Prince William Paid a Sweet Tribute to Mom Diana at Royal Ascot That Not Many Noticed
Prince William's look at Royal Ascot featured a gift given to him by his late mother, Princess Diana, before her tragic passing in 1997.
Prince William attended the Royal Ascot on June 17, looking dapper in a classic black suit and top hat. While his outfit reflected the formal tone of the event, one accessory stood out — an Omega Seamaster Diver 300m watch. The watch holds sentimental value, as it was a gift from his mother, Princess Diana, before her passing in 1997. Though a small gesture, it was William's way of including and remembering his late mother during the royal event.
William attended the Royal Ascot solo, as Kate Middleton pulled out at the last minute to reportedly balance public duty and rest in light of her health struggles last year. According to Women’s Wear Daily, the late Diana gifted her son a midsize quartz Omega Seamaster model. The watch features a blue wave-patterned date dial, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, unidirectional rotating bezel, chronometer, screw-in crown, and a helium-escape valve. William has worn the sentimental piece at several public events since her untimely passing. He famously wore the watch during his royal wedding to Middleton in 2011. He also donned it during his various military trainings for a pre-coronation celebration.
Prince William is wearing his OMEGA Seamaster Diver watch, a cherished gift from his mother, Princess Diana, given to him on his 14th birthday in 1996.
— The British Prince (@freedom_007__) October 16, 2024
He keeps her memory close and she would be so proud that he has continued her Patronage 🥺#PrinceWilliam #LionofWindsor 🦁💙 pic.twitter.com/3CQwjO3Chi
Reportedly, Diana gifted the watch to William when he was in his early teens, studying at Eton College. The Omega Seamaster Professional 300M is also known as the 'James Bond watch' because a similar model was featured in James Bond films. William's brother, Prince Harry, also inherited Diana's famous Cartier Tank Française watch, which he gifted to Meghan Markle. As per Reader's Digest, Diana's will had requested that 75% of her jewelry, called 'chattels' in the U.K., be evenly distributed between her sons, William and Harry, and their future wives.
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The Prince of Wales has also paid tribute to his mother through other fashion choices. According to Hello! magazine, during a 2023 garden party at Buckingham Palace, William wore a buttonhole on his left lapel featuring a small cluster of forget-me-nots — Diana’s favorite flowers, which hold deep significance for both him and Harry. In a separate instance, Middleton also paid a sweet nod to her late mother-in-law by wearing a strikingly similar aqua outfit for Trooping the Color last week, echoing Diana’s look from the same event in 1998.
Fashion director Bethan Hold told People magazine that the Prince of Wales "has always been very conscious of his mother as a style icon." She added, "I think that William and Kate, between them, might have decided that actually on some occasions it's a really nice thing for Kate to reference the fact that Diana is still a fashion muse today and to do that through her own clothes." As for his appearance at the Royal Ascot, William participated in the royal procession, riding in carriage 1 alongside King Charles and Queen Camilla. He was all smiles for the event and was seen having a good time with his mother-in-law, Carole Middleton, and his father, Charles.
