The Princess of Wales wore sentimental jewelry to complement her black and white ensemble for the traditional royal outing
Credit: Aaron Chown / POOL / AFP via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Kate Middleton honored Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana by wearing their jewelry at the Buckingham Palace garden party
- Princess Kate shimmered in the late Queen’s Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings and Princess Diana’s pearl bracelet
- Kate follows Diana in bearing the Princess of Wales title and sometimes dresses in outfits channeling her timeless style
Kate Middleton broke out some heirloom jewels for her first garden party of the season with Prince William.
On May 8, the Prince and Princess of Wales hosted a garden party at Buckingham Palace in London on behalf of King Charles, where Princess Kate sparkled in some special accessories.
The Princess of Wales, 44, added shimmer to her cream Self-Portrait outfit with Queen Elizabeth's Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings and Princess Diana's triple-strand pearl bracelet designed by Nigel Milne.
Princess Kate's jewelry tributes to her late grandmother-in-law and late mother-in-law, whom she never met, added a regal touch to her timeless garden party style.
Credit: Aaron Chown / POOL / AFP via Getty
Kate has had both pieces in her jewelry box for years, which are just two of many royal jewels linked to the late Queen and Diana that she's inherited access to.
Princess Kate recently sported Queen Elizabeth's iconic pearl necklace to the palace celebrations commemorating the 100th anniversary of her birth in April and has also made Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara, which was a famous favorite of Princess Diana's, her go-to royal headpiece. Prince William, 43, memorably proposed to Kate with the sapphire and diamond engagement ring that had belonged to his mom, which she previously revealed fits her perfectly.
Kate follows Diana in bearing the title of the Princess of Wales and sometimes even dresses in outfits that channel Diana's timeless style.
Credit: Chris Jackson – WPA Pool/Getty; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty
"I think we have seen lots of examples where the reference is very intentional, and I think that Kate uses fashion to pay tribute to Diana in a very positive way," fashion director Bethan Holt of The Daily Telegraph previously told PEOPLE, adding that Prince William "has always been very conscious of his mother as a style icon."
The Prince and Princess of Wales led the way at the garden party on Friday and stepped out together at the event that was also attended by Prince Edward, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh and Zara Tindall.
Credit: Aaron Chown / POOL / AFP via Getty
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Prince William and Princess Kate mingled with people from several of their patronages, military affiliations and passion projects including Homewards, William's targeted initiative endeavoring to end homelessness, tenants from across the Duchy of Cornwall, the lucrative landholding that finances his family, and more.
It was the second garden party of the week for the royal family, as King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted the first soiree of the season at Buckingham Palace on May 6.
The bash celebrated those who serve their communities through volunteering, charity efforts and working for emergency services, and kicked off the official garden party season.
The British royals host garden parties through the summer to meet people from all walks of life and thank community members for their contributions to society, continuing a rich royal tradition tracing back to the 1860s.
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