The jewellery looks of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex

By Joshua Hendren

Meghan Markle is famous for taking risks when it comes to her choice of jewels. Whether it’s armfuls of polished gold bangles or supersized hoops, Meghan often opts for pieces that carry a special significance to her, all the while pushing boundaries and shattering royal tradition. Here, we dip into Meghan’s jewellery box and discover fifteen of her most eye-catching gems, from pavé-bedazzled butterfly studs to woven treasures from independent labels.

Simple and timeless, Meghan elevated a white Dior trench coat and a matching hat by milliner Stephen Jones with a twinkly Snowflake Snowstorm earring by Canadian fine jeweller Birks at the Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate the Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee.

At the Invictus Games reception in 2020, Meghan donned the same Cartier Galanterie de Cartier earrings she wore for her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.

Elevating her crisp white pantsuit with flashes of gold, Meghan also chose this Cartier Tank watch, a pendant necklace by Sophie Lis engraved with the French words qu’hier and que demain, which mean “more than yesterday, less than tomorrow”, a nod to the poem “The Eternal Song” by Rosemonde Gérard, and a dainty gold Kitten Mitten hand bracelet from Catbird.

For her speech at the opening ceremony of this year’s Invictus Games, Meghan opted for this glistening Cartier Juste Un Clou necklace – a piece first designed for the house in 1971 by Italian jeweller Aldo Cipullo.

As she met with athletes at the Invictus Games earlier this year, Meghan accessorised her double-breasted Celine jacket with 14k white gold Starburst stud earrings by Serena Williams, as well a Cartier Love bracelet and a duet of rings that glistened in the sunlight.

Meghan stunned royal onlookers at the 2020 Mountbatten Music Festival, opting for a scarlet-red cape gown from Safiyaa which she cleverly embellished with Simone Rocha‘s floral beaded drop earrings.

During her visit to ActionAid in Johannesburg in 2019, Meghan wore a pair of Labyrinth earrings by local designer Pichulik. The Cape Town-based brand, whose motto is “bold jewellery, brave women”, describes the ethically-made earrings as a reference to an “ancient modality for wholeness”.

Another stop on the royal tour of South Africa was the Woodstock Exchange to meet female entrepreneurs working in technology. For this occasion, Meghan chose these hand-crafted 24K gold-plated brass earrings by Saint Tropez jeweller Gas Bijoux.

Twisted and sculpted into two hammered discs, the statement earrings are suspended on delicate chains and come finished with a butterfly fastening.

Meghan gave a subtle nod to Princess Diana through her jewellery choices at the 2019 launch of her Smart Works capsule collection. Keeping it minimal in a white blouse by Misha Nonoo, black trousers, and a Ralph Lauren belt, the real delights were in the details as Meghan accessoried with earrings and gold cuff bracelets once owned by the People’s Princess.

On a visit to The National Theatre in 2019 Meghan debuted these sculptural-looking contemporary bar earrings by Ecksand.

The titled style is handcrafted in 18k yellow gold in Montreal, Canada and lent a classy pop of gold to neutral tailoring by Brandon Maxwell.

Meghan was dripping in diamonds at her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry. Pictured her as she began her procession through Windsor, the bride opted for Cartier‘s Galanterie de Cartier stud earrings along with one Reflection de Cartier bracelet in white gold, also from the French jeweller. As for her tiara, Meghan opted for a diadem straight from Queen Elizabeth’s jewellery box, the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau, designed by royal jeweller Garrard in 1932. 

Meghan often turns to heirloom jewellery for royal engagements. These delicate butterfly earrings once belonged to Princess Diana and come spun in yellow gold and diamond. 

During a welcome ceremony in Fiji, Meghan sparkled in a pair of 22K gold leaf-shaped earrings from ethical Canadian jeweller Pippa Small.

Meghan brought high-octane glamour to the 70th birthday dinner of King Charles III in this cascading pair of diamond chandelier earrings.

On a visit to Smart Works, a UK charity that supports and empowers unemployed women through clothing and coaching, Meghan shone in these sunset-coloured Felicity earrings by lab grown diamond jeweller Kimai.

Meghan lent a sunshine twist to her striking velvet Givenchy gown at the 2018 Fashion Awards with lustrous, chunky jewellery from Pippa Small.

Like this? Take an in-depth look at Queen Elizabeth’s secret watch collection