The Princess of Wales wore a stunning amethyst and diamond necklace to the Royal Film Performance last night (September 22nd) that’s been owned by the Royal family for 103 years. It was given as a wedding gift from Queen Alexandra to the future Queen Mother in 1923 and then passed to Queen Elizabeth II. Now Kate has worn it.
She attended the Royal Film Performance with William, the Prince of Wales last night and it was her first film premiere in four years. The premiere raises money for The Film and TV Charity. The premiere was Tom Cruise’s new film Digger, shown at the Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square.
The necklace (which isn’t named) has at least four amethysts set in a diamond chain together with a large heart-shaped amethyst pendant surrounded by diamonds. Her earrings were the Collingwood pearl earrings that were worn extensively by Diana, Princess of Wales – a pearl drop with a diamond stud. The Princess wore a full length purple gown with a daring back split by Jenny Packham. Purple is the traditional colour of royalty.
Queen Alexandra originally gave the necklace to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon after she became fiancée to the Duke of York (later George VI) in January 1923. Together with all the other engagement gifts it was displayed at Buckingham Palace. Alexandra’s note gifted the piece to her future granddaughter Elizabeth. The original piece looked somewhat different to the piece that Catherine wore last night, originally it was a 1920s sautoir with seed pearls and smaller amethysts. Set in two strands it’s now been remade as one.
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There’s no photograph of the Queen Mother wearing it, but she wore it in mourning after Alexandra died in 1925 and then it disappeared for another 87 years. In 2012 Queen Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall, wore a shortened version of the necklace to the Skyfall premiere. The Queen Mother’s jewels had passed to her daughter Elizabeth II who subsequently lent Camilla the necklace, Catherine wore the shortened version last night.
The last time the Princess met Tom Cruise was at the 2022 premiere of Top Gun: Maverick. He’s known to have a good relationship with the royal couple. That night she wore Robinson Pelham’s Tsar Star diamond earrings. They cost £10,560. Now there are at least three royal women who have worn that necklace – Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Camilla (then Duchess of Cornwall) and last night Princess Catherine.
For more: 15 Years of Royal Jewellery: The Princess of Wales’s Most Iconic Pieces.
And: The Princess of Wales’ best jewellery moments
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