Kate Middleton honored Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s 70th wedding anniversary last night with a nod to royal tradition.
The duchess arrived at Windsor Castle for Her Majesty’s platinum anniversary fete wearing an ornate four-strand pearl choker with a diamond clasp at its center, on loan from QEII herself.
But here’s what makes it really special. The late Princess Diana borrowed the same piece in 1982 to wear to a state banquet for the Netherlands that she attended alongside her then-husband and Prince William’s father, Prince Charles.
The heirloom was one of the queen’s favorite pieces in the ’80s and was commissioned using a collection of cultured pearls gifted to her by the Japanese government.
Kate brought a modern look to the choker by pairing it with her favorite black Diane von Furstenberg “Zarita” lace dress, which she wore earlier this month for a gala at Kensington Palace. The mom-to-be also added Collingwood pearl-and-diamond earrings that once belonged to her late mother-in-law for another meaningful nod to royals past.
One-of-a-kind jewelry: It’s all in the (royal) family.
