Many families have cherished heirlooms that are passed from one generation to the next – and when it comes to royalty, the treasure trove of priceless gems waiting to be lent or borrowed can seem virtually endless. In fact, some precious pieces seem to disappear for decades, only to suddenly reappear in the public eye. Given the size of the Queen Elizabeth II's spectacular jewelry collection – more than a dozen tiaras plus scores of brooches, necklaces and bracelets – it’s easy for items to vanish into a forgotten corner for years. Recently, however, the monarch has loaned such pieces to royal wives along with some items that she herself still wears. Sharing in that bounty is Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, who has noticeably increased her jewel wattage as of late.Here, we round up some of the occasions that Kate Middleton has stepped out in jewels on loan from Her Majesty.By Patricia TreblePhotos: Getty Images
FOUR STRAND PEARL CHOKER WITH DIAMOND CLASPA real statement piece, this four-strand pearl choker features a central diamond clasp and was commissioned using a collection of cultured pearls given to Queen Elizabeth by the Japanese government. It was worn by the monarch during the 1980s and 1990s, and Harry and William’s mother Princess Diana borrowed the striking necklace to wear at a state banquet in 1982. Royal watchers were quick to spot it as Kate arrived at Windsor Castle for the 70th anniversary celebrations of the Queen and Prince Philip on 20 November 2017. Photos: Getty Images
DIAMOND PENDANT EARRINGSAs far as royal jewelry watchers know, these large diamond earrings—a cluster of diamonds from which is suspended a line of four diamonds that swings within a frame of more diamonds—were first worn in public by the Queen at the State Opening of Parliament in 2012. Their provenance is unknown. Since 2016, Kate has worn the gems on multiple occasions, most recently to a gala at Kensington Palace on Nov. 7 2017.Photos: Getty Images
RUBY AND DIAMOND BANDEAU NECKLACEThis intricate floral necklace was bought from Boucheron in 1907 by Mrs. Ronald Greville, who willed her jewelry to Queen Elizabeth II's mom – Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother – upon her death in 1942. Eventually given to the monarch by her parents as a wedding gift, the long necklace was shortened, yet its size still made it a difficult piece to wear. By the 1980s, it was put away. On July 12, 2017 it reappeared, worn by Duchess Kate at the Spanish state visit banquet.Photos: Getty Images
PRINCE PHILIP'S DIAMOND BRACELETWhen Prince Philip proposed to Elizabeth, he was a Royal Navy officer without much money. So, his mother gave him a tiara that jewelry firm Philip Antrobus Ltd., turned into his fiancée’s wedding ring. The rest of the diamonds were transformed into a wide geometric bracelet made of three symmetrical sections, each with a large diamond in the centre, linked by more diamonds. The Queen has worn the bracelet regularly since then, and, in 2015, loaned it to granddaughter-in-law Kate for a state banquet.Photos: Getty Images
NIZAM OF HYDERABAD NECKLACEThe Nizam of Hyderabad, then one of the richest men in the world, gave Queen Elizabeth II the ultimate wedding gift when she married Prince Philip: anything she wanted at Cartier! The royal opted for diamonds, choosing an ornate floral tiara and matching necklace, which includes a detachable double pendant drop. While the tiara was dismantled – except for three floral brooches built into the tiara – she continued to wear the necklace, especially in official portraits. In 2014, Duchess Kate donned it for the National Portrait Gallery’s annual gala.Photos: Getty Images
BAHRAIN PEARL DROP EARRINGSThe ruler of Bahrain gave then-Princess Elizabeth several large pearls as a wedding present in 1947. Two round pearls were used on the bottom of these dangling earrings that feature trios of round and baguette diamonds suspended from even more round diamonds. Like many of Queen Elizabeth II's jewels, the earrings were put away after the 1950s, only to reappear recently, worn first by Sophie, Countess of Wessex and later by the Queen herself and then Duchess Kate.Photos: Getty Images
LOVER'S KNOT TIARAQueen Mary so loved her grandmother’s tiara – in which pearls swing from diamond arches capped by lover’s knots – that she had a copy created in 1913. She left it to her own granddaughter, Elizabeth II, who wore it frequently in the 1950s, but the piece then vanished until worn by Princess Diana in 1981. Diana wore it often, though she complained it was heavy and noisy when its large pearl drops were swinging. In 2015, it reappeared yet again thanks to Princess Diana's daughter-in-law Kate this time with the velvet band at the bottom of the tiara frame matched to the Duchess' brunette locks.Photos: Getty Images
SMALL DIAMOND AND PEARL EARRINGSQueen Elizabeth II has several pairs of discreet diamond-and-pearl earrings that she wears in the daytime. However, for the Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977, she donned earrings with a distinctly larger drop pearl. After that, they seemed to drop off the royal jewelry radar! Then, in 2012, Anna Nowok, an eagle-eyed royal watcher who tracks Sophie Wessex's fashion, noticed Sophie had worn them to a royal wedding in Luxembourg, then at more public events. In 2016, Kate borrowed them for two trips abroad, first in Canada, right, then in the Netherlands.Photos: Getty Images
MAPLE LEAF BROOCHBought by Queen Elizabeth II's father King George VI for his wife Elizabeth at the start of their historic Canadian tour in 1939, this diamond Cartier brooch in the natural shape of a maple leaf became a firm favourite of the royal during World War II. Their daughter wore the piece for her first visit to Canada in 1951, starting a tradition that still continues. In addition to wearing it at Canada-related events, Queen Elizabeth II loaned it to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall in 2009 and then again to Kate, who wore it on Canada Day in 2011 and again in British Columbia in 2016.Photos: Getty Images
NEW ZEALAND FERN BROOCHThe iconic silver fern of New Zealand was transformed into a platinum-and-diamond brooch and given to Queen Elizabeth II by the women of Auckland during her first visit to New Zealand in 1953. Frequently worn by the Queen on Kiwi-related events, including a rugby event in London in 2008, as well as in official portraits, it was pinned to Kate’s coatdress when she arrived in New Zealand’s capital, Wellington, in 2014.Photo: Getty Images