Kate Middleton’s best jewellery moments

By Joshua Hendren

Garrard engagement ring

Back in 2010, Prince William famously popped the question in Kenya with this 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire ring that once belonged to his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. Designed by Garrard, the iconic sparkler is surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds and set in white gold. It is reported that Kate had the ring resized slightly, adding platinum beads within the band to reduce its diameter.

Cartier Halo Tiara and Robinson Pelham earrings

Upon her marriage to Prince William on 29 April 2011, Queen Elizabeth II lent Kate the dazzling Cartier Halo Tiara. Its history dates back to 1936 when George VI commissioned Cartier to create the diadem with the diamonds and platinum he had purchased for his wife three weeks before he became King George VI. Set with 739 brilliant-cut diamonds and 149 baguette diamonds, Kate teamed the tiara with a pair of pear-cut diamond drop earrings from Robinson Pelham gifted to her by her parents for her wedding day.

Van Cleef & Arpels suite

Kate captivated at the 2020 BAFTAs in these glittering mother-of-pearl and yellow gold earrings and a matching necklace from Van Cleef & Arpels’ Magic Alhambra collection.

Annoushka pearl earrings and her grandmother’s vintage brooch

Kate is certainly fond of pearls and this lustrous pair from Annoushka, worn on a visit to Bletchley Park in 2019, are some of her finest. Suspended from diamond hoops by Kiki McDonough, Kate teamed the milky gems with a gold brooch once owned by her grandmother, Valerie Glassborow, who worked at Bletchley Park’s government code and cypher school during the war.

Cartier necklace

During the 2012 London Olympics, Kate attended an event at the National Portrait Gallery in this statement-making chain-link necklace. The piece is set with pavé diamonds and comes adorned with three coils of pink, yellow and white gold.

Amrapali lapis earrings

At a charity gala in India in April 2016, the then-Duchess of Cambridge sparkled in these diamond-trimmed lapis earrings. Set in yellow gold, the deep blue jewels were crafted by the Jaipur-born brand Amrapali especially for Kate.

Lotus Flower Tiara

Made for the Queen Mother in 1923 by Garrard using diamonds and pearls taken from one of her wedding presents, the Lotus Flower Tiara was previously a favourite of Princess Margaret and has been worn by the Princess of Wales on numerous occasions. At a reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps at Buckingham Palace in early December, Kate paired the topper with a pair of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s antique earrings along with the brooch of the Royal Victorian Order, a white enamel Maltese cross with a Tudor crown, and a yellow Family Order.

Nigel Milne bracelet

This three-strand pearl and diamond bracelet was designed by Nigel Milne in 1988 for Princess Diana and later inherited by Kate who debuted the piece during a reception in Berlin in July 2017.

Links of London earrings

These Effervescence Bubble Stiletto earrings from Links of London are suspended from a sterling silver chain in a cascade of lavender iolite stones and silver droplets. They were first pictured on a newly married Duchess of Cambridge at the 10th Annual Ark gala dinner in 2011.

Zara necklace

Kate is no stranger to shopping on the high street. For a 2013 appearance at the premiere of Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, she elevated her bespoke Roland Moulet dress with a statement Zara necklace. Costing a mere £19.99, the piece features graduated rows of bezel-set glass beads.

Queen Camilla’s gold chain bracelet

It’s reported that Kate’s mother-in-law, Queen Camilla, presented this gold charm bracelet to the then-Duchess of Cambridge as a wedding gift. She was first photographed wearing the wrist candy at Wimbledon in June 2011. The bracelet features a disc engraved with Kate and Camilla’s monograms – on one side is the letter ‘C’ for Catherine, Kate’s given name, with a coronet and on the other is a ‘C’ for Camilla with a crown.

Lover’s Knot Tiara

The Lover’s Knot Tiara has quickly become Kate’s go-to sparkler. Created for the Royal Family by Garrard in 1914, the diadem was inherited by Queen Elizabeth II upon Queen Mary’s death in 1953. The piece has since become one of her Kate’s favourite tiaras, worn here with a pair of pearl and diamond drop earrings that once belonged by Princess Diana as she welcomed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to Buckingham Palace back in November.

Cartier Ballon Bleu watch

The Princess of Wales’ go-to timepiece is Cartier’s 33mm Ballon Blue in stainless steel. It was first spotted adoring her wrist on a 2014 royal tour of Australia.

Mappin & Webb earrings and necklace

At the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit in 2018, Kate sported this shimmering 18K white gold set from Mappin & Webb wearing the Empress necklace and earrings.

Canadian maple leaf brooch

During a reception at Calgary Zoo during the royal tour of Canada in 2011, Kate fittingly chose this dramatic brooch, crafted in the shape of the leaf of a sugar maple, Canada’s national tree and a Canadian symbol since the mid 1800s. Crafted by Asprey, the brooch was purchased by King George VI for his wife, Queen Elizabeth, during their state visit to Canada in 1939, and is festooned with brilliant and baguette-cut diamonds which are invisibly set into its mount.

H&M earrings

For an evening reception at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, Kate paired her emerald Vampire’s Wife dress with these £6 double hooped brass earrings from high street staple H&M. 

Monica Vinader earrings and necklace

These Riva Diamond Cluster Drop earrings and a matching necklace are courtesy of British jewellery titan Monica Vinader, as seen here on Kate at the National Portrait Gallery in 2016.

Robinson Pelham earrings

Kate borrowed these diamond, blue topaz and white gold Pagoda earrings by Robinson Pelham from her mother, Carole Middleton, for the 2015 premiere of the James bond film Spectre at the Royal Albert Hall.

The Dacre brooch

For a surprise appearance at the 2016 Westminster Abbey service in honour of the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force, Kate accessorised with this large Royal Air Force Dacre brooch. The diamond and ruby piece fastened to her shoulder was reportedly a gift to Kate when she became an Honorary Air Commandant in 2015.

Diamond and South Sea pearl earrings

What better way to conclude this list than with another bauble plucked from the jewellery box of Kate’s late mother-in-law, Princess Diana? Here, the Princess of Wales wears Diana’s diamond and pearl earrings to the 2019 BAFTA Awards. Upon Princess Diana’s tragic death, the earrings were passed to William who gifted them to Kate, who had them slightly modified, replacing the original pearl drops with smaller pearls.

Like this? Here’s all you need to know about the historic Minoru brooch, as worn by Queen Camilla