Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, paid a touching tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II as she joined other members to celebrate the life of the Duchess of Kent.
It was a solemn day for the whole royal family, with the King, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, other royals who arrived to pay their respects at Westminster Cathedral.
Spotted walking into the Cathedral alongside her husband, Prince William, Catherine recycled pieces from her existing wardrobe for the occasion. She wore the same elegant black Catherine Walker coat dress that first she donned for Prince Philip’s funeral – recognisable by its distinctive bow neckline – which she paired with sheer black tights, a Chanel bag and her favourite Gianvito Rossi stilettos. Topping off the look was her black pillbox hat from Jane Taylor, which features a satin bow at the back and a birdcage veil, added by Kate herself. The Princess wore the classic design for a brief service in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth in 2022, following the procession of Her Majesty’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster.
This, however, was not the only nod Kate Middleton gave to the monarch in her outfit. The Princess turned to her jewellery box for the Duchess’ funeral, picking some of her most significant gems for this all-important day. Sparkling around her neck was the Japanese Pearl choker necklace: a four-strand pearl piece featuring a diamond clasp in the centre. The pearls in the necklace were given to Queen Elizabeth during her first state visit to Japan in 1975, and were then made into the piece by the court jeweller, Garrard.
Although it belonged to the Queen, the necklace became associated with Princess Diana when she wore it on one of her first royal engagements; since then, it has passed into the possession of the Princess of Wales. Kate has often worn the choker in the past, including to both Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s funerals, and to a celebration of the late couple’s 70th wedding anniversary in 2017.
Kate matched the necklace with a pair of earrings, which also once belonged to Queen Elizabeth. The monarch was first seen wearing the small, pear-shaped pearl drops, each suspended from a diamond stud, in 1977, while celebrating her Silver Jubilee. They’re clearly a favourite piece for the Princess, who first borrowed them from the Queen for a tour of Canada, before sporting them during her first solo overseas visit to the Netherlands in October 2016.
Notably, Kate wore the earrings for a series of occasions following the Queen’s passing in 2022. They were first spotted on her at Sandringham, when she and Prince William toured the thousands of bouquets, notes and other tributes left by well-wishers, and were also part of Kate’s attire when she joined the royals to receive the Queen’s coffin at Buckingham Palace. She also wore them to greet Commonwealth troops, who had arrived in the UK to take part in the Queen’s state funeral.
Wearing pearls to a funeral is traditional, particularly for the royal family. During Queen Victoria’s reign, pearl jewellery first became linked with mourning: after her husband Prince Albert died in 1861, the Queen famously only wore black and colourless jewellery, especially pearls. Meanwhile, many people choose to wear pearls on sombre occasions as they are said to represents tears and sorrow, as well as purity and mourning. ‘It’s very much a tradition,’ author and jewellery historian Vivienne Becker once told British Vogue. ‘By choosing them, you are being low-key and respectful.’
The Princess of Wales was among the first to share a public tribute to the Duchess of Kent upon the news of her death. Kate Middleton and Prince William posted a short message to their Instagram page signed ‘W and C’, in which they paid tribute to her ‘tireless work’ to help others and her ‘love of music.’ The couple wrote: ‘Our thoughts today are with The Duke of Kent and his family, particularly George, Helen and Nicholas. The Duchess worked tirelessly to help others and supported many causes, including through her love of music. She will be a much missed member of the family.’ The Duchess, who became the first royal to convert to Catholicism for more than 300 years, was honoured in the first royal funeral at Westminster Cathedral since its construction in 1903. The service was extremely well-attended by the royals, in a sign of respect for the life of dedication and duty lived by the Duchess.
