Kate Middleton may be a royal, but according to one former British Vogue editor, her jewels don’t match the title.
During a recent episode of her podcast Creative Conversations, fashion critic Suzy Menkes picked apart the Princess of Wales’ recent styling choices. While talking to the now-jewellery editor for British Vogue, Carol Woolton, the two industry experts agreed that Middleton was in the position to assume beautiful jewels, yet her public appearances were underwhelming.
“The Princess of Wales is a bit of a disappointment about jewellery,” Menkes admitted.
Menkes confessed she thought the 41-year-old royal demonstrated a negative attitude about her looks behind closed doors. She believed Middleton was less than thrilled to wear historic heirlooms, but does because she has to. The 79-year-old fashion enthusiast imagined that Middleton feels pressure to be a “style icon”, a title that has been attributed to her predecessor Princess Diana, rather than wanting to make bold statements herself.
“I imagine her looking beautiful in one of those gowns behind the scenes and then pulling a face as if to say, ‘Do I have to wear this?’” Menkes remarked. “She doesn’t give any sense of adoring jewellery and being pleased to put it on.”
Whether or not Middleton has a taste for fine accessories, the mother of three has married into a family full of them. There are a few notable pieces she’s either borrowed or have been bestowed upon her.
Engagement Ring and Wedding Band
When Prince William proposed to Middleton in 2010, he offered her his mother’s sapphire diamond ring: a 14-solitaire diamond wrapped around a 12-carat, oval-shaped Ceylon sapphire with an 18-karat gold set. In 1981, Prince Charles selected the engagement ring for his wife Diana from “the official royal jeweller Garrad”. Now, the delicate accessory is positioned on top of Middleton’s Welsh yellow gold wedding band, which was made to look like the rings belonging to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, and Queen Elizabeth II.
Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara
Among Princess Diana’s renowned jewels was the Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara, a piece originally made for Queen Mary to replicate her grandmother’s, Princess Augusta of Hesse. Queen Mary reportedly used the Ladies of England tiara, according to the Court Jeweller. The tiara is encrusted with diamonds and dangling pearls. Now, Middleton often pairs the Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara with long Alexander McQueen gowns.
Cartier Halo Tiara
On her wedding day, the Princess of Wales paired her Sarah Burton lace gown with the Cartier Halo tiara, a gift first given to the Queen Mother by King George VI. The decadent piece is adorned with 739 brilliant diamonds and 149 baton diamonds. When Queen Elizabeth II turned 18, the royal was gifted the tiara by her mother.
Maple-leaf Brooch
Another gift from King George VI to his wife was the maple-leaf brooch in 1939, which was clasped to Middleton’s red coat during her 2011 tour of North America. The Queen Consort, Camilla, has also been seen in the dainty jewelled embellishment.
Pearl Choker
Using a collection of pearls that were gifted by the Japanese government, the Queen’s pearl choker was a significant piece in her personal collection. The four-strand pearl necklace embellished Middleton’s look at the funeral for Prince Philip in 2021, while Princess Diana had previously borrowed the piece to wear to a banquet in the Netherlands.
Dubai Sapphire Earrings
Middleton dipped into Queen Elizabeth II’s Dubai Sapphire Demi-Parure, a pair of sapphire earrings that were a gift from Sheikh Rashid in 1979, to wear to a drive-in showing of Cruella. The Queen was reportedly amazed by the Demi-Parure, which included a necklace and ring.
Emerald and Diamond Choker
At the second annual Earthshot Prize Awards, the princess was seen in Princess Diana’s emerald and diamond-encrusted choker necklace. In 1911, Queen Mary added it to her collection and eventually passed it down to Diana when she married Prince Charles in 1981.
Royal Family Order Brooch
Dubbed as “the greatest honour the Queen can give to a female member of the royal family,” according to Vogue Australia, the diamond brooch - detailed with a painting of the monarch - was gifted to Middleton in 2017. She wore the valuable item to a Diplomatic Reception and the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace.
Towards the end of Menkes’ podcast episode, she addressed past controversy surrounding the royal family’s jewellery collection, and how the origins of certain pieces were kept quiet.
“It’s not discussed, and I can see why because some of the pieces are dubious. They came from India,” she noted. “I won’t say they were stolen but they were perhaps given and taken by the British Royal Family. They weren’t stealing it but they were taking over a country at that time, and taking jewels they thought were an attractive thing to take back to England with them.”
