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Nov 13, 2024

Kate Middleton's touching tribute to the Queen and Princess Diana: Emotional Princess of Wales wears pearl diamond earrings as she joins King Charles and Prince William at Remembrance Sunday service

By MARIA OKANRENDE FOR MAILONLINE 13:52 10 Nov 2024, updated 09:28 11 Nov 2024 Comments Comments The Princess of Wales has paid sweet homage to Queen Elizabeth ll and Princess Diana at the National

By MARIA OKANRENDE FOR MAILONLINE 13:52 10 Nov 2024, updated 09:28 11 Nov 2024

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The Princess of Wales has paid sweet homage to Queen Elizabeth ll and Princess Diana at the National Service of Remembrance today.

In a touching ode to the late monarch and her mother-in-law, Kate, 42, donned a £30,000 dazzling set of pearl drop earrings from Her Majesty's personal collection while in London for Remembrance Sunday.

The annual event - which takes place on the Sunday closest to November 11 - was held at the Cenotaph on Whitehall, and was led by King Charles, who laid wreaths to honour the war dead and mark the end of the First World War.

The Princess turned out in force to support her husband Prince William for the second time this weekend - marking day two of consecutive royal duties for the first time since it was revealed earlier this year she was being treated for cancer.

For the sombre occasion, she selected the Bahrain pearl diamond drop earrings from the late Queen's private collection, which were also worn by Princess Diana at a banquet in 1982.

The Queen herself famously wore the jewels in her first Royal Command portrait by Dorothy Wilding in July 1952. The earrings were crafted from pearls gifted to the Queen and Philip from the ruler of Bahrain at the time of their wedding in 1947.

The Queen wore the earrings several times throughout her reign, and she has also lent them to her daughter-in-law Sophie Wessex, 59, on occasion.

According to Laura Taylor, jeweller at Lorel Diamonds, the Collingwood pearl drop earrings are valued at around £30,000, and Kate's choice to sport them today showed understated 'simplicity' and 'respect' for her in-laws.

She said: 'The late Queen Elizabeth frequently chose pearls for national mourning and reflective occasions, valuing their subdued beauty.

'By wearing these meaningful pieces, Kate not only honours her personal connections to Diana and the late Queen but also embraces the solemnity of the events in a way that feels both respectful and deeply personal.

'The simplicity and grace of pearls make them a respectful choice, acknowledging the significance of the event without drawing undue attention'.

Describing the prestigious jewels, she added: 'The earrings feature a classic design with a pearl drop suspended from a round diamond stud, embodying a timeless elegance that aligns with the occasion... These earrings consist of a large diamond stud supporting a trio of smaller diamonds with a single pearl drop, creating a sophisticated yet subtle design'.

Kate styled the historic jewellery with a black military jacket and matching velvet bow. She paired the look with a headpiece set with a mini veil and black flowers.

In another nod to family she wore three poppies to honour her great-grandmother's three brothers, who all lost their lives in the First World War.

Her make-up was fitting for the occasion as she opted for a natural base, a touch of blusher on the cheeks, mascara and a pink lip.

Her hair was pulled backward behind her headpiece and tied into a neat bun, perhaps to make way for the glitzy sweet nod to her in-laws.

It's not the first time the Princess has borrowed the stunning pearl drop diamond earrings. She first wore them in 2016 for the Remembrance Day service at Westminster Abbey. She also wore them to attend Prince Philip's funeral in 2021.

In 2022, she styled them with a gorgeous lemon dress and a Philip Treacy hat - a favourite milliner of the royal family - to a thanksgiving service in the late Queen's honour at St Paul's Cathedral.

Today, the Princess appeared emotional as she watched Remembrance Sunday on the nearby Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office balcony in central London, alongside Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh.

At times during the ceremony she was seen quietly closing her eyes in remembrance and bowing her head in respect, while at one point her and the Duchess of Edinburgh sang hymns read from a sheet.

A two minute silence was held at 11am to commemorate the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women.

Members of the royal family, together with senior politicians and high commissioners laid wreaths during the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph to mark the Armistice of the First World War and all other conflicts involving British and Commonwealth forces.

It is speculated that Queen Camilla, 77, was not in attendance after being forced to lay low due a nasty chest infection.

The jewels chosen by the Princess of Wales last night for the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall also held a huge personal significance.

Kate's highest-profile appearance since undergoing cancer treatment saw her wear two items once owned by her late mother-in-law Princess Diana - as well as a military brooch that remembered her own grandfather, an his military service.

The 42-year-old, who has stepped back into the public eye to honour lost servicemen and women this weekend, wore a stylish mid-length black dress with a deep v-neck collar, and a mini black clutch bag, as she arrived at the Kensington venue with Prince William.

The royal donned William's mother's engagement ring, which boasts a 12-carat Ceylon sapphire surrounded by a cluster of 14 solitaire diamonds set in white gold.

The ring was designed by the crown jeweller Garrard and inspired by the sapphire and diamond cluster brooch that was made for Prince Albert in 1840, which he went on to gift Queen Victoria as a wedding present and she wore it as her 'something blue'.

At the time, it was referred to as the 'commoner's sapphire' as the ring was available in the Garrard's catalogue, meaning that anyone could have purchased it for £47,000.

But Princess Diana loved her engagement ring so much that she continued to wear it after her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996 - and it seems the Princess of Wales is just as fond of it.

A beaming Kate, who wore her shoulder-length hair down, also wore a pair of large drop pearl and diamond earrings once owned by Diana.

Princess Diana received the beautiful earrings them from Collingwood Jewellers in London as a wedding gift ahead of her marriage to Charles in 1981.

Princess Diana wore the pair on her wedding day, as part of her going away outfit.

And last night Kate's gold winged brooch also saw her paying tribute to her own side of the family.

Last year, the royal was named the Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm, Colonel-in-Chief of the 1 Queen’s Dragoon Guards, and the Royal Honorary Air Commodore of the Royal Air Force Coningsby.

Kate's paternal grandfather Peter Middleton served as a fighter pilot during the Second World War.

Captain Middleton died at the age of 90 just days before the Prince and Princess announced their engagement in 2010.

Footage taken outside the venue, showed the Princess of Wales stepping out of the royal car with Prince William repeatedly putting his arm behind her in a gesture of support.

At last year's event, Kate wore a pearl necklace and matching earrings that belonged to Queen Elizabeth II alongside a brooch of 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, to which she was appointed Colonel-in-Chief last August.

Kate is the most senior female Royal in attendance tonight after Buckingham Palace confirmed the Queen - who is unwell with a chest infection - will not attend the event, nor the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph on Sunday.

A Palace spokesperson said that while her decision to not attend is 'a source of great disappointment to The Queen, she will mark the occasion privately at home'.

His Majesty, who became Patron of the Royal British Legion earlier this year, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, as well as Princess Anne arrived earlier this evening at the central London venue.

The Duke of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucestershire and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence are seated in the Royal Box tonight, as those who put their lives on the line for King and Country are celebrated.

Once the event got underway, the King received a standing ovation as he took his seat, accompanied by a royal fanfare from state trumpeters of the household division.

Hosted by Adrian Lester, several British music icons will take to the stage to honour the servicemen and women, including Sir Tom Jones, Alexandra Burke, Jack Savoretti and many more.

Tonight's event is likely to be especially poignant for Kate, who is recovering from cancer and King Charles III, who is having ongoing treatment for cancer.

She is also expected to attend the national commemoration at the Cenotaph tomorrow, marking the first time she has carried out two consecutive days of public official engagements since the start of the year.

Royal insiders have commented that her appearance at both tonight's event and tomorrow is a significant step in her gradual return to public royal duties.

Ever known for her sense of style, in 2021 royal fans were not disappointed when Kate arrived wearing a stylish black bouclé dress by Eponine.

The mid-length dress featured a pointed collar, pleated skirt and four rhinestone buttons on the front.

In 2019, the Princess of Wales wore a dark dress with a bateau neckline and velvet belt trim, alongside an Alexandra McQueen clutch bag.

Earlier in the week, Camilla's condition meant that she had to reluctantly withdraw from the annual opening of the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey on Thursday with the Duchess of Gloucester, 78, standing in for her.

The Queen also had to cancel an appearance at a reception at Buckingham Palace honouring the nation's Olympic and Paralympic stars the very same day.

Camilla is anticipated to return to work as soon as next week and is set to host a reception for authors shortlisted for this year's Booker Prize at Clarence House.

She is also expected to attend the glitzy global premiere of Gladiator II at the Royal Film Performance in London’s Leicester Square next Wednesday evening.

CONFIRMED

Buckingham Palace announced the King and Camilla will meet the stars of the blockbuster, Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen and Pedro Pascal, and director Sir Ridley Scott.

The events are taking place on the eve of the King’s birthday, with Charles turning 76 next Thursday.

Tomorrow the King alongside other members of the Royal family will attend the annual Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, which is the nation's chief war memorial to those who died in World War I and II.

His Majesty is expected to lay a wreath designed to pay homage to his grandfather King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.

The wreath of poppies will be placed on a bed of black leaves, bearing the monarch's racing colours of scarlet, purple and gold - as is traditional for a Sovereign.

Queen Camilla's wreath, which also bears her racing colours inherited from her grandfather and inspired by the Queen Mother, will be placed on her behalf by an Equerry from the Royal Household. Both wreathes were made by the Poppy Factory.

Prince William will lay the wreath previously placed by King Charles III, featuring the Prince of Wales feathers and a new ribbon in Welsh red.

After the service, Sophie the Duchess of Edinburgh will place a wreath at the Memorial and is set to take to the stage for an Armistice Day Service reading.

The events will conclude with a tour of the Arboretum.

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