The Princess of Wales Jewels 2: January 2025 -


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Does Kate have to ask Camilla or Charles for permission to wear any of the jewels? Or can Kate wear certain jewels at her ow digression when she needs to? I just had the impressions the Camilla rules on wearing of jewels, that Camilla is stingy on what is worn. Thanks in advance.
Catherine can wear the jewels that are either hers or in her possession without any questions asked.

For jewels from the vault, my guess is that she is lent pieces with the consent of Camilla (or Charles). I don't think Camilla is stingy. In the few gala events in this reign that Catherine has attended, new to her jewellery has included some pretty historic pieces including the Festoon necklace (Coronation pictures, May 2023), the Greville chandelier earrings (Jordan 2023 and Diplomatic Reception 2023) and the Strathmore Rose tiara (S Korea state banquet, 2023). She did not wear new to her jewellery for the 2 gala events in 2022 (South Africa state banquet and the Diplomatic Reception) as they were held in the initial weeks of the new reign, and she probably wanted the focus to be on Queen Camilla. Catherine has also worn the historic Queen Alexandra Prince of Wales feather brooch on at least two occassions.
 
What a beautiful pair of earrings!
More information on the earrings - we believe they were a gift for the birth of Charlotte. They are green tourmalines and pale green amethysts. As noted by a previous poster they were first worn on their tour of India in 2016

The brooch belongs to the regiment and Kate is allowed to wear it to events in connection with the Irish guards or Northern Ireland (she wore it to a garden party at Hillsborough Castle a number of years ago)

 
More information on the earrings - we believe they were a gift for the birth of Charlotte. They are green tourmalines and pale green amethysts. As noted by a previous poster they were first worn on their tour of India in 2016

The brooch belongs to the regiment and Kate is allowed to wear it to events in connection with the Irish guards or Northern Ireland (she wore it to a garden party at Hillsborough Castle a number of years ago)

I was wondering about the ownership of the brooch as it had been worn by the Princess Royal and late queen mother over the years.
 
For jewels from the vault, my guess is that she is lent pieces with the consent of Camilla (or Charles). I don't think Camilla is stingy.
It’s also the case that there are so few senior royal ladies and so many jewels. It seems unlikely that there’s going to be any problem in finding something suitably lovely in any precious stone! I can’t imagine the Princess Royal has any desire to wear anything other than items from her own ( not inconsiderable) collection, plus anything on loan she may have regularly worn . The Duchess of Gloucester is clearly in possession of a significant collection of jewels and has no need to request anything from the vaults. The Duchess of Edinburgh is gradually building up a collection, but is perhaps the only other senior royal that has reason to supplement her own jewels.
Both the Princess of Wales and the Queen seem to enjoy/ have an interest in jewellery. Both have brought back items that haven’t been seen for many years. I imagine there are certain jewels that only the Queen will wear such as the Diamond Diadem or the Delhi Durbar tiara. I imagine it’s a very amicable affair between the two of them and the King would naturally be consulted if it’s a significant piece being worn for the first time. But oh to be a fly on the wall.
 
Does Kate have to ask Camilla or Charles for permission to wear any of the jewels? Or can Kate wear certain jewels at her ow digression when she needs to? I just had the impressions the Camilla rules on wearing of jewels, that Camilla is stingy on what is worn. Thanks in advance.
I believe that anyone who makes a request to borrow from the royal collection would need to consult TM.
As for either the King or Queen being "stingy," I disagree. In my opinion there's been a greater variety of pieces worn by not only the Princess of Wales, but also the Duchess of Edinburgh since King Charles ascension to the throne.
 
That is very true. I think the late QEII worked on the same system as had been historically in place, even if she did let her mother retain 'Queen Only' jewels that were only returned upon her death, But for everyone else . . . nada.

Now Charles on the other hand, has always had a love affair with jewelry and his sister Anne got quite a few delectable pieces, as did Camilla, while he was still POW. As monarch we have seen quite a few significant pieces on Catherine, an historic bracelet, earrings, necklaces.

But there haven't really been occasions when the 'big guns' are out and needed. It seemed like even those more gala type events held in the year after HLM's death that the sparkle was very low key and overly pearly for the first year and just as things were getting interesting, Catherine became ill.

I am looking out for the next formal 'do' to see what she wears since she caught us all off guard with a repaired and slightly reimaged and reframed Strathmore Rose and it looked stunning and unique on her. What other unknown treasures might the royal ladies be tinkering with I wonder?
 
That is very true. I think the late QEII worked on the same system as had been historically in place, even if she did let her mother retain 'Queen Only' jewels that were only returned upon her death, But for everyone else . . . nada.

Now Charles on the other hand, has always had a love affair with jewelry and his sister Anne got quite a few delectable pieces, as did Camilla, while he was still POW. As monarch we have seen quite a few significant pieces on Catherine, an historic bracelet, earrings, necklaces.

But there haven't really been occasions when the 'big guns' are out and needed. It seemed like even those more gala type events held in the year after HLM's death that the sparkle was very low key and overly pearly for the first year and just as things were getting interesting, Catherine became ill.

I am looking out for the next formal 'do' to see what she wears since she caught us all off guard with a repaired and slightly reimaged and reframed Strathmore Rose and it looked stunning and unique on her. What other unknown treasures might the royal ladies be tinkering with I wonder?
You are right in that Catherine was starting to dig in to the vaults when she was struck by cancer. Hope she attacks that vault soon. I am hoping we see the Princess of Wales in emeralds in the not too distant future. Perhaps the larger of the Greville emerald necklaces (last used by QE2 for the 2019 Dip) and the Greville emerald Kokoshnik. I am also hoping to see her use the Queen Mary Fringe tiara as her main all-diamond tiara.
 

New Kiki earrings yesterday on Mull (she now has this style in 3 pairs) - a hole ago I noted that she had not worn much of Kiki for years after it had been a stable for the first decade of her royal life and even before that. Speculation of course they are an anniversary gift from William
 

New Kiki earrings yesterday on Mull (she now has this style in 3 pairs) - a hole ago I noted that she had not worn much of Kiki for years after it had been a stable for the first decade of her royal life and even before that. Speculation of course they are an anniversary gift from William
Those are a lovely pair of earrings and the necklace too is such a personal and sentimental piece too.
 
For the VE Day parade, the Princess wore ruby and diamond jewellery. The pendant had previously been worn for arrival into Warsaw in 2017, but I do not think these earrings have been seen previously.

Catherine also wore a 3-stranded pearl bracelet that used to belong to the late Diana,Princess of Wales.
Kate Middleton sparkles in rubies at VE Day parade - Something About Rocks
 
For the VE Day parade, the Princess wore ruby and diamond jewellery. The pendant had previously been worn for arrival into Warsaw in 2017, but I do not think these earrings have been seen previously.

Earrings are new and match the necklace. I read that the necklace has differences to the one in Poland (I think the attachment is different) maybe it has been altered slightly as the rest looks the same from the limited pictures I have seen


This blogs notes the slight difference between the Poland necklace and the VE Day necklace
 
I sell vintage costume jewelry and have for decades. While I appreciate the sentiment behind the necklace it is a dime-a-dozen piece, very overpriced at £275. You can find similar pieces for $20 and less on eBay. To my eye they look cheap and they detract from the overall look. But, that's just me.
 
She has access to so much wonderful heirloom jewellery including pearls.Why she has gone down the route of costume jewellery for this special event is something I find hard to fathom.
 

QEII BahrianPeal and Diamond earrings yesterday for the QEII Fashion Award - appropriate choice to wear a pair of the late Queen's earrings.
This pair in particular are beautiful - I love the mixture of cuts of diamonds. I recall seeing them displayed at BP in a wedding exhibition in 2007 and they were beautiful in real life
 

QEII BahrianPeal and Diamond earrings yesterday for the QEII Fashion Award - appropriate choice to wear a pair of the late Queen's earrings.
This pair in particular are beautiful - I love the mixture of cuts of diamonds. I recall seeing them displayed at BP in a wedding exhibition in 2007 and they were beautiful in real life
A really lovely pair of pearl and diamond earrings and a perfect choice for the event.
 
She has access to so much wonderful heirloom jewellery including pearls.Why she has gone down the route of costume jewellery for this special event is something I find hard to fathom.
The event is not about her, that is the point.
 
The event is not about her, that is the point.
She didn’t need to wear anything flashy, just some tasteful pearls of which there are many in the family collection. I don’t think the previous Queen would have worn costume jewellery to such an important occasion..
 
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She didn’t need to wear anything flashy, just some tasteful pearls of which there are many in the family collection. I don’t think the previous Queen would have worn costume jewellery to such an important occasion..
I appreciate the Princess has access to a lot of heirloom jewellery, as well as modern jewellery. However, much as I would love her to wear historic jewellery at all times, I have no issue with her wearing paste from time to time, if that is what her preference is.
 

QEII BahrianPeal and Diamond earrings yesterday for the QEII Fashion Award - appropriate choice to wear a pair of the late Queen's earrings.
This pair in particular are beautiful - I love the mixture of cuts of diamonds. I recall seeing them displayed at BP in a wedding exhibition in 2007 and they were beautiful in real life
The Bahrain pearl earrings were a great choice yesterday. A versatile design, these earrings can be worn for "normal" engagements like yesterday, as well as more formal events like the Trooping.
 
For the BP garden party today, the Princess is wearing her wedding earrings. This is a rare outing for the acorn shaped diamond earrings, and I think they have only been a handful of times since the 2011 wedding.

The only times I can think of include:
> once to the Garter when the wore a red coat dress which had first been worn in Canada in 2011,
> once to Easter service at Windsor with a grey coat dress, and
> today!

There may be other times, but I cannot remember them.
 
For the BP garden party today, the Princess is wearing her wedding earrings. This is a rare outing for the acorn shaped diamond earrings, and I think they have only been a handful of times since the 2011 wedding.

The only times I can think of include:
> once to the Garter when the wore a red coat dress which had first been worn in Canada in 2011,
> once to Easter service at Windsor with a grey coat dress, and
> today!

There may be other times, but I cannot remember them.
Here's a little extra reading on those wedding earrings.
A Sentimental Pair of Diamond Earrings for the Princess of Wales at Buckingham Palace
 
They seem to be highly sentimental and the diamond Robinson Pelham earrings were a wedding gift from her parents if my memory serves me correctly?
That is very much what my understanding was. That said, I am not sure why Catherine has nit used these earrings more than she has.
 
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