Kate Middleton Garden Party outfit: Princess of Wales wears Robinson Pelham wedding earrings that symbolise strength and new beginnings with yellow Emilia Wickstead dress | Opinion

OPINION — They were a small, but significant, part of an outfit worn by the Princess of Wales at a Garden Party overnight with a powerful message behind them: that of strength, patience, new beginnings and growth.

Catherine wore a pair of diamond earrings first seen at her royal wedding nearly 15 years ago and even though they are both stunning and versatile, the earrings are rarely worn by the princess.

It appears Kate keeps the Robinson Pelham-designed earrings for the most important of occasions only and those where she knows her outfit will be closely analysed.

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The Princess of Wales joined her husband Prince William for a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, hosting the gathering on behalf of the monarch.

They were joined by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and two of the King’s nieces, Princess Eugenie and Zara Tindall.

Kate’s presence was significant in itself, being the first Garden Party she has attended in two years, missing those held in 2024 due to her cancer diagnosis.

At Tuesday’s party, the princess reunited with the family of the late Liz Hatton, the teenage photographer who died of cancer in November.

She and Prince William also mingled with representatives from a number of their patronages, military affiliations and projects they’ve led their support to over the years.

For the occasion, Kate chose a butter-yellow Emilia Wickstead dress and hat by Philip Treacy, an outfit she last wore during Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022, though with different heels.

Both times, the princess wore a small bag by Australian brand Forever New‘Lily woven clutch’, which retailed for just $49.99. It was later renamed and restocked, due to demand, another example of the ‘Kate effect’ on brands worn by the princess.

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As many women well know, accessories are a key part of any outfit and there is often a lot of thought gone into which jewels one chooses, especially if those pieces were previously worn on special occasions such as a wedding day, child’s baptism or other significant moment.

It was Kate’s choice of earrings at the Garden Party that were the unassuming, but poignant, star of her perfectly-put together ensemble.

They were specially made for Kate’s royal wedding to Prince William in 2011, when the former Middleton officially became a member of the House of Windsor.

Costing a reported £15,000 at the time (approx. $31,000) the diamond earrings are made from white gold and feature oak leaf and acorn motifs.

They were a present from her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, the acorn taken from the family’s newly-acquired family crest.

The acorn and oak leaf were chosen for both the crest and Kate’s wedding earrings because they symbolise strength, patience, new beginnings and growth.

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The earrings were also made to complement the Cartier Halo tiara Kate had borrowed from the late Queen Elizabeth II.

After closely observing Kate’s journey from William’s girlfriend to wife of 14 years, and her slow and steady emergence as the royal family’s most valuable player due to her quiet determination and powerful influence behind the scenes, the oak and acorn are fitting symbols of the beloved royal.

Her decision to wear the nature-inspired earrings now, at her first Garden Party since 2023, shows the importance of both the event and perhaps gives an insight into her mindset after such a life-changing experience.

The 43-year-old recently launched a video series inspired by the healing power of nature, months after announcing she was in remission from cancer.

In the three-minute clip, titled Spring, the princess spoke of “hope and new beginnings” while urging viewers to reconnect with the outside world.

”Over the past year, nature has been my sanctuary,” Kate said a voiceover for the series, called Mother Nature which will see a video released every quarter to coincide with the seasons.

”The natural world’s capacity to inspire us, to nurture us and help us heal and grow is boundless and has been understood for generations.”

In the years since her royal wedding, Kate has worn the earrings just twice in public: to the Order of the Garter service in 2016 and on Easter Sunday in 2019, both at Windsor Castle.

Garter Day, as it is known, is a special event for Kate, who first made her debut at the historic service in 2008 – three years before she married into the British royal family.

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At the time, she was dating Prince William and her appearance was seen as an important step in grooming her for life as a royal wife. It was also the year William was invested into the Order of the Garter, Britain’s oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry, becoming a knight.

The couple recently celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary with a visit to the Scottish isles of Mull and Iona, and have become much more visibly tactile at public events since the princess’s experience with cancer.

Kate’s appearance at the palace Garden Party was not only a triumph after a much-missed break, but also a rebirth of sorts in her gradual return to public duties.

And for such a pivotal moment of the year so far, those acorn and oak earrings were undoubtedly the perfect choice.

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