Diana wore the earrings soon after her wedding, showcasing them at a dinner held at Claridge’s for King Khalid of Saudi Arabia in June 1981. The late Princess of Wales also chose the Collingwood pearls for a trip to watch Starlight Express in 1984 and paired them with Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot tiara during a dinner at the British Embassy in Washington D.C, the day after her iconic dance with John Travolta in the White House.
The Princess of Wales rarely speaks in public about her late mother-in-law, preferring to pay tribute quietly. One of the most poignant connections between the two is the sapphire engagement ring, once owned by Diana, that was given to Catherine by Prince William on the day he proposed. ‘It’s the same ring and it’s exactly the same size as when I tried it on,’ Kate once said of the jewel in 2023. ‘It’s very special. What an honour to be able to wear it.’