Kate Middleton has long used sartorial messaging as a way to convey a mood and pay homage to particular members of the British royal family since she joined The Firm in April 2011, when she married Prince William. Over the course of the last several years, the Princess of Wales used her style to honor such royal family members as her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.
Sentimental jewelry pieces play a significant role to the ways in which Kate Middleton honors Princess Diana. The Collingwood pearl drop earrings are just one particular accessory she inherited from Princess Diana and has worn on several occasions. So, what’s the story behind these earrings? How often did Princess Diana wear them and when was Kate last seen in the accessory?
WWD breaks down these questions and more below.
When Did Princess Diana First Wear the Collingwood Pearl Drop Earrings?
Lady Diana Spencer at a banquet given at Claridges hotel for King Khalid of Saudi Arabia on June 11, 1981.
Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Princess Diana began wearing the Collingwood pearl drop earrings back in the early 1980s — before her July 1981 wedding to then-Prince Charles. The earrings are designed with a diamond stud, by which is suspended an additional small three-row cap of diamonds atop a white pearl in the shape of a tear drop.
Diana famously wore the earrings to a banquet for King Khalid of Saudi Arabia at Claridges luxury hotel in June 1981. The soon-to-be Princess of Wales wore a voluminous tiered dress with polka dots and ruffles abounding. She also styled a statement necklace with her Collingwood pearl drop earrings.
How Often Did Princess Diana Wear the Collingwood Pearl Drop Earrings?
In the years since Diana debuted the Collingwood pearl drop earrings, the late member of the British royal family continued to wear the jewelry pieces for several occasions.
Princess Diana at a charity gala performance of “Starlight Express” on Dec. 6, 1984.
Jayne Fincher/Getty Images
In December 1984, Princess Diana wore the earrings with a champagne-hued gown with allover shimmering details and a bow at the waist. She wore the look for a charity gala performance of “Starlight Express.”
Diana, Princess of Wales, wearing the revenge dress by Christina Stamboulian.
WireImage
In June 1994, the earrings entered the worldwide spotlight when the princess accessorized them with her black Christina Stamboulian “revenge dress” when she attended the Vanity Fair party at the Serpentine Gallery. The next day, Diana’s iconic dress made global headlines, overshadowing Prince Charles’ televised confession about his affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles, dominating the front pages of international newspapers the next day.
Princess Diana attends a banquet at the Itamarati Palace, The President Of Brazil’s Official Residence, on April 23, 1991.
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Princess Diana wore the earrings well into the ’90s. During her tour of Brazil, the late Princess of Wales wore the earrings again with a shimmering tiara and a one-sleeve, asymmetric print gown courtesy Catherine Walker — a favorite designer of Princess Diana.
After Princess Diana’s tragic death in August 1997, several pieces of her jewelry were left to her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. Over the years, both the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex gifted such sentimental jewelry pieces to their respective wives, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle. Kate inherited the Collingwood pearl drop earrings.
When Did Kate Middleton First Wear the Collingwood Pearl Drop Earrings?
Kate Middleton attends the Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery on July 31, 2017 in Ypres, Belgium.
Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images
The assumption could ostensibly be made that Kate Middleton received the Collingwood pearl drop earrings sometime in 2017 or upon her marriage to Prince William in April 2011. In July 2017, though, the then-Duchess of Cambridge wore the earrings to two separate events: a ceremony at the Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery and during a banquet at Buckingham Palace.
The Princess of Wales often uses the jewelry pieces to honor Princess Diana’s memory. Within the last few years, the royal styled the earrings for significant occasions in her own life.
Has Kate Middleton Worn the Collingwood Pearl Drop Earrings for Special Occasions?
The Duchess of Cambridge by Paolo Roversi.
Image courtesy of Kensington Palace Twitter/Paolo Roversi
For the then-Duchess of Cambridge’s 40th birthday portrait in January 2022, Middleton wore an off-the-shoulder tulle dress with gathered ribbon detailing designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen. Burton served as the creative director for the fashion label until 2023 and designed Kate Middleton’s 2011 wedding dress.
Jewelry pieces prominently featured in the portrait, lensed by Paolo Roversi, included the sapphire and diamond engagement ring that once belonged to Princess Diana during her engagement and marriage to then-Prince Charles and the Collingwood pearl drop earrings.
When Was the Last Time Kate Middleton Wore the Collingwood Pearl Drop Earrings?
Kate Middleton attends Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on March 10 in London.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
The last time Middleton wore the Collingwood pearl drop earrings was for Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on March 10 in London. The Princess of Wales paired the earrings with a Catherine Walker coatdress in a shade of bright red with a twisted bow effect near the neckline.
She also styled a pair of Gianvito Rossi pointed-toe suede heels and carried a small red clutch courtesy of Miu Miu. Middleton topped off her attire with a hat courtesy of Gina Foster in red. Along with the Collingwood pearl drop earrings from Princess Diana’s collection, Middleton wore Queen Elizabeth II’s Japanese pearl choker.
Kate Middleton attends Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on March 10 in London.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Eagle-eyed viewers noticed, however, that the Collingwood pearl drop earrings were missing a rather important detail. On the lowest tier of the earring, connected to the teardrop-shaped pearl, a diamond was missing, leaving an empty space. While it’s not clear when the diamond went missing from the earring, it was a noticeable enough change to yield many to speculation.
Still, missing diamond or not, the Princess of Wales wore the earrings for a significant public royal occasion, honoring Princess Diana yet again.
