Princess Kate’s Latest Outing Included a Secret Nod to Queen Elizabeth Not Many Noticed
Though Kate Middleton's Gucci pink gown turned heads, a hidden tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth was tucked in her jewelry.
After three years away, Prince William and Kate Middleton finally reclaimed the BAFTA red carpet on February 22. The Prince went for a sharp burgundy suit, but it was the Princess of Wales who really set the tone. She leaned into a soft, romantic Gucci gown in a shade of pink that perfectly caught the light and matched her hair. But the real story wasn't the dress. Tucked away under her brunette waves were the Greville Chandelier earrings. It was a quiet, sparkling tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth, proving that even at a high-glamour event, the late monarch's legacy is never far from Middleton's mind.
Set in platinum with multiple diamonds, the heirloom was originally owned by society hostess Dame Margaret Greville till her death. After which, the Queen Mother, who had inherited it, gifted them as a wedding gift to the then-Princess Elizabeth ahead of her marriage to Prince Philip. While the Queen was most fond of her elegant tiaras, she was also a fan of the earrings, wearing them to the Royal Variety Performance in 1952. She also chose the piece for a portrait sitting in the Green Drawing Room in 1953 and for a state banquet three decades later.
Royal commentator Amanda Matta, with knowledge of the jewelry, told Only Natural Diamonds that although the late Queen was handed down the earrings, she wasn't able to wear them for a while because she didn't have pierced ears. Hence, they were kept in her jewelry box until she had her ears pierced in 1951. She explained about the Greville royal jewelry collection, "They're so interesting because they're part of a collection that we don't really know the scope of, which is so tantalizing, especially for royal jewelry. Since that was a private bequest, there could be so much more in that collection that we've never gotten to see."
As lucky as she is, the Princess of Wales has inherited several such pieces from both the late monarch and Princess Diana. Among those is the Nizam of Hyderabad necklace, which belonged to the Queen, valued at approximately $84 - $88 million. On Remembrance Sunday in 2023, she wore the monarch's Diamond and Pearl Leaf brooch. That same year, during King Charles's historic coronation, she wore another inherited George VI Festoon Necklace. She also received a rare royal honor on her wedding day in 2011, when she became the first bride to wear the Queen's Cartier Halo Tiara.
In that context, the BAFTAs were not the first time Middleton had worn the Queen's Greville Chandelier earrings. She previously chose them for a pitstop at the Royal Variety Performance in November 2025, as well as for a state banquet hosted for French President Emmanuel Macron that same year. And before that? She wore them to the 2023 Diplomatic Reception and to the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and Princess Rajwa Al Saif.
