Catherine, Princess of Wales, made a poignant tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II at the monarch’s funeral, in the form of some respectfully selected jewellery, including a four-strand pearl necklace and pearl earrings.
The necklace, originally gifted to the late monarch from Japan in the 1970s, includes four rows of pearls with a central diamond clasp in a curved shape. Each side includes three rows of diamonds that join at the top and bottom with marquise diamonds. The late monarch wore it often – including to Margaret Thatcher’s 70th birthday. In 1982, the Queen lent it to Princess Diana, who wore the necklace to a banquet at Hampton Court Palace in 1982. In 2017, Queen Elizabeth II loaned it for the first time to Catherine, who wore it to celebrate the Queen and Prince Philip’s 70th wedding anniversary and later Prince Philip’s funeral in 2021.
The Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings – featuring round diamond studs, with baguette-cut diamonds and pearls as the drop - were also part of Queen Elizabeth II’s royal collection. This isn’t the first time the combination has been seen together – Catherine previously wore the necklace and earrings together for Prince Phillip’s funeral.
Throughout her life, Queen Elizabeth II was rarely seen without her pearls. Female members of the family have already been following royal protocol since the Queen passed away on 8 September, dressing in black, and adding pearl and diamond jewellery; pearls, without glitter or outwardly flashy – remaining the respectful choice for royal mourning.