Kate's subtle tribute to Princess Diana by wearing Coronation earrings 'wrong way round'

11 May 2023, 12:04 | Updated: 11 May 2023, 16:17

Kate Middleton paid a poignant but subtle tribute to her Princess Diana at King Charles' Coronation by picking a pair of her late mother-in-law's earrings.

The Princess of Wales wore a pair of pearl and diamond earrings that had once belonged to Prince William's mother.

The Collingwood jewellery were gifted to then-Lady Diana ahead of her wedding to Charles and then handed to Kate after her marriage to William.

Diana did wear the earrings to a fundraising dinner in Sydney in 1996, and was snapped in them at a Gala dinner held by The American Red Cross and while on a tour of Korea.

Kate wore her stunning pearl and diamond earrings and some online thought they were being worn the wrong way around in a rare fashion gaffe.

But now one royal expert has suggested a 'mistake' some spotted was actually deliberate - as it was the Princess of Wales' way of 'taking a new direction' while honouring Prince William's mother.

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A Buckingham Palace source says Her Royal Highness "appreciates the history" of the role but wanted to "create her own path".

The rest of Kate's outfit included a formal robe alongside an Alexander McQueen dress in ivory silk crepe with silver bullion and threadwork embroidery featuring rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock motifs.

She topped off the gown with a Jess Collett x Alexander McQueen Headpiece with silver bullion, crystal and silver threadwork three-dimensional leaf embroidery.

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The headpiece Kate wore even twinned with her daughter, Princess Charlotte, who donned a smaller version of the headpiece as well as a matching Alexander McQueen dress.