Kate Middleton’s jewellery collection has always been exceptional, and she showcased two major historic pieces during her latest royal appearance.
At the Royal Variety Performance on November 19, held at the Royal Albert Hall, the Princess of Wales arrived with Prince William wearing a green velvet bodycon gown, complemented by striking earrings and a seldom-seen diamond bracelet.
The bracelet originated with Queen Mary of Teck, the wife of King George V. Crafted in the 1920s, it features diamond bars arranged in a distinctive Art Deco pattern. In a well-known portrait, Queen Mary wore the piece as a choker, though it remains unclear whether it was originally created as a bracelet or a necklace. Over time, however, it has become more widely recognised in its bracelet form.
Following Queen Mary’s death in 1953, the piece disappeared from public view for over two decades until the Queen Mother revived it in photographs celebrating her 75th birthday in 1975. When she passed away in 2002, the choker-bracelet was inherited by her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II.
Kate has shown a particular fondness for the piece in recent years. She debuted it as a bracelet at the 2015 Chinese state banquet, pairing it with a red gown and the Lotus Flower Tiara. She has worn it on several other high-profile occasions, including a 2016 gala, the 2017 state visit to Paris, and the 2018 Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace. After seven years without a public appearance, the bracelet finally returned on Wednesday night.
For the event, Kate also selected Queen Elizabeth’s Greville Chandelier Earrings. The former Princess Elizabeth received them as a wedding gift in 1947. Like the bracelet, the earrings echo the Art Deco period and were crafted by Cartier between 1918 and 1929.