Regally Recycled: See Kate Middleton, Princess Diana, Meghan Markle and More Try on Queen Elizabeth II's Jewels (2024)

Lotus Flower Tiara

A royal family favorite going back to the Queen Mother!

Then the duch*ess of York, the elder Elizabeth (far left) first received this diadem as a wedding gift in 1923, though it was originally styled as a necklace and she found over time that she favored wearing it low on her forehead.

Sometimes called the Papyrus Leaf Tiara, the piece was then handed down to Princess Margaret (second from left), who loaned the tiara to son David Armstrong-Jones' bride-to-be Serena Stanhope (center right) for their wedding day in 1993.

Kate Middleton (far right) wore the sparkler to a Chinese state dinner in 2015. And two years before that, she surprised royal watchers by breaking out the luxe accessory for its first appearance in 20 years.

Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara

The stunning tiara, worn by both Princess Diana and Kate Middleton, was originally commissioned from famous court jeweler Garrard by Queen Mary sometime in 1913 or 1914. When Queen Mary died in 1953, she left the tiara to her granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth, who wore it with style during many formal appearances throughout the 1950s.

Queen Mary's Diamond Bandeau Tiara

Meghan Markle followed in Princess Kate's footsteps by wearing a tiara straight from Queen Elizabeth's jewelry vault. The bandeau was a present to the then Princess Mary in 1893 by the County of Lincoln on her marriage to Prince George, Duke of York, who would become King George V. The bandeau and the brooch were passed down by Queen Mary to Queen Elizabeth in 1953. Queen Elizabeth's sister, Princess Margaret, famously wore the piece to events.

Dubai Looped Sapphire Demi-Parure Earrings

Kate Middleton borrowed a pair of sapphire and diamond earrings from Queen Elizabeth for a drive-in screening of Disney's Cruella at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland in May 2021. Queen Elizabeth previously wore the earrings with a coordinating necklace.

Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara

Queen Elizabeth let her granddaughter, Princess Eugenie, don this stunning diamond and emerald headpiece for her 2018 wedding day. Dame Margaret Greville left the tiara to the Queen Mother when she died in 1942. When the Queen Mother passed away in 2002, the tiara was passed down to Queen Elizabeth.

Maple Leaf Brooch

The Maple Leaf brooch is another piece worn by multiple royal women over the years, including Princess Kate, Queen Camilla (then duch*ess of Cornwall), Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother — often (appropriately!) during their visits to the Commonwealth country of Canada.

King Khalid Diamond Necklace

Given to Queen Elizabeth as a gift from a Saudi King in 1979 and designed by Harry Winston, Princess Diana wore the necklace on several occasions throughout the 1980s, including while she was pregnant with Prince William.

Queen Alexandra's Wedding Necklace

The necklace was a gift from Queen Victoria's son to his wife, Princess Alexandra of Denmark, to celebrate their 1863 wedding. The necklace was part of a set which included a tiara, brooch and earrings. The stunning piece was passed down to the Queen Mother, who wore it often until her 2002 death. It was later lent to Princess Kate from Queen Elizabeth.

Queen Mary's Diamond Fringe Tiara

Princess Beatrice wore a very special tiara for her wedding day in July 2020 — the same dazzling headpiece worn by her grandmother when she married Prince Philip in 1947.

Teardrop Diamond Earrings

Queen Elizabeth first wore these sparkling diamond earrings at the State Opening of Parliament in 2012, but Princess Kate has worn them on several occasions since, including in December 2020 to wrap her train tour of the U.K. with Prince William.

Five Aquamarine Tiara

Worn by Queen Elizabeth during a tour of Canada in 1970, the aquamarine tiara stayed in the royal vault until the monarch's daughter-in-law Sophie, Countess of Wessex wore it to the pre-wedding dinner of the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg in 2012. The piece was also worn by Sophie at the 2013 wedding of Princess Madeleine of Sweden and a state banquet in 2014, leading many to assume it was on permanent loan to Queen Elizabeth's daughter-in-law.

Four-Row Pearl Choker

The four-strand pearl necklace was made for Queen Elizabeth, who allowed both Princess Diana and Kate Middleton to borrow it. Princess Kate wore the piece at Prince Philip's funeral in April 2021.

Cartier Halo Tiara

Princess Kate's wedding headpiece has been worn by many royal women, including Princess Anne and the Queen Mother. However, Queen Elizabeth never wore the Cartier Halo tiara publicly.

Pearl and Triple Leaf Brooch

Little is known about the stunning brooch, which reemerged when Princess Kate sported it during a 2017 trip to Belgium. Queen Elizabeth previously wore the accessory during her visit to South Korea in 1999.

Queen Mary's Diamond Choker Bracelet

Queen Mary was first to own this accessory, which was featured on the Queen Mother's wrist for her 75th birthday portrait. Kate Middleton has worn the bracelet, originally designed as a choker, multiple times in recent years — and happened to clasp it for the same 2015 state dinner with China where for which she brought out the royally beloved Lotus Flower Tiara.