Business owners are increasingly frustrated with Sir Keir’s Government

One of the Princess of Wales’s favourite jewellers has made her feelings clear about Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Government.

Kiki McDonough is a renowned jeweller known for producing vibrant, colourful gemstones.

 

Founded in 1985, her brand is a favourite of Catherine, Princess of Wales, and is celebrated for creating timeless, feminine pieces.

Now, Ms McDonough, 71, has hit out at the Prime Minister as a disgruntled business owner.

She told the Mail: “He is absolutely hopeless. I’ve been watching politics since the late 1970s, and I honestly and truly don’t think I’ve come across such a hopeless Government.”

The designer, whose shop is based in Symons Street off Chelsea’s Sloane Square, added: “I find it really scary. There’s no stability, no direction, there’s no security.

“The 14 U-turns in two years? I mean, if you run a business, it is just catastrophic.”

Business owners are increasingly frustrated with Sir Keir’s Government due to a combination of rising tax burdens, specifically hikes in capital gains tax (CGT) and National Insurance, increased regulatory pressures, and soaring business rates, which many claim are throttling growth.

Princess of Wales and Keir Starmer

Princess of Wales jeweller hits out at Keir Starmer: ‘He is absolutely hopeless’

 | GETTY / KIKI MCDONOUGH

These factors are seen as increasing the cost of hiring and threatening the survival of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Entrepreneurs face a rise in the CGT rate from 20 per cent to 24 per cent, and another rate to 18 per cent, causing concern over the viability of starting or maintaining businesses.

The Princess of Wales has worn Ms McDonough’s jewellery on hundreds of occasions since joining the Royal Family in 2011.

She is considered one of the designer’s most loyal clients, with a collection that includes at least 21 unique pieces, the most she owns from any single jeweller.

Princess of Wales

The Princess of Wales wearing a pair of Kiki McDonough earrings at a Buckingham Palace garden party

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Overall, this includes approximately 18 to 20 pairs of earrings, ranging from simple gold hoops to elaborate gemstone drops, and at least three distinct necklaces.

Specific examples include the Citrine Pear Drop Earrings, which are Catherine’s most-worn Kiki McDonough pieces, appearing at more than 40 official engagements. She has owned them since at least 2009.

In addition, Catherine has worn the Grace White Topaz and Diamond Studs to at least 30 public appearances. After a long hiatus, she brought them back in September 2025.

Princess of Wales

The Princess of Wales has worn Ms McDonough’s jewellery on hundreds of occasions

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A staple for her more casual or workwear-focused looks, the Classic Hoops in Yellow Gold have been seen at numerous events throughout 2022 and beyond.

Debuted in 2017, the 44-year-old has worn the Blue Topaz and Diamond Drop Earrings at least eight times, including at major events like Royal Ascot.

Finally, the Green Amethyst ‘Classic’ Pear Drops have been spotted on at least five public outings, including when the mother-of-three confirmed her cancer diagnosis in a March 2024 video.