Kate Middleton wore a pair of sentimental earrings given to her by Prince William when she left for a royal visit earlier this week. Princess of Wales gave a masterclass in monochrome statement dressing during her busy day at RAF Coningsby on Thursday. While Middleton met with junior recruits and toured the Rapid Action Fighter as the station's honorary Royal Air Commodore, she showed off an outfit that bore a striking resemblance to one of Princess Diana's most notable looks.
Middleton opted to wear sapphire and diamond earrings that were remarkably similar to a pair that belonged to Princess Diana. The late Princess of Wales often wore sapphire cabochon and diamond cluster earrings at royal engagements, wearing them in both double drop and stud designs over the years. Outings included a trip to Japan in 1986 and a visit to New York in 1995, when she paired the earrings with a matching sapphire necklace. Jewelry became an iconic item in the princess's collection.
Perhaps that's why Prince William gave his future wife a similar pair for their wedding in 2011—a touching gift, especially considering how much Middleton is known to appreciate the symbolic meaning of her earrings. Whether it was her earring debut at Wimbledon in 2011, a trip to a Stoke-on-Trent pottery factory while pregnant in 2015, or a visit to Dundee for the opening of the Victoria and Albert Museum in 2019, the Princess of Wales cherishes the occasion. jewelry throughout her royal career.
That wasn't the only nod Middleton gave her mother-in-law during the outing. Wearing a gray Bella Freud suit (with a Prince of Wales check pattern that could very well be a tribute to her husband), Prince William), Middleton continued to reach out to one of her royal favourites. Previously, she chose a suit for visit to textile manufacturer. But that might not be the only reason the outfit looked familiar. After all, the Princess of Wales seemed to take style inspiration from Prince William's mother, the late Princess Diana.
During a trip to Paddington Station for the Red Cross on May 3, 1988, the then Princess of Wales wore a Catherine Walker suit, also tailored in Prince of Wales check. Although the dress was navy blue and paired with a white satin turtleneck rather than Middleton's choice of gray sweater, the similarities between the two royal women's wardrobes are striking.
