Janice R. Andrews
Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, recently paid tribute to Princess Diana through her fashion choices at two consecutive remembrance events in November 2023. During the Festival of Remembrance at Royal Albert Hall on November 9, she wore Princess Diana’s Collingwood pearl earrings, which Diana had received before her marriage to Prince Charles and famously wore during her 1981 Canadian honeymoon. Kate also wore Diana’s iconic sapphire and diamond engagement ring.
The following day at Remembrance Sunday at The Cenotaph, Kate continued honoring Diana by wearing a black coat dress by Catherine Walker & Co., a fashion house deeply connected to Diana’s public life. She complemented this with Queen Elizabeth II’s diamond and pearl drop earrings and the Queen’s Dragoon Guards brooch.
Catherine Walker was instrumental in shaping Diana’s royal image, creating many of her memorable looks, including the famous “Elvis dress.” The designer’s relationship with Diana was so close that Walker was chosen to create Diana’s final dress after her passing in 1997.
Kate’s approach to honoring Diana through fashion has been deliberate yet subtle. According to fashion expert Bethan Holt from The Daily Telegraph, Kate successfully integrates elements of Diana’s style while maintaining her own identity. These fashion choices are seen as thoughtful tributes that keep Diana’s memory alive while connecting past and present royal traditions.
These recent appearances demonstrate Kate’s commitment to preserving Diana’s legacy while establishing herself as a modern royal who respects tradition while embracing the future.
