Royal mourning dress is governed by strict protocols, and that extends to jewelry. For Queen Elizabeth’s funeral procession on September 14, Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, paid tribute to the late monarch by wearing Her Majesty’s diamond and pearl leaf Brooch, which features three large pearls at the center of a diamond pavé leaf.
Elizabeth II is only thought to have worn the design once, to a Seoul concert on her 73rd birthday. It caught the attention of royal style followers again in 2017, though, when the Duchess of Cambridge borrowed it for an appearance in Ypres, Belgium, to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele.
Catherine’s earrings, meanwhile, honored Diana, Princess of Wales—whose title she assumed following the Queen’s death on September 8. Originally gifted to Diana by Collingwood Jewelers ahead of her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981, the pearl drop style became a favorite of the late royal, who often paired them with Queen Mary’s lover’s knot Tiara.
The Duchess of Cambridge has followed suit during a number of state banquets at Buckingham Palace over the years, as well as wearing the earrings in one of her 40th birthday portraits, taken by Vogue photographer Paolo Roversi.
