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There’s a reason so many people adore the British royal family’s fashion sense. It’s clean, vibrant, and decorated with glittering jewels from the sacred royal vault. From Kate Middleton to Princess Eugenie, so many members of the royal family have worn dazzling jewels for big occasions — many of which were on loan from the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Each piece, each jewel tells a long story. Many of the beloved tiaras and necklaces are over a century old (or pretty darn close to it!), which ties going all the way back to Queen Elizabeth II’s grandmother. If there’s something the late Queen loved to do, it was to make sure the women in the monarchy were dripping in jewels (especially on their wedding days, as you’ll see!)
Ever since her passing, Kate has worn many of her pieces to honor her, and many more members have worn gifted pieces from the Queen as well.
It’s speculated that when the Queen gives you a piece of jewelry to wear from her vault, it’s a subtle seal of approval that you belong in the family, per Newsweek. While Kate has worn the most borrowed pieces, many other members of the family have donned the jewels as well.
See which members of the British royal family have donned the late Queen Elizabeth II’s prized jewels over the years below.
Kate in the Iconic Three-Tiered Pearl Necklace
Most recently, Kate Middleton wore the three-tiered pearl necklace Queen Elizabeth II wore every day during a lunch held for governors-general of the Commonwealth nations, ahead of the Queen’s funeral.
The Princess of Wales Wearing the Four Row Japanese Pearl Choker
Like the Queen, Kate Middleton loves her pearls, specifically the late Queen’s pearls. She’s worn this a couple of times, with the most recent time being at Prince Phillip’s funeral back in 2021. According to Garrard: The Crown Jewellers for 150 Years, the Queen commissioned the Four Row Japanese Pearl Choker from a set of the “finest cultured pearls” from the Japanese government. And Kate wasn’t the only one who borrowed it.
Princess Diana also donned it in the 1980s at the Hampton Court Palace!
Meghan Markle Wowing in Queen Mary’s Filigree tiara
For Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s wedding day in 2018, she wore a very special tiara borrowed from the Queen’s vault. She wowed in the dramatic Queen Mary’s Filigree tiara, a beloved piece the late Queen received from her grandmother back in the 1950s, per Tiara Mania.
Princess of Wales Wearing the Pearl Leaf Brooch
The Princess of Wales also has a love for brooches, much like the late Queen Elizabeth II. She wore the Pearl Leaf Brooch during the Queen’s procession to Westminster Hall in September 2022. She’s also borrowed the diamond and pearl brooch for the Festival fo Remembrance in 2018.
Princess Beatrice’s Wedding Crown Was the Beloved Fringe Tiara
For Princess Beatrice’s big wedding day, she wore her grandmother Queen Elizabeth II’s beloved Russian Fringe Tiara. You can see her wearing the stunning tiara HERE. Created on the commission of the Queen’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II also wore this crown on her special day to Prince Phillip, per The Knot.
Kate Adores the Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings
Kate Middleton has a strong love for the Queen’s earrings, especially the ones that she wore during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June 2022 and to her funeral. These were given to Queen Elizabeth for her wedding in 1947 by Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain, per the National News.
Princess Eugenie’s Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara
For Princess Eugenie’s wedding day, she donned the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara, an iconic emerald-encrusted tiara that’s over a century old. Made for Dame Margaret Greville, she left it to the Queen Mother after she died in 1942, which she then passed on to Queen Elizabeth II, per USA Today.
Princess Diana Dazzling in a Vintage Necklace
While on a royal tour of Australia in 1983, Princess Diana borrowed a mid-20th century diamond necklace made by the American jeweler Harry Winston. She borrowed it from Queen Elizabeth II, which was originally a gift the queen received from King Faisal of Saudi Arabia.
Kate’s Wedding Day in the Cartier ‘Halo’ Tiara
Like many women in the British royal family, Kate Middleton wore a tiara she borrowed from Queen Elizabeth II’s vault for her wedding day. Back in 2011, Kate wore the Cartier ‘Halo’ Tiara, which has over 800 diamonds. IT was a treasured gift given from Elizabeth’s father King George VI to the Queen Mother.
Queen Elizabeth’s Wedding Bracelet
Can you imagine what an honor it must’ve been when Queen Elizabeth let Kate Middleton borrow her wedding bracelet back in 2015? It’s one of the most expensive pieces of jewelry in the royal family’s collection.
Kate Showing Her Love For Canada With the Queen’s Maple Leaf Brooch
The Princess of Wales also donned the Queen’s beloved Maple Leaf Brooch while on a royal tour in Canada. Made from Asprey & Company, this piece is especially important because it was one of the late Queen’s most loved (and most worn) pieces from her collection.
Camilla in a Plethora of the Queen’s Jewels
When Queen Consort Camilla and King Charles met Donald and Melania Trump back in 2019, Camilla donned many sparkling pieces from the Queen’s collection during their visit. Per International Business Times, she sported many jewels, including the Diamond Demi-Parure, which she wore at her wedding to Prince Charles.
Sarah Ferguson Donning the “York Tiara”
For Sarah Ferguson’s wedding to Prince Andrew, she wore so many glittering pieces, including the beloved “York Tiara” on loan from Queen Elizabeth II to her. Estimated at $800,000, she wore the tiara many times while she was the Duchess of York, per Good Housekeeping.
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