Kate Middleton’s VE Day Jewelry Held Poignant Meaning

Kate Middleton, like many other royal women past and present, puts ample thought into what she wears to various royal engagements. Yesterday, the Princess of Wales paid sartorial homage to another Princess of Wales—her late mother, Princess Diana—with a dotted Alessandra Rich re-wear worn to a Service of Thanksgiving for the 80th anniversary of VE Day, which ended World War II on the European front in 1945. Later in the day, she made a surprise second appearance, this time in a Self-Portrait re-wear with extremely meaningful jewelry.

On May 8, Kate and husband Prince William joined King Charles, Queen Camilla, and other members of the royal family at a concert that commemorated the milestone anniversary—likely the last that most veterans will be able to attend. The concert included music from the 1940s and stories from veterans and members of the Greatest Generation—unparalleled in their sacrifice and service.

For the occasion, Kate wore the same five-strand pearl necklace from Susan Caplan that she wore to Holocaust Memorial Day earlier this year. When the future queen wore the piece back in January, Caplan posted on Instagram, writing that “Today marks 80 years since the Holocaust, and as a Jewish-owned brand we are honored that the Princess of Wales chose to wear our necklace for today’s memorial to commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day.” Kate’s decision to wear the same accessory to VE Day commemorations was a similar show of support.

Beyond that, pearls represent a traditional symbol of remembrance and mourning, which is also appropriate for an event honoring not just the veterans still here but the brave souls who lost their lives in the conflict. In addition to the five-strand pearl necklace, Kate doubled down on Susan Caplan pearls, adding a vintage pair of the brand’s pearl cluster earrings to the look—specifically in the brand’s 1980s Vintage Renaissance Revival design, according to the fashion site What Kate Wore.

The Self-Portrait blazer dress Kate chose might look familiar to Kate fashion aficionados, as she has worn it twice before—to a 2021 reception at Buckingham Palace and then, in 2022, to the Platinum Party at the Palace concert celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s historic 70 years on the throne. In perhaps a nod to daughter Princess Charlotte—who sources say is Kate’s “mini-me”—Kate added a black velvet bow to her hair, cementing the trend for the summer.

As for why William and Kate’s kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis didn’t join their parents for Thursday’s concert, it can likely be inferred that it was because it was a school night.

On May 9, Kate received an honor in the form of a rose being named in her honor—Catherine’s Rose, which The Telegraph described as “a richly scented flower with abundant coral pink petals.” For every plant sold, a portion of the proceeds will go to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity to help improve patient care. Kate is a patron of The Royal Marsden, and it’s also where she underwent chemotherapy last year.