Princess Kate surprises in colour she rarely wears – and late Queen Elizabeth’s jewels

The Prince and Princess of Wales viewed recommendations for the Queen Elizabeth Memorial on what would have been the late monarch’s 100th birthday

Buckingham Palace to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth.

Kate, 44, arrived in style, dressed in a beautiful A-line dress with three-quarter-length sleeves, a crew neckline and a floaty skirt. It came in a colour that the princess often swerves, with Kate last having worn purple to Wimbledon in 2024, though her Safiyaa London dress came in a darker hue.

The Princess of Wales during a reception at Buckingham Palace, London, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's birth© Alamy Stock Photo
The Princess of Wales during a reception at Buckingham Palace, London, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth

Fitting for the occasion, the princess also seemed to wear a string of pearls belonging to the late Queen herself and the late monarch’s Bahrain Pearl Earrings.

Kate in lilac talking to two ladies© Getty Images
Kate’s lilac dress gathered at the front

As ever, her brunette locks were preened to perfection. The royal opted for tight waves that cascaded over her shoulders, and her makeup look featured a subtly smoky eye and a natural lip colour.

Kate’s subtle tributes to Queen Elizabeth

The princess, who first met Queen Elizabeth in May 2008 at the wedding of Prince William’s cousin, Peter Phillips, to Autumn Phillips, was known to share a close relationship with her husband’s grandmother. Since her passing in 2022, Kate has continued to pay tribute to the late monarch by wearing some of her finest jewels. Keep scrolling to see the best pictures…

Catherine, Princess of Wales attends the traditional Easter Sunday Mattins Service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on April 5, 2026 in Windsor, England.© Getty Images

Bahrain Pearl Earrings

Most recently, Kate wore the Queen’s Bahrain Pearl Earrings on Easter Sunday, and they complemented her Self-Portrait ensemble beautifully. The earrings date back to 1947 when Queen Elizabeth received them as a wedding gift from the Hakim of Bahrain, and they were previously loaned to Princess Diana in 1982.

The Princess of Wales, speaks to guests in black dress© POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Triple String of Pearls

Kate doesn’t always opt for pearls, but whose pearls would be best for a princess to borrow than the late Queen’s? Attending a lunch held for governors-general of the Commonwealth nations at Buckingham Palace in 2022, the mother-of-three paid tribute to her husband’s late grandmother at the event, which was held before her late Majesty’s funeral.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge during the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021 in Windsor© WPA Pool/Getty Images

Pearl and Diamond Choker

The Queen wore her Pearl and Diamond Choker at the 1983 state dinner in Bangladesh, and Kate borrowed it for a more sombre occasion, paying a meaningful tribute to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s love story at the late Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral in 2021.

Catherine sitting in grey coat dress and hat© UK Press via Getty Images

Diamond and Pearl Brooch

In 2017, Kate travelled overseas with the late Queen’s jewellery. She made an appearance at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Tyne Cot Cemetery in Ypres, Belgium, pinning the late monarch’s Diamond and Pearl Brooch to her Catherine Walker coat dress.