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Among the many collectible jewels that the Princess of Wales owns today, some pieces belonged to Princess Diana. In particular an Art Deco choker necklace set with emeralds which Lady Di had unintentionally misused.
Since her marriage to Prince William on April 29, 2011, Kate Middleton has received numerous collector's items from the British royal family as gifts, including some that belonged to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.
Among the best-known pieces is her iconic engagement ring, adorned with a 12-carat oval sapphire from Sri Lanka, itself surrounded by 14 round diamonds and set in a gold band. But the current Princess of Wales also received another equally spectacular piece as a gift: an Art Deco choker necklace made of cabochon-cut emeralds and diamonds.
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According to the British media The Sun the necklace would have a market value of 20 million dollars (19.061 million euros). A necklace that first belonged to Queen Mary, the grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II. It was given to him in 1911 during the “Durbar of Delhi”, an event organized to celebrate the accession to the throne of a new monarch, in this case George V. It was renovated ten years later, in 1921, by the royal jewelry company Garrard.
Worn by Princess Diana as a headband
After Queen Mary died in 1953, the necklace was passed down to her granddaughter, Elizabeth, who never wore it in public during her lifetime. It was then given to Lady Diana Spencer for her marriage to Prince Charles on July 29, 1981, as a lifetime loan. She kept it in her possession from 1981 until her death on August 31, 1997.
The piece of jewelry was also made famous by Princess Diana in 1985, when she wore it as a headband during a dance with her husband in Melbourne. A diversion from its main use which was not intentional at the time.
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“Instead of tying it around her neck, she tried to adjust it over her head, but the necklace got stuck,” royal biographer Kitty Kelley told People . She loved the way it stood out on her forehead so much that she decided to wear it that way for the evening.”
Since the death of Lady Diana, the choker had not been seen on any member of the royal family. Until this evening in December 2022, when Kate Middleton paid tribute to him, by wearing the sumptuous necklace around her neck for the very first time.
