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11 Times Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle Made Touching Tributes to Princess Diana

Photo Credits: Max Mumby / Indigo / Anwar Hussein / WireImage / Getty Images
Photo Credits: Max Mumby / Indigo / Anwar Hussein / WireImage / Getty Images

Since the untimely death of Princess Diana rocked the world in 1997, the Royal Family has continued to keep her legacy alive through commemoration and through the lives of her children Prince William and Prince Harry. When the Princes introduced their own partners, Catherine Middleton and Meghan Markle, to the Royal Family the women both made countless touching tributes to their late mother-in-law.

Whether with jewelry, fashion, or passing on Diana’s legacy to their own children, Kate and Meghan have used Diana’s timeless grace to influence their style through weddings, children, and day-to-day events.

Kate’s sapphire engagement ring

Side by side engagement photos of Prince Charles/Princess Diana and Prince William/Kate Middleton
Left: Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer photographed to announce their engagement in 1981. (Photo Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images). Right: Prince William and Catherine Middleton’s engagement photos in 2010. (Photo Credit: Chris Jackson / Getty Images)

Perhaps the most iconic piece of jewelry owned by Diana was her stunning sapphire engagