The Princess of Wales graced the balcony of the Foreign Office with her signature poise, overlooking the Cenotaph during the annual Remembrance Sunday service.
To honour fallen soldiers, Princess Kate donned the Bahrain Pearl Drop earrings, a cherished gift from Queen Elizabeth II. These earrings have become a symbolic heirloom for Kate; ever since she first debuted them during the Remembrance Sunday service in November 2016.
"The dazzling earrings each contain one large round diamond paired with four smaller ones, three baguette diamonds, and a Bahrain pearl dangling from the base," shares The Court Jeweller. Since then, Kate has chosen these elegant earrings on four different Remembrance Sundays, adding a touch of history and homage to each appearance.
Kate also wore these earrings with the Japanese Pearl Choker Necklace from Queen Elizabeth’s collection for Prince Philip's funeral on April 17 at Windsor. This thoughtful combination of jewels echoed a look worn by Princess Diana in 1982, a testament to the continuity of the royal family’s shared jewellery traditions.
Pearls have held a special place in royal mourning attire for over a century. The tradition began with Queen Victoria, who, after the death of her beloved Prince Albert in 1861, wore only black and colourless jewellery, particularly pearls, believed to represent tears.
"The pearls were thought to represent tears, and she wore strands of them for the rest of her life," explains Grace Lindsay, Fashion & Ecommerce Writer for Hello!, "This tradition has been continued for many years, with pearls continually being worn by royal ladies when attending funerals. The late Queen Elizabeth herself wore pearls to Princess Diana, Princess Margaret and King George VI's funerals over the years."
But these earrings aren’t reserved exclusively for sombre events. Kate has showcased their versatility, donning them on the first day of Royal Ascot in 2017, where she paired them with a white lace dress and coordinating hat.
The History of the Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings:
The story of the Bahrain Pearl Drop earrings begins with a royal wedding gift. When Princess Elizabeth married Lt. Philip Mountbatten in November 1947, she received an array of precious jewels, including a set of seven pearls presented in a shell from the Hakim of Bahrain. Shortly after the wedding, two of these pearls were crafted into a pair of timeless earrings, combining diamond studs with round and baguette-cut diamonds in an elegant 1940s design.
In the early days of her marriage, the future Queen Elizabeth wore these earrings frequently for gala events and portraits. One iconic image from the 1950s (above) shows her wearing the Bahrain earrings alongside the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara and the City of London Fringe Necklace.
“As the years went on and the Queen’s jewellery box expanded considerably, the earrings were seen in public less frequently,” says The Court Jeweller. However, “In 1982, the Queen loaned them to the Princess of Wales.” Princess Diana wore them at Hampton Court Palace with other significant royal jewels during a state visit. She chose to pair them with Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara and the Japanese Pearl Choker Necklace.
In recent years, Queen Elizabeth revisited these earrings for occasions like the Festival of Remembrance in 2015, giving them a rare but cherished appearance. Now in the hands of Princess Kate, the Bahrain Pearl Drop earrings carry forward a legacy of remembrance, elegance, and timeless royal heritage.