Trusting Kate: A Look at the Times the Duchess of Cambridge has Represented the Royal Family

Introduction

Since her marriage to Prince William in 2011, the Princess of Wales has been given access to some of the most valuable and historic jewellery in the Royal Family’s collection. From heirlooms passed down from Queen Victoria to diamonds gifted to the current Queen by her father, it seems no piece of jewellery is off-limits to the Princess of Wales. In this report, we explore some of the iconic jewels that the Princess of Wales has worn and their fascinating history.

The Greville Chandelier Earrings

One of the most recognisable pieces in the Princess of Wales’ collection is the Greville chandelier earrings, originally owned by Dame Margaret Greville. These earrings were given to the Queen Mother as a wedding present from her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The Princess of Wales wore them for the first time at the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and Princess Rajwa in Amman earlier this month.

The earrings have a fascinating history, with Margaret altering them twice after acquiring them in 1918. She added another 12 diamonds to the earrings in 1922 and then 10 more in 1929. The completed design combines different cuts of diamonds, including half-moon, trapeze, square, baguette, baton, and emerald. When the then Princess Elizabeth was given the earrings in 1947, she couldn’t wear them because she didn’t have pierced ears. However, when she got her ears pierced four years later, she regularly wore them. The late Queen paired these earrings with other prominent jewellery pieces such as the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara and Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik Tiara.

Queen Alexandra’s Wedding Necklace

Another remarkable piece that the Princess of Wales has worn is Queen Alexandra’s wedding necklace. This necklace was a wedding gift from King Edward VII to his bride, Alexandra of Denmark, in 1863. The Queen Mother inherited this necklace and gave it to the Queen. It became one of the Queen Mother’s favourite jewellery pieces and matched it with other accessories at various events.

The necklace was also worn by Princess Alexandra on her wedding day in 1863, and her daughter-in-law, Queen Mary. The necklace features pearls and diamonds from its original form as a parure. Still, the tiara’s whereabouts are unknown after it was disposed of by Alexandra’s daughter, Princess Victoria. The necklace has remained with the family, worn on various occasions, including its most recent appearance on the Princess of Wales at a state banquet welcoming King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of