Unsurprisingly, the royal family is well known for its excellent collection of jewellery, from tiaras to the many rings of Kate Middleton. But while they might be beautiful and mega-sparkly, many of the pieces worn by the Princess of Wales, in particular, have been chosen for their hidden meanings and symbolism. Decoding them just requires a closer look.
Take, for example, Kate Middleton's monochrome moment at this year's Easter service at Windsor. She turned heads in royal blue and it was the first time she was ever seen with red nail polish, breaking traditional royal protocol! Everything was blue down to the earrings - minus the red polish, of course.
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Look back to her famous tourdrobe - the couple was on a major tour to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee last year, and her looks did not disappoint.
She wowed in a glittering green Jenny Packham gown while attending a dinner at King’s House, the official residence of the Governor-General of Jamaica, but it was her diamond and emerald earrings that really stole the show – especially as were on loan from the Queen.
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Middleton also chose Alexander McQueen (the British fashion house who famously created her wedding dress in 2011) to meet the Prime Minister of Jamaica and re-wore a simple pair of Maria Black pearl earrings, which she first sported during a trip to Copenhagen with a red Zara blazer. She was also spotted wearing them on day four of the trip with a vintage printed dress from the '50s that was sourced from Cheltenham's Willow Hilson.
In more budget-friendly news, the Princess of Wales remains a huge fan of high street jewellery, having worn statement earrings from Sézane and Anthropologie - and they're the perfect affordable accessory.
These beach-ready coral earrings from Anthropologie which has sadly sold out.
Middleton is also a fan of personalised jewellery. When she launched her new foundation, The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, she appeared in a video wearing a simple white T-shirt, her favourite pearl drop earrings and her personalised Daniella Draper necklace featuring a G, C and L for each of her children.
She's also a pro at sending subtle messages with her jewellery. Middleton wore her favourite pearl earrings - a hoop style from Simone Rocha -three times in one week. We first saw them in a video call in which she thanked nurses from around the country for their hard work and resilience. Given that this appearance was just 48 hours after the US inauguration, perhaps this jewellery choice was a subtle nod to Vice President Kamala Harris.
At the end of 2021, appearing via video link to thank everyone who entered the photography project Hold Still, she chose a charm necklace from Alex Monroe. The Paleontology Nugget Necklace, still available for £285, comes etched with fossils, flowers and, the brand's signature, a tiny bumblebee. Could this be a subtle way of communicating her love of nature and the outdoors?
Middleton also likes to use her jewellery – much like her clothes – to support designers local to the places she visits. On a visit to South Wales, she wore a pair of £79 gold hoops designed by Hayley Spencer for her Wales-based brand Spells of Love - and she's since added the pair's twisted gold hoops to her collection. Similarly, if she's wearing an expensive dress, she tends to pair it with more affordable jewels (she will always be the queen of high-low dressing).
Speaking of a high-low mix, Middleton is also a huge fan of high street favourite Missoma, which also happens to be a favourite of Meghan Markle.
There are also numerous jewels in the Princess of Wales' collection that used to belong to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana. Her engagement ring is possibly the most famous, but there are also other pieces that she wears as touching tributes to her husband's mother.
Keep scrolling for all of the jewellery worn by Kate Middleton...
SEE: Kate Middleton's Jewellery With Hidden Meanings
1 of 15Robinson Pelham Earrings
A gift from her parents to wear on her wedding day, Middleton's beautiful diamond earrings were made by Robinson Pelham, a British jeweller based in London. She wore them with the Cartier Halo Tiara, which was her 'something borrowed' from the Queen.
2 of 15Orelia London's Huggie Hoops
Orelia London's Chain Huggie Hoops - a steal at £18 - have been worn several times by Kate Middleton.
3 of 15Diamond and South Sea Pearl Earrings
They once belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales, so it was a touching tribute when she wore these stunning earrings to the 2019 BAFTAs. Diana wore them a lot throughout the '90s - and Kate amended them ever-so-slightly, replacing the original stones with smaller pearls.
4 of 15Ballon Bleu de Cartier Watch
This Cartier watch was reportedly a gift from Prince William, a special token to mark their third wedding anniversary in 2014. It has a blue spinel set into it, which matches the sapphire in her engagement ring.
5 of 15Daniella Draper Necklace
Kate's Daniella Draper necklace is personalised with the letters G (for George), C (Charlotte) and L (Louis, keep up), making it a stylish and touching accessory.
6 of 15Daniella Draper Necklace
Middleton's second necklace in honour of her three children is a simple gold chain with three circular pendants for each of their initials.
7 of 15H&M Earrings
Proving she's a master of the high-low mix, Kate accessorised her designer dress - a shimmering green number from The Vampire's Wife - with these budget-friendly earrings by H&M.
8 of 15Mejuri Pearl Earrings
Middleton wore these dainty pearl hoops from Mejuri - the large version is still available to buy here - on a charity video call during lockdown.
9 of 15Monica Vinader Green Earrings
A frequent re-wear for Middleton, these affordable earrings have accompanied her on many a royal engagement.
10 of 15ASOS Earrings
Great at sussing out a high street hit, these £10 ASOS earrings have sold out time and time again after she wore them.
11 of 15Missoma Earrings
The Duchess has worn these Missoma Mini Pyramid Charm Hoop Earrings, a relative steal at £85, on so many occasions.
12 of 15Anthropologie Coral Earrings
A beach holiday must, Anthropologie's earrings are bound to sell out fast.
13 of 15Maria Tash Pearl Earrings
Sold as a single pearl earring, Kate has worn a pair of these a few times in 2022 - most recently with crisp white tailoring in Jamaica. Shop this budget-friendly Lily & Roo version.
14 of 15Sézane Earrings
These Sézane mother-of-pearl earrings have since sold out, but you can sign up for alerts for a re-stock - a great pair of earrings for wedding guest dressing.
15 of 15Sézane Earrings
Further proving her love of Sézane, these blue statement earrings have sold out but if royal blue is your thing - the good news is you can still shop this pair.
READ MORE:Meghan Markle Uses Her Jewellery To Send Hidden Messages And Yesterday Was No Exception