Kate Middleton Wears Queen Elizabeth II's Pearls to Festival of Remembrance
This weekend was the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance, a ceremony dedicated to the day the Allies and Germany signed the armistice that ended World War 1 in 1918 for Europe. As part of the somber observances, Prince William was tasked with laying a wreath during the service that honors the fallen, placing it the Cenotaph, an empty tomb which represents the losses from the war and the “glorious dead.”
Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, was by her husband’s side for the occasion, wearing her three-poppy pin brooch that is dedicated to fallen soldiers as well. She was also wearing all black, including a classic wide-brimmed black hat. The Princess and Queen Consort Camilla stood together as the moment was marked by two minutes of silence. The moment was particularly poignant, as Queen Elizabeth II passed away only two months ago.
Later, on Saturday evening, the couple attended a special commemorative concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Once again, Kate was clothed in black, wearing a cinched jacket, and pleated skirt. She was also paying tribute to the late Queen by wearing some of her famous jewelry—her Japanese Pearl Choker necklace and her Bahrain Diamond and Pearl Drop earrings.
The necklace was commissioned by the Queen herself, composed of four-strands from pearls given to her by the Japanese government with a central diamond clasp. The necklace was once seen on Kate’s late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, during a state banquet for the Netherlands in 1982. The Princess also wore these jewels to the Queen’s state funeral and Prince Philip’s funeral last year. This concert was intended to honor the Queen as well, as she was the Royal British Legion’s patron and the longest serving Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces.
Aimée Lutkin is the weekend editor at ELLE.com. Her writing has appeared in Jezebel, Glamour, Marie Claire and more. Her first book, The Lonely Hunter, will be released by Dial Press in February 2022.