Kate Middleton honours Queen Elizabeth on Remembrance Sunday

Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth during Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph. 

Alongside Prince William, she honoured her late grandmother-in-law, continuing a cherished family tradition in her choice of jewellery.

Today, marking the first time Kate, 42, has taken on official royal engagements on back-to-back days since December, she arrived at the Cenotaph with Prince William. In a meaningful gesture, she wore a pair of pearl earrings that once belonged to Queen Elizabeth, the late monarch’s favorite gemstone.

Complementing her look with a black coat, headpiece, and three poppies — her traditional tribute on Remembrance Day — Kate completed her ensemble with the Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings, previously loaned to her by the Queen. These earrings, which Kate also wore to Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September 2022, were a wedding gift to the Queen in 1947.

Continuing her recovery following cancer treatment, the Princess of Wales made a graceful return to royal duties at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance on Saturday. Today, she attended the solemn Remembrance Sunday service in Whitehall, where both the Prince of Wales and King Charles laid wreaths.

As per tradition, Kate observed the ceremony from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office balcony overlooking Whitehall, joined by the Duchess of Edinburgh.

Bethan Holt, author of The Queen: 70 Years of Majestic Style, explained the significance of the pearls: “Pearls are one of the very few jewellery items you can wear in mourning and are inextricably linked with Queen Elizabeth and her personal jewellery legacy.”

Reflecting on the symbolism of pearls, Bethan added, “It’s a symbol of mourning a monarch but also a grandmother or great-grandmother.”

Queen Elizabeth’s lifelong affinity for pearls began as a child when her father, King George VI, started gifting her a platinum chain with two pearls added each birthday. This tradition of gifting pearls originated with Queen Victoria, who gave her daughters and granddaughters pearls each year so they could eventually have enough for a full necklace by age 18.

British jeweller Claudia Bradby, known for her pearl designs worn by figures like Pippa Middleton and Helen Mirren, noted, “Their power lies in the fact that they aren’t overwhelming.”