Kate Middleton's most iconic jewellery looks

Jewellery experts recall the Princess of Wales's most iconic jewellery looks.

Tony French, jewellery expert at Diamonds Factory Ireland, took a look back at five of the future Queen's most iconic jewellery pieces.

Emerald choker

During the Earthshot Ceremony in early December 2022, Kate was photographed wearing an art-deco-inspired emerald green choker once owned by Princess Diana, which she paired with matching ravishing jewellery to coordinate with her stunning green colour scheme.

French says, “As shown by the images of it being worn by both Catherine and Diana, it is equally stunning on someone with either dark or fair colour hair. It was originally owned by Queen Mary Circa 1911, then was passed down to her granddaughter Queen Elizabeth II, and often loaned to Princess Diana who wore it on occasion. Historical values put on this in the past show it to be worth between 10 and 15 million.”

Sapphire engagement ring 

The royals are known for their love for the sapphire stone, and dating back to the 19th century, this 12-karat oval Ceylon sapphire ring was another heirloom that Prince William used to propose to Kate in 2010, which was another piece that belonged to Princess Diana.

“What more can be said about this ring than 'iconic' - it's truly one of the most famous rings in the world, and has a host of copycats as people looked to buy a 'Diana ring'. Originally purchased from Garrards in 1981, it now belongs to the current Princess Kate. The 12-carat Oval Cut Ceylon Sapphire is reported to have a value of around £400,000."

Wedding tiara and pelham earrings 

The wedding of the now Prince and Princess of Wales was an unforgettable day for both the royals and the country, with all eyes on Kate, who wore some incredible jewellery. Kate wore a Cartier "halo" tiara, which was given to her by the late HM Queen Elizabeth II, and Robinson Pelham oak leaf pear-cut earrings, which were given to her by her parents.

“Not many people get away with wearing a tiara in this day and age, and for us in the jewellery industry, that is a crime. However, if anyone is going to pull it off a Princess certainly will. Her wedding tiara was actually an 18th birthday gift to Queen Elizabeth II herself, when she was still a Princess. The Cartier Tiara which holds 888 diamonds is valued at just over 1 million pounds. Kate's beautiful diamond earrings are stylised oak leaves with a drop acorn design along with pear shaped diamonds was no doubt her 'something new' on her wedding day. They have an estimated value of around £15,000.”

Cartier Trinity necklace 

During her 2012 visit to the National Gallery, the Princess was sure to turn heads with her 18-carat Cartier chain with pavé diamonds, which was speculated to be an indication of solidarity for the Olympics in mid-2012 as a former ambassador for Team GB.

“Princess Kate's Cartier Trinity necklace is estimated to be worth between £50,000 and £100,000 and includes both yellow, white and pink gold, symbolising love, fidelity and friendship, based on Louis Cartier's original ring design from 1924. The Princess has been able to use this on a few occasions to enhance a simple yet classic dress and add more of a chic look. She was famously seen wearing it before the Olympics in 2012, which many thought was a nod from her for the upcoming games, and also on a whirlwind tour of New York. When worn, it certainly was seen as a statement piece and featured prominently in all pictures taken of her.”

Lovers knot tiara 

The famously known lovers knot tiara, made in 1914 and one of Princess Dianna's beloved pieces, was worn by Kate at the state banquet inside Buckingham Palace in 2022, which was the first time she was seen since taking on her new role, and she couldn’t have done it any better!

"Another of Garrard's pieces, created for Queen Mary, this treasure has now become known as Kate’s favourite due to how many times she has worn it in public. Curated with diamonds and 19 hanging pearls set into both silver and gold, this is an exquisite piece that truly epitomises the word regal, with a value close to 2 million.”