Royal watchers, rejoice! This week brought us not one, but two joint appearances by the Prince and Princess of Wales. The first was at a garden party at Buckingham Palace while their second appearance was a bit more unexpected: Kate Middleton joined her husband Prince William in Scotland to help christen the HMS Glasgow at the ship’s official naming ceremony. (Kate is sponsor of the Royal Navy ship.)
Kate Middleton Joins Prince William in Scotland—and She’s Wearing Princess Diana’s Earrings
As iconic as her engagement ring
Published May 22, 2025
•6:15pm
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It was a regal event, but one with a splash of fun: The Princess of Wales—or should we say, the Duchess of Rothesay, which is the title she goes by in Scotland—cracked a bottle of whisky against the ship’s hull (a royal tradition) after giving a short speech as part of the celebration. Yes, our eyes were on the occasion, but also on Kate’s nautical-inspired outfit: She wore a new (and stunning) navy coat dress by Suzannah London and one of her go-to fascinators by Philip Treacy. Still, it was her choice to wear Princess Diana’s iconic sapphire and diamond drop earrings that most stood out.
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According to the Court Jeweller, the earrings—which feature cabochon-cut sapphires ringed with diamonds—were worn often by Diana throughout her marriage to Prince Charles in the 1980s. She frequently paired them with her pearl choker necklace, which featured a large sapphire and diamond cluster at the center. Most memorably, she wore the earrings and necklace to dance with John Travolta at the White House in 1985, but she reached for the earrings many, many times.
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That’s why it was such a delight to see them today on Kate. The Princess of Wales has worn the showstopping earrings on numerous occasions including to Trooping the Colour in June 2022, but also in Boston in 2022 and to her Shaping Us National Symposium in the fall of 2023. While not meant to match Diana’s engagement ring, they make for a lovely compliment.
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More than anything, it was lovely to see William and Kate together again in Scotland after the pair recently celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary there—and for such a cheery occasion, too.
