For those who aren't aware, Princess Diana was known for her extensive charity work and her personal touch, but one of her most beautiful gestures was to make an extraordinary provision in her will for women she never met: her sons' wives. The Princess of Wales intended for them to "have or use" the jewels she left to Princes William and Harry.
We know what happened next. Diana's boys grew up and got married, and now we're seeing Diana's most iconic pieces — from bracelets and earrings to cocktail rings — on Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle. We are not sure if William and Harry have, in turn, gifted the pieces to their wives — or, er, simply lent them to the ladies (what an awkward convo that would be!) — but we are sure of one thing: The pieces have taken on new life in a way that both honors Diana and moves the clock forward, fashion-wise.
For all the times that we've deduced the Duchess of Cambridge or Duchess of Sussex were paying tribute to Diana through their look and the timing of their outfits, we've never heard them say that explicitly. But when it comes to jewelry, we do know exactly which pieces came directly from Diana's collection because Diana was, of course, the most photographed woman of her time.
Though Kate and Meghan haven't brought out Diana's ultra-blingy stuff (like her pearl choker with enormous sapphire), we have seen them wearing select pieces in public. Each time, it's been a joy to watch how the jewels have been worn similarly or differently from Diana, with each woman putting her own stamp on it.
Here are some of the pieces that Kate and Meghan have plucked from Diana's collection and made their own.
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
Sapphire Engagement Ring
Diana's sapphire ring was instantly iconic, and it's no wonder. It was huge and beautiful! The blue gem is 12 carats of perfection, surrounded by 14 diamonds. Diana chose it out of a catalog from royal jeweler Garrard, supposedly because it was the biggest ring there — which is funny and sad at the same time. (Clearly, Prince Charles couldn't be bothered to design her a ring, as most royal husbands have done in the past.) The ring was also a bit controversial. The royal family didn't like that it wasn't one-of-a-kind, but something that the general public could purchase.
Twice as Iconic
According to Diana's former butler, when her jewels were divided between William and Harry, Harry chose the sapphire engagement ring but gave it to William — supposedly in exchange for her Cartier tank watch — when William was ready to propose to Kate. William kept it in a backpack for three weeks before finally popping the question while on vacation in Kenya. The ring, originally cost $37,000 but is now worth an estimated $500,000. It is now probably better known as Kate's, and the ring's shade has become one of her signature outfit colors.
Aquamarine Divorce Celebration Ring
Aquamarines have to be some of the most undervalued gems out there (they usually take a back seat to rubies, sapphires, and emeralds), but they're absolutely beautiful and a clear blue that we can see right through. It's said that Diana bought herself this spectacular emerald-cut aquamarine ring to celebrate her divorce. (She wore it on her ring finger, where the sapphire engagement ring once sat.) The piece was part of a set that includes a four-string pearl necklace with another large aquamarine on it.
Clear Blue Beauty
Like Diana's engagement ring, we hadn't seen the breathtaking bauble — which experts estimate is worth $92,000 — for more than 20 years, when Diana last wore it to an auction of her gowns. But when a just-married Meghan and Harry stepped out of Windsor Castle and into a convertible to head to their reception, Meghan gave a little wave and (gasp!) there it was on her right hand, just as beautiful as ever. She wore it again later that year to a dinner in Tonga during the couple's tour.
Sapphire Earrings
Having started her collection of major jewelry with a sapphire ring, Diana collected many other pieces featuring the precious stone, like this spectacular choker, which we have yet to see on either Kate or Meghan. The earrings are also lovely and surprisingly not overpowering, despite the double sapphires and ring of diamonds surrounding them.
A New Take
We know where Diana's sapphire earrings ended up: on Kate's ears. She wears them frequently, but despite their relative simplicity, she did have them refashioned into single sapphire pieces, with the gem enshrined in almost floral-like rings of diamond and what we guess is platinum. It makes the earrings a bit more usable for daytime royal outings.
Diana's Diamonds
Diana wore plenty of diamond jewelry in her time (obvs) since the wife of a future king has to look the part. This necklace and earring set — jam-packed with diamonds and, you guessed it, sapphires — was gifted to her by the Sultan of Oman. They are not pieces that we have seen again, probably because they're, um, very '80s, but we do wonder if those diamonds were repurposed after her death.
Meghan's Engagement Ring
Royal jewelry sets are typically broken up with the individual gems reused in different ways, so there's no way of telling which one of Diana's diamonds Harry used to make Meghan's engagement ring. We do know that he used two of them (the central diamond came from Botswana, where the couple vacationed together at the beginning of their courtship), and that, together, the sparklers made for a simple but spectacular ring.
Three-Strand Pearl Bracelet
Diana loved pearls. That's evident from the many pictures of her wearing them in various forms, whether earrings, chokers, or bracelets. Her go-to tiara was the drop pearl-lined Cambridge Lover's Knot tiara, and she even rocked it with this crazy bolero jacket that was studded with sea gems. The bracelet in this picture, though, stands out because of how simple it is, compared to everything else.
