Kate Middleton channeled Princess Diana into a black dress with a white ruffled neckline when she brought Prince George to the Royal British Legion Remembrance Festival at the Royal Albert Hall for the first time.
In her first public appearance in three weeks, the Princess of Wales looked elegant in a black Alessandra Rich dress, which she paired with her favorite Scottish silver brooch and a poppy pin. Instead of arriving on the arm of her husband, Prince William, Kate Middleton arrived with her son, Prince George, 12, who looked smart in a suit and tie and shook hands sincerely as he arrived at the ceremony venue in central London.
In a dramatic shift from her traditional all-black ensembles, the Princess of Wales chose a dark black dress with a contrasting prairie neckline. The outfit was reminiscent of the outfit Princess Diana wore to the 25th London Film Festival, although many of the late royal’s looks featured the signature large collar.
Middleton added sparkle with her Bahrain pearl drop earrings, which previously belonged to Queen Elizabeth II. The Princess of Wales has worn the jewelery on a number of previous occasions, and it has a fascinating history. The then Princess Elizabeth created a stash of seven pearls, which she received as a wedding gift in 1947 from the ruler of Bahrain. The earrings consist of circular diamond studs, dangling with round diamonds and Art Deco baguette-cut diamonds, as well as two Bahrain pearls.
In the early years of her marriage, the Queen often wore these earrings for ceremonial occasions and official photographs, including one taken in the 1950s – when she combined them with other wedding gifts, including the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara and the City of London Necklace. In 1982, the Queen loaned the earrings to Princess Diana, who she seemed to love just as much, often pairing them with Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara, which was another favourite.
This was Prince George’s first appearance at a commemorative event and an important moment in his preparation as king-in-waiting.
