The jewelry of Princess Diana that Kate Middleton loves to wear
It’s a widely known fact that the Duchess of Cambridge wears Diana‘s exquisite sapphire engagement ring.
Presented to her in 2010 by Prince William, the ring has now become one of the most famous pieces of jewelry in the world.
But that’s not the only jewelry Kate Middleton has borrowed from Diana. From an iconic tiara to more subtle pieces including bracelets and necklaces, the Duchess of Cambridge continues to pay tribute to the mother-in-law she never met.
The tiara
Kate rarely wears a tiara, but when she does, it’s always the same one: the Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara, which was one of Diana’s favorite pieces.
It was made by royal jewelers Garrard for Queen Mary in 1914, using pearls and diamonds from her family’s personal collection.
When she died, Queen Mary left the eye-catching headpiece to Queen Elizabeth II, who was often seen sporting it at evening dinners and receptions.
In 1981, the queen bestowed the tiara upon Diana as a wedding gift. The Princess of Wales went on to wear it at that year’s state opening of Parliament, as well as during an official visit to Washington.
It now belongs to the Duchess of Cambridge, who has worn it at several diplomatic receptions. The tiara’s most recent appearance on Kate’s head came at the state dinner held in honor of Spanish royals King Felipe and Queen Letizia.
The ring
Obviously, we can’t forget the ring. A little known fact is that Princess Diana actually chose her own engagement ring from a selection presented to her by the crown jewelers in 1981.
The chosen piece consists of an oval 12-carat sapphire surrounded by a cluster of 14 diamonds set in white gold.
William chose to propose to Kate in 2010 with the same ring in a sweet tribute to his mother.
In 1981, the ring cost around $36,800 to make. However, its worth is now priceless thanks to the jewel being worn by two of the most famous royal women in history.
The bracelet
During the royal tour of Germany in July, the Duchess of Cambridge was spotted wearing an elegant two-tiered pearl bracelet.
Its original owner, Princess Diana, first donned the piece for the Birthright Ball in 1989. It also proved to be the perfect accessory to her memorable high-collared “Elvis” dress created by royal favorite Catherine Walker.
The bracelet’s designer, Nigel Milne, was shocked to see that his creation was still being worn decades after its original outing.
“I am delighted to see in the national press that the Duchess of Cambridge chose to wear one of her late mother-in-law’s favorite pearl and diamond bracelets on the royal tour in Germany,” he wrote on his site.
“This look was very typical of the style of jewelry that we were making at that time. The Princess of Wales was the most wonderful inspiration for us jewelers in that she wore her jewelry with such style and panache.”
Can’t get more approval than that.
The necklace
OK, so this one isn’t technically Diana’s original piece.
You may have seen the furor over the Duchess of Cambridge’s gold disc necklace bearing the name of her son George. Bought by sister Pippa as a gift in 2014, the simple $100 pendant is a hidden tribute to the Princess of Wales.
Diana was actually given the same design by Prince Charles in 1982 to mark the birth of the couple’s first son, Prince William. It bore the handwriting of the prince and was worn by Diana in public only once: to a polo match in August of the same year.
However, she clearly liked the present as she was known to sport it constantly in private.
Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty:
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty.
