The Princess of Wales may be a fashion icon and future Queen Consort, but at the end of the day, she's also a mom who's passionate about early childhood research and advocacy. That's why she created The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in 2021, which focuses on research and support during children's first five years of life. Yesterday, Her Royal Highness oversaw the launch of Foundations for Life, a guide developed by the organization as a resource for caretakers and those working with families. During her visit to the University of East London, Princess Catherine used her signature parenting move—and I was so distracted by her cute interactions with the children that I nearly missed her symbolic necklace.
I Was So Distracted by Kate Middleton's Signature Parenting Move That I Nearly Missed Her Meaningful Necklace
Best mom award
Published May 7, 2026
•3:46pm
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The Princess wrote in an Instagram post, "Truly wonderful to see conversations with families, researchers and education leaders reflect a shared commitment to embedding the guidance across teaching, training and practice." Photos from the visit showed her getting down to the children's eye level, a move she uses often and which helps establish a sense of trust and level playing field between kids and adults. She also observed playtime, chatted with parents and spoke with researchers and education leaders.
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Her outfit was a pantsuit in muted beige with a white blouse, which, upon first glance, wasn't anything outside the ordinary of the Princess's signature, polished style. But on second look, I noticed that the mom of three was wearing a heartfelt charm necklace with her children's initials.
The design is Daniella Draper's gold fixed necklace (from $310; similar here, $228 ), available in 9 carat gold, silver or a gold/silver mix. The customizable necklace is available in a standard 15-inch length, with longer chains an option at additional cost. You can personalize it with any letter(s) of the alphabet, numbers and select shapes ranging from a heart and star to an ampersand, cross and anchor.
As always, the Princess of Wales has proven her mastery of meaning when dressing for official functions. And there's no better way to kick off such a meaningful event than with a sentimental piece that nods to the three people I'm sure were the inspiration for her work.
