Kate Middleton Wore Queen Elizabeth II’s Jewelry—Learn the Story Behind the Pearls and Their Bond
Learn about the royal tradition behind the pearls and the deep connection these two women shared
Key Takeaways
- Kate was recently spotted wearing Queen Elizabeth's signature three-layer pearl necklace.
- Elizabeth gifted each granddaughter a pearl every birthday so they'd have a necklace by 18.
- Experts say Kate and Elizabeth shared a close bond, with the queen mentoring her on royal life.
Today would have been Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday, and one person looking to honor her? Kate Middleton! At a recent appearance. the queen to be was spotted wearing Elizabeth’s pearl necklace. Below we take you inside the two’s bond and reveal the true story behind the pearls.
What to know about Queen Elizabeth’s pearl necklace
In July 1947, Elizabeth was seen out with her soon-to-be husband Philip Mountbatten. She was wearing a below-the-knee gown, modest heels, a long jacket and a three-layer pearl necklace. It wasn’t exactly a new look, since the Queen favored these sorts of styles back then, but it was the first time she was spotted in her signature pearl necklace.
“Pearls are traditional for Queens going back one thousand years—there has never been a Queen who didn’t wear pearls,” Leslie Field, author of The Queen’s Jewels, told People magazine in 2020. “They were rare, beautiful and lustrous and the more you wear them, the more lustrous they become.”
“It’s the necklace that she feels is appropriate—she wants to wear pearls every day as her mother and grandmother did before her,” the author continued. “She wouldn’t wear a diamond necklace to go to a charity lunch—it is simply traditional that a lady would wear pearls during the day.”
And it seems as though that tradition has continued, since at a recent party celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s 100th birthday, both Princess Kate (Elizabeth’s granddaughter-in-law) and Princess Anne (Elizabeth’s daughter) were seen wearing a three layer pearl necklace. Queen Camilla (Elizabeth’s daughter-in-law) was also seen in pearls, but hers weren’t the same style as Queen Elizabeth’s signature strands.
It’s unclear where exactly the pearls came from, but there are rumors that the source is the late queen herself, who was famous for gifting the jewelry to family members.
“She gave each of her daughters and granddaughters a pearl every year on their birthday so that by the time they came of age at 18, they would have enough pearls for a necklace,” Field said.
A look at Kate’s relationship with Queen Elizabeth
When Kate married Prince William in 2011, she was welcomed into the family with open arms. The queen loved her, and the two could often be found smiling when they were around one another.
“[Elizabeth] could see [Kate] had all the qualities of a future Queen,” Russell Myers, author of William and Catherine, The Monarchy’s New Era: The Inside Story, told People in February 2026.
Kate and Elizabeth remained close until the latter tragically passed away in September 2022 at age 96.
They did have a good relationship. Part of that relationship was mentoring and the Queen being able to pass on her advice, her values and her guidance,” journalist Katie Nicholl told The Royal Observer in 2022.
Queen Elizabeth was also close with Kate’s children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. And according to USA Today, Louis offered great words of advice following Elizabeth’s death.
“At least Grannie is with Great Grandpa now,” he said.
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