Kate Middleton made sure to wear a very meaningful piece of jewellery for an on Tuesday 22 November.
They say the key to great style is a personal uniform designed around a signature piece. Audrey Hepburn had the little black dress. Iris Apfel has her oversized glasses. Kate has the tea-length coatdress, which lately she’s been pairing with matching accessories to create a variety of elegant monochromatic looks that can be styled for any occasion.
This tailored purple ensemble is a perfect example.
For the first official state visit of King Charles III’s reign, the new Princess of Wales greeted South African president Cyril Ramaphosa in a trim pleated coat dress with a matching pillbox hat (very Jackie Kennedy of her), mauve pumps, a small clutch, and matching gloves. Her jewellery, as ever, was simple and steeped in meaning.
Drop pearl earrings are another one of the princess’ staples, and these appear to be the pair that once belonged to Princess Diana, which Kate has been photographed wearing on important occasions before. Even more symbolically meaningful might be the brooch pinned to her wide lapel – the Princess of Wales Feather Brooch – worn by many of her titular forbears.
This piece was made as a wedding gift for Princess Alexandra of Denmark in 1863, according to People, and has been worn by Princesses of Wales ever since — including Diana. This special occasion is the first time Kate’s worn the broach since taking on her new title.
Kate Middleton has never been one to shy away from emerging designers or mid-range jewels on less formal occasions — like the chunky Laura Lombardi chain she wore in October to a BBC Radio 1 event, per Vogue — but on auspicious occasions such as this, the pitch-perfect princess would never be caught in a piece of jewellery without decades of royal history behind it. Much less a pair of trousers.
