Kate, Duchess of Cambridge dazzled in diamonds at an annual diplomat’s reception at Buckingham Palace. The stylish royal wore a floor-length velvet Alexander McQueen dress paired with striking accessories.
Royal fans were delighted to see Kate don Princess Diana’s Lover’s Knot tiara and noticed several new pieces of jewellery. The Duchess also wore a gorgeous Cartier diamond necklace loaned to her by the Queen.
The exquisite Nizam of Hyderabad necklace was a wedding gift to Queen Elizabeth II at her nuptials to Prince Philip in 1947.
The Duchess paired the necklace with dangling diamond earrings and a notable new ring.
The statement piece also featured diamonds and was a bold step away from Kate’s usually more reserved tastes. Both the earrings and the ring belong to special royal jewellery collection known as The Diamond Chandelier Drop Demi-Parure. The precious jewels are believed to have been a gift from a Middle Eastern ruler to the Queen.
Queen Elizabeth II wore the pieces when King Fahd of Saudi Arabia visited Britain and they have since also been worn by royal favourite Sophie Wessex.
Kate sent a confident message by donning the huge sparkler she teamed with her classic diamond and sapphire engagement ring.
The Duchess is rarely seen without her iconic engagement ring which once belonged to Princess Diana. Following Princess Diana’s tragic death in 1997 the ring was reportedly picked by Prince Harry as a memory to his mother. Diana had returned the ring to Prince Charles following their divorce in 1996.
However, in the wake of her sudden death Charles reportedly asked both his sons to pick a part of her belongings that they would like as keepsakes. While Prince Harry picked the engagement ring, Prince William is reported to have chosen a gold watch.
Before Prince William popped the question to Kate, it was Harry who suggested he give her his mother’s ring. Prince William proposed to Kate in 2010 and following their engagement Prince William spoke about the ring in an interview mentioning the ring was a way to make his mother part of their big day. At the time, Prince Charles opted to have Diana chose an engagement ring and she picked the special sapphire and diamond piece. The ring was an unusual choice at the time; to have a ready-made engagement ring designed for a royal was considered tacky by critics. However, the engagement ring has become one of the most iconic pieces of royal family jewellery.
