Kate Middleton’s outfit detail a touching nod to the Queen a year after her death

The Princess of Wales' outfit for the Queen's memorial service included a touching tribute to the late monarch. Photo / AP

The Princess of Wales paid a touching sartorial tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on the first anniversary of her death, wearing a pair of diamond and pearl earrings that once belonged to the late monarch.

Attending a memorial service at St Davids Cathedral in Pembrokeshire, the Princess wore the sentimental earrings, which nod to one of the style signatures of Elizabeth II, with a berry-hued coat dress by Eponine London and a new hat by Sahar Millinery.

She previously wore the same coat last December for the Together at Christmas concert, which she hosted in memory of the late Queen. It’s a fashion choice that demonstrates the Princess’s commitment to style symbolism over practicality, given she chose to wear it on one of the warmest days of the year.

Prince William and Princess Kate attended a memorial service for the Queen. Photo / AP

In choosing the diamond and pearl earrings, which were first seen on her husband’s grandmother during the celebrations for her Silver Jubilee in 1977, the Princess is continuing a longstanding royal tradition of wearing diamonds and pearls during a time of mourning.

She wore the same earrings several times during the days following Her Majesty’s passing in 2022, including for a public appearance at Sandringham to view floral tributes and to greet Commonwealth troops who would be taking part in the state funeral.

The Princess has worn the earrings, the origins of which are unknown, in happier times, too. They were first seen when she visited the Netherlands in 2016 and viewed Vermeer’s Girl with the Pearl Earring, creating a side-by-side shot that made newspaper pages around the world. She also wore them when leaving the Lindo Wing following the birth of Prince Louis in April 2018.

Kate Middleton wore the Queen's pearl earrings after the birth of her third child with Prince William, Prince Louis. Photo / Getty Images

The Princess has used the selection of jewellery loaned to her by the late Queen as a mark of remembrance. At the funeral of Prince Philip in 2021, she wore a diamond and pearl choker gifted to Elizabeth II by Japan in 1970 and later worn by Princess Diana.

She also chose the Bahrain pearl earrings, so-called because they were a wedding gift to the then Princess Elizabeth from the Hakim of Bahrain in 1947. Touchingly, Catherine chose the same combination of jewels for Queen Elizabeth’s funeral last year.

The diamond and pearl earrings worn by the Princess of Wales on Friday are slightly more subtle and will no doubt form a cornerstone of her classic, meaningful jewellery collection for many years to come.