As we get closer to Queen Elizabeth II‘s burial day, the rest of the royals are still in a state of grieving. The funeral procession has now reached the lying-in-state phase at Westminster Hall, where the queen’s body will rest until her burial on Monday. In the meantime, the royal family has stood vigilant over the proceedings, never missing an opportunity to show their respect for their departed matriarch.
Kate Middleton Honors The Queen With Jewelry Choice
On Tuesday evening, Prince William and Princess Kate were seen driving to Buckingham Palace to receive Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin. In a touching tribute, it looks like Kate chose to wear the queen’s favorite piece of jewelry (aside from a jeweled brooch, of course): a gorgeous string of pearls.
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While the princess adores pearl earrings, her choice of necklaces is usually understated. So, when she decided to wear a pearl necklace this week with her sleek black funeral ensemble, the message was clear: This is a tribute to Queen Elizabeth.
Over the years, the queen was seldom caught without her signature pearls. Along with her endless hat closet and gorgeous brooch collection, a set of pearls was also an essential part of the queen’s instantly recognizable look.
We’re sure it would have warmed Her Majesty’s heart to see her granddaughter-in-law paying tribute to her with the fashion choice. Interestingly, one of the only instances we can find of Middleton wearing a full string of pearls was at another recent funeral. For Prince Philip’s funeral last year, Middleton wore a famous pearl choker owned by Queen Elizabeth and once worn by Princess Diana.
Meghan Markle Also Got The Memo
While Kate Middleton managed to up the ante of the jewelry tributes with a full string, she wasn’t the only one that reached for pearls with the queen in mind. At the Westminster Hall service on Wednesday, Meghan Markle also decided to honor the departed queen with pearls.
Markle chose to wear a pair of pearl and diamond earrings that are said to have been gifted to her by Queen Elizabeth herself. Markle wore the same earrings on her only solo outing with the queen in 2018. The Duchess of Sussex’s tribute is a heartwarming reminder of just how dearly Her Majesty is already missed.
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For the same service on Wednesday, Princess Kate wore pearl drop earrings once belonging to Princess Diana and one of the queen’s eye-grabbing leaf brooches. It’s a small reminder that as she’s mourning Her Majesty with the rest of us, she’s also doing her part to honor the former Princess of Wales, whose shoes she now fills.