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Carole Middleton spotted carrying Princess Diana handbag in poignant move

The Princess of Wales' mum channeled the late royal with her style


Carole Middleton smiling and wearing sunglasses
Fiona Ward
Acting Fashion and Beauty Editor
On 8 June 2023
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Carole Middleton seemingly channeled the classic style of the late Princess Diana during a recent rare appearance, when she joined her family at the Jordanian royal wedding.

Carole surprised the public alongside her daughter the Princess of Wales and son-in-law Prince William – as well as daughter Pippa Matthews and son James Middleton – at the royal nuptials of Crown Prince Hussein and Rajwa Al Saif.

And while it was hard to make out too many details about her formal look at the special wedding, royal fashion fans have spotted that she was carrying a cobalt blue Anya Hindmarch 'Maud' clutch with her matching dress – which carries special significance since it was the go-to evening accessory of the late Princess of Wales, Princess Diana.

Carole and Pippa matched in blue dresses© The National News
Carole and Pippa matched in blue dresses

It may well be that the bag was borrowed from Princess Kate, since she has also been known to wear the Anya Hindmarch clutch in the past – though Catherine's version (seen in public at least) is black.

British designer Anya Hindmarch has spoken fondly of her former client Princess Diana in the past, who would often shop at her store in London. 

Anya Hindmarch cobalt blue clutch bag
Carole Middleton carried the Anya Hindmarch 'Maud' clutch in cobalt blue

She previously told The Telegraph: "She was a very loyal customer and a lot of fun. She would come and see us with no bodyguards or any fuss."

The fun-loving Princess even came to call her twist-clasp handbags her "cleavage clutches", since she used them to protect her modesty when she arrived at engagements.

Princess Diana carrying an Anya Hindmarch clutch bag close to her chest© Getty Images
Princess Diana loved her Anya Hindmarch clutch bags

Anya added: "We used to laugh when we designed what she called her 'cleavage bags,' little satin clutches which she would cover her cleavage with when she stepped out of cars.”

Today, the bag is known as the 'Maud' clutch, costing £475, and it's available to be customised with the owner's initials if they so wish. Whether Carole's clutch features her 'CM' moniker, we may never know.

The Prince and Princess of Wales arriving at a state banquet, with Kate wearing a tiara© Royal Hashemite Court
The Princess of Wales looked stunning wearing the Lover's Knot tiara

Princess Kate paid her own tribute to Princess Diana at Jordan's royal wedding by wearing her go-to diamond and pearl headpiece, Queen Mary's Lover's Knot tiara, to the formal evening banquet hosted by Queen Rania and King Abdullah.

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Princess Diana wore it on a number of occasions after it was loaned to her as a wedding gift by the late Queen Elizabeth, though it wasn't seen for years after Diana's death until Kate sported it once again in 2016.

princess diana lovers knot tiara© Photo: Getty Images
Princess Diana wearing the Lover's Knot tiara

Fittingly, it is now Kate's own go-to tiara for special royal occasions. She paired it with a beautiful soft wave hairstyle and sequin Jenny Packham gown for its most recent outing, though she has styled it in a number of other ways in the past.

See more of Kate's show-stopping tiara moments below!

Stunning pictures of Princess Kate in the Lover's Knot Tiara

The Princess of Wales wearing the Lover's Knot tiara at a state banquet in 2022
The Princess of Wales wore the tiara with a bejewelled white gown at a state banquet in 2022
kate middleton wearing tiara© Getty Images
At another state banquet, she teamed the headpiece with a black Alexander McQueen gown for maximum glamour!
kate middleton wearing a tiara© Photo: Getty Images
Kate often wears her tiara with a chic updo
kate middleton tiara main© Photo: PA
In December 2018, Kate wore the Lover's Knot tiara to the late Queen's annual Diplomatic Corps reception, teamed with a custom-made baby Jenny Packham gown with jewelled embellishments.
kate tiara
Princess Kate also wore the Lover's Knot tiara in October 2018, when she attended a lavish state banquet at Buckingham Palace to honour King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima during their visit to the UK.

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