Same Jewels, Different Style
On her last day of a tour of Germany in 2017, Kate wore Diana's dainty three-strand pearl bracelet. Unlike Diana, she dressed it down a bit, wearing it with a cute summer dress with a metallic mesh belt. While we totally understand that Diana's more matchy-matchy and dressed-up style was a hallmark of the decade in which she rose to prominence (the shoulder-padded '80s!), we love Kate's understated take.
Butterfly Earrings
Butterfly jewelry is usually limited to kids' costume sets because it's just the teeniest bit kitschy. (We say this with all the love in the world for one of our favorite royals ever.) But somehow, Diana made it work for her when she snapped on this gold cable necklace and matching earrings set, featuring the beloved insect. We also have to remember that Diana was young and not exactly worldly — so, in conclusion: We'll allow it.
Fly, Fly, Butterfly!
It's no surprise that when William and Harry divided up Diana's jewelry after her 1997 death, Harry took the butterfly set. He was, after all, just 13, heartbroken by his loss and probably as a little kid loved seeing his mom wearing butterflies, so it's all sweet and touching. The set went to Meghan, and so far, she's worn the earrings in public. Given Meghan's ultra-simple style, they stand out beautifully and are just the right whimsical touch.
Drop Pearl Earrings
By far Diana's most spectacular pearl earrings, these gorgeous ones feature large teardrop pearls dangling from an intricate gold and diamond base. They're just beautiful, and when Diana paired them with a minimalist one-shoulder blue gown for a benefit gala in Sydney in 1996, they were the definition of statement earrings: the perfect touch.
Drip Drop
Here are Diana's statement pearl earrings on Kate when she made a grand entrance at the 2019 BAFTAs. Like Diana, the duchess paired them with a one-shoulder dress. Her white Alexander McQueen gown with a flower appliqué was pure romance in the form of a dress — and what's more romantic than pearls glinting next to skin? Probably nothing.
Gold & Sapphire Bangle
In our humble opinion, this was one of the coolest pieces in Diana's collection: a thin cuff in ribbed gold with oval sapphire cabochons and small diamonds at either end. She was photographed with it on early in her marriage, as well as late in her life, so we figure it was one of her favorite, more casual pieces. It's so simple and modern.
Stack Them Up
Meghan hardly ever puts on what would be considered major, expensive jewelry, though she did once wear some chandelier earrings that were certainly MAJOR. Her style is usually quite subdued, jewelry-wise, so it's no surprise that when Diana's cuff ended up with Meghan, it perfectly suited her minimal jewelry aesthetic. She's worn it several times, including to the launch of her Smart Works fashion line, and she did a very Meghan thing by adding it to several plain gold bangles for a fun touch.
Collingwood Drop Pearl Earrings
These pearl and diamond drop earrings were a wedding gift to Diana from Collingwood Jewelers in London, and they are so pretty — though compared to the ones we covered earlier, they're rather plain. But that just means that they're more versatile, ready to be worn for more dressed-up evening occasions or daytime royal outings.
Dressed Up
Kate has the Collingwood pearl earrings now. She took them with her on an official visit to Sweden in 2018, wearing them for a black-tie dinner with fellow royals and the prime minister in attendance. The earrings' pearly sheen echoed Kate's gold floral Erdem maxi dress, a no-brainer pairing since the elaborate dress needed no visual competition.
Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara
This breathtaking tiara didn't belong to Diana, of course (it's part of the royal collection), but was permanently lent to her during her marriage to Prince Charles, so it is synonymous with her. It's made of gold and silver, and features 19 large teardrop-shaped pearls, each crowned with a small diamond bow. Diana used to complain that it was so heavy that it gave her a headache, but it was her signature piece anyway. There is no other tiara like it.
Go-To Tiara
The Cambridge Lover's Knot tiara wasn't Kate's choice for her wedding day (that was the Cartier Halo Tiara), nor was it the first that she wore afterward (that was the Lotus Flower Tiara). But every time we've seen Kate at a formal event since then, she's worn Diana's iconic tiara — and it looks beautiful on her. She is, after all, the future Princess of Wales, so what else would she wear, really?
Diamond Tennis Bracelet
Diana's diamond tennis bracelet was one of her simpler pieces, but certainly one of her sparkliest. The best part is that it goes with anything — whether the royal event at hand happens during the day or at night. Here, she's wearing it to a Red Cross event in 1997.
Another Red Dress
When Harry and Meghan attended the Salute to Freedom gala in November 2021, it was easy to see that she was sporting Diana's tennis bracelet — and that she chose to wore it with a red dress, just like her late mother-in-law did. Just like we said, it's a classy choice for all occasions.
