The Princess of Wales reached into the royal jewelry vault for pieces with ties to two generations of royal women
Credit: Dave Benett/WireImage
NEED TO KNOW
- Kate Middleton and Prince William stepped out for a glamorous date night at the world premiere of Digger in London on Sept. 22
- The Princess of Wales wore the Queen Mother’s rarely seen Amethyst Sautoir Necklace, which dates back more than a century
- Kate paired the historic necklace with pearl drop earrings that previously belonged to Princess Diana
Kate Middleton brought some serious royal history to the red carpet.
The Princess of Wales, 44, stepped out for a glam date night with Prince William 44, on Tuesday, Sept. 22. The couple attended the world premiere of Tom Cruise’s new film, Digger, at the ODEON Luxe Leicester Square in London. They had a red carpet reunion with Cruise, 64, who previously invited the royals to the London premiere of Top Gun: Maverick in 2022.
Kate made a striking entrance in a rich plum Jenny Packham gown featuring a plunging neckline, ruched detailing at the waist and a sweeping skirt. But it was her jewelry that brought an extra dose of royal significance to the look.
The Princess of Wales reached into the royal vault for the Queen Mother’s Amethyst Sautoir Necklace, a rarely seen piece featuring pearls, diamonds and amethysts. The necklace was originally given by Queen Alexandra to Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the future Queen Mother, as a wedding gift in 1923.
Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage
While it doesn’t often leave the vault, the last time it did was also for a Hollywood event: Queen Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall, wore the piece to the premiere of Skyfall in 2012.
Kate paired the century-old necklace with another piece carrying a personal royal connection: pearl drop earrings that previously belonged to William’s late mother, Princess Diana.
The couple were all smiles as they reunited with Cruise, 64, who previously welcomed them to the London premiere of Top Gun: Maverick in 2022, and chatted with members of the Digger cast and creative team, including Jesse Plemons, John Goodman and Emma D’Arcy.
The glamorous outing came on a significant day for Diana’s legacy. Her younger brother and William’s uncle, Charles Spencer, released his new memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, on Sept. 22, bringing renewed attention to Diana’s life and her complicated relationships within the royal family.
In the book, Spencer reflects on his sister’s life and death, their childhood and family relationships, as well as tensions surrounding the aftermath of Diana’s death in 1997. Some of his claims involving King Charles have prompted a rare response from Buckingham Palace.
Credit: Penguin
Both William and Prince Harry — who recently returned to the U.K. amid a years-long feud with his royal family— dodged questions about the book during public events on Tuesday. As he stepped out for an apperance at the Acton Cinema prior to the Digger premiere, photographers asked William, “Sir, have you read your uncle’s book?”
The Prince of Wales ignored the question and kept walking.
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William and Harry were made aware of the book after it was finished, but before its publication, Spencer shared with PEOPLE in this week’s exclusive cover story. He explained that he told his nephews at “exactly” the same time, along with his older sisters, Lady Sarah, 71, and Lady Jane, 69.
“All I would say is one was…” he says, trailing off. “So all four of them [William and Harry and Sarah and Jane], I told them exactly the same time. And I can say that Harry is completely fine about it.”
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