Kate Middleton's in-laws have helped her build her very own collection [1] of earrings, tiaras, rings, and necklaces that drip with glamour. And while the Duchess of Cambridge has already worn some impressive pieces of jewellery of her own, when it comes to really putting on the glitz, nothing beats having access to the Queen's incredible and iconic jewellery collection [2].
From brand-new bling to centuries-old diamonds, we took a look at the top 23 pieces of jewellery Kate has received or borrowed from the royal family so far.
— Additional reporting by Katelyn Evans
Diamond and Pearl Drop Earrings
Kate wore a pair of diamond and pearl drop earrings to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's birthday at the annual Trooping the Colour parade [4] in June 2019. The pearls, which dangle from a string of diamonds, are reported to be a gift from the ruler of Bahrain for the Queen's wedding in 1947. Kate previously wore the diamond-encrusted pearls to church at Balmoral Castle in Scotland in August 2018.
Pearl Teardrop Earrings
Kate paired a pink Alexander McQueen coat dress [5] with another pair of diamond and pearl drop earrings at the Queen's Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May 2019. Princess Diana was spotted in the same pretty pearls in 1981, which are reported to be a gift from Collingwood Jewellers for her wedding to Prince Charles [6] that year. Diana's teardrop pearls also dangled from Kate's ears at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in October 2018.
Green Tourmaline and Amethyst Earrings
Kate wore a pair of custom Kiki McDonough earrings [7] to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Ireland [8] in March 2019. The diamond-encrusted green tourmaline and amethyst earrings are rumored to be a gift from Prince William to celebrate the birth of their second child, Princess Charlotte [9], in 2015.
Royal Family Order Brooch
Kate received the Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II [10], a small diamond-framed painting of the queen hung from a yellow ribbon, in 2017. Kate was first photographed in the brooch at a state dinner at Buckingham Palace in October 2018.
Shamrock Brooch
Kate wore a shamrock brooch to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Ireland [11] in March 2019. This wasn't the first time Kate (or even a royal) wore the gold and emerald pin. The festive brooch was loaned to the royal family by the Irish Guards and has previously been worn by Queen Elizabeth and Princess Anne. Kate first wore the shamrock in 2011 [12], and it has been pinned to her lapel during royal visits to the country since.
The Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara
Kate also borrowed a piece from the queen for the annual diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace in December 2015. For it she selected the Cambridge Lover's Knot tiara, which was a wedding present from the queen to Princess Diana. The tiara had previously been owned by Queen Mary and features 19 diamond arches, each hung with a pearl suspended from a diamond lover's knot bow.
Sapphire and Diamond Earrings
Kate turned to more of the queen mother's favourite diamonds when it came to the 100 Women in Hedge Funds gala in 2015, borrowing the sapphire and diamond fringed earrings that the queen mother wore on her 93rd birthday.
Diamond Bracelets
Kate's first state banquet called for some serious bling, and along with the previously favoured Lotus Flower tiara and diamond drop earrings, she also borrowed two significant diamond bracelets from the royal collection. On her left wrist was a bracelet that had been a wedding gift to the queen from Prince Philip, which along with her engagement ring was made from the diamonds of a tiara that belonged to his mother. On Kate's right wrist, she wore a bracelet made from a choker that had belonged to Queen Mary, the wife of King George V, and was converted into a bracelet by the queen mother.
The Fern Brooch
It was time for more diplomatic diamonds when Kate and William visited New Zealand in 2014. On the queen's first tour of the country in 1953-54, she was gifted with the platinum fern brooch by The Women of Auckland on Christmas Day and wore it before the trip was out. Kate wore it twice on her tour — for her arrival into the country and to a church service in Dunedin.
A Rose-Gold and Pearl Ring
An understated but pretty ring, this is packed with meaning. It looks like this was the first jewellery William ever gifted to Kate. During their time at St Andrews, he gave her the rose-gold Victorian band set with pearls (his birthstone) and garnets (her birthstone) that she wore on many occasions, including her graduation.
Princess Diana's Engagement Ring
There was no mistaking the most famous ring in the world. In October 2010, William proposed to Kate with his mother's engagement ring, which featured a 12-carat sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds and set in 18-karat white gold.
Sapphire and Diamond Earrings
A pair of matching earrings weren't headline-grabbers but had also belonged to Princess Diana. William gave Kate a pair of his mother's sapphire and diamond earrings around the time of his and Kate's engagement and wedding, and his new bride had them customised as simple drops. She wore them for the first time on her tour of Canada, and they have become a firm favourite ever since.
The Cartier Halo Tiara
There's nothing like a wedding to provoke a cascade of royal diamonds. On her big day, Kate wore the Cartier Halo tiara, which is made up of 16 graduated scrolls set with 739 brilliant diamonds and 149 baton diamonds and was bought by King George VI for the queen mother. It was gifted to the queen on her 18th birthday, and her sister Margaret borrowed it for the coronation. It has also been worn by Princess Anne.
The Ballon Bleu de Cartier Watch
Like many of William's gifts of jewellery to Kate, the one he gave her to celebrate their third wedding anniversary had special links to his mother. Diana always wore a Cartier watch and gifted William with a specially engraved Cartier timepiece for one of his birthdays. In turn, William selected for Kate the Ballon Bleu de Cartier watch, which is set with a tiny sapphire — the perfect counterpoint to her engagement ring.
The Lotus Flower Tiara
The second time Kate wore a tiara, she chose the Lotus Flower tiara featuring diamond arches with curls and fans. It was made from a necklace that the queen mother received from her husband on their wedding day and was later gifted to Princess Margaret. The first time Kate borrowed it was for the annual diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace in 2013, and she favoured it again for the Chinese state banquet in 2015.
A Diamond Band
After the birth of Prince George, Kate started wearing a slim diamond eternity band by Anoushka along with her engagement and wedding rings — perhaps a royal "push" present from her husband?
Green Amethyst Earrings
For their first Christmas as a married couple, William looked to Kate's favourite jewellery designer, Kiki McDonough, and splashed out on a pair of oval green amethyst earrings surrounded by diamonds and set in 18-karat yellow gold. Kate first wore them to church on Christmas Day that year, and they seem to have festive significance for her, as she also wore them to church on Christmas Day in 2013 and 2015.
Dangly Diamond Earrings
Later in the tour, Kate wore a pair of diamond earrings to a BAFTA event in LA. She has borrowed them for other events since, including the annual diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace in 2013 and the Chinese State banquet in 2015.
The Maple-Leaf Brooch
Three months after her wedding, Kate was traveling with royal diamonds in her luggage on her first tour. For Canada Day in Ottawa, she wore the queen's maple-leaf brooch with two different outfits. The brooch was given to the queen mother by her husband before their first tour of Canada in 1939 and was first worn by the queen in 1959, as well as being lent to Camilla for her first tour of Canada in 2009.
A Charm Bracelet
Another of Kate's favourite pieces was the wedding gift of a charm bracelet from Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. The chunky gold link bracelet is hung with a solid gold disc engraved on one side with Catherine's "C" and a coronet and on the other with Camilla's "C" and a crown. Kate has worn it to daytime engagements, Wimbledon, and Zara Phillips's wedding.
The Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace
For a black-tie gala at the National Portrait Gallery in 2014, Kate selected some serious royal bling. The Nizam of Hyderabad necklace was gifted to the queen for her wedding — featuring 38 brilliant diamonds plus 13 emerald-cut diamonds and a pear-shaped drop, it has been worn by the queen for several official portraits.
White and Yellow Diamond Jewellery
New father-in-law Prince Charles presented Kate with a set of art deco white and yellow diamond jewellery as a wedding gift — comprising a bracelet, a pair of earrings, and a ring. She has worn them many times, together and separately, and they have become a favourite for most of her black-tie events and for state occasions on overseas tours.
A Golden Wedding Band
Other wedding jewellery was not as flashy but equally significant. Following in royal tradition, Kate's wedding band was crafted from Welsh yellow gold owned by the royal family — just as William's mother's and the queen's were.