lady sarah chatto harrymeghan wedding© Photo: Getty Images

The sentimental reason why Lady Sarah Chatto wears the same earrings to all royal events

The royal is the only niece of the Queen

Deputy Online Editor
May 24, 2018

She is the daughter of the late Princess Margaret, and to keep her memory alive, Lady Sarah Chatto always pays tribute to her mother at almost every major royal event in a very touching way. The 54-year-old is often seen wearing the late royal's statement pearl earrings, which feature several tiny diamonds and two large pearls. Sarah, who famously wore the jewels on wedding day to Daniel Chatto in 1994, inherited the special pieces following her mother's death. The late royal's jewellery is believed to have originally belonged to society maven Mrs Ronald Greville.

lady sarah chatto on her wedding day© Photo: Getty Images

Lady Sarah Chatto on her wedding day in 1994

Sarah has since been seen sporting the dazzling earrings at various occasions, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding on Saturday, as well at a service of thanksgiving in honour of her late father, Lord Snowdon in April last year. She was also pictured wearing the earrings at Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall nuptials and Prince William and Kate's royal wedding, both in 2011.

Everything you need to know about Lady Sarah Chatto

© Photo: PA

Princess Margaret seen wearing the pearl earrings

It seems Sarah decided to keep the pearl earrings after selling a large number of pieces of jewellery that Margaret inherited from Queen Mary. Mum-of-two Sarah and her brother David Armstrong-Jones used the money to pay off the taxes on their mother's estate following her death in 2002. Items they sold included the Lady Mount Stephen Necklace, the tiara which Margaret wore on her wedding day and a diamond brooch that belonged to the late Queen Mother.

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© Photo: Getty Images

Lady Sarah wore the earrings at Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding

Sarah is 21st in line to the throne and the Queen's only niece. However she prefers to maintain a life out of the royal spotlight with her husband Daniel Chatto and their two sons, Samuel and Arthur. Nonetheless, Sarah maintains a close relationship with the senior royals, including her aunt, the Queen. The respect and affection she has for the monarch was clear to see in the BBC documentary in honour of Her Majesty's 90th birthday in 2016, and it appears the feeling is mutual. The Queen is said to "adore" Sarah, and will only permit her niece to accompany her to her favourite hideaway, Craigowan Lodge in Aberdeenshire. The pair have been particularly close since the death of Princess Margaret in 2002, with whom the Queen shared an incredibly strong bond.

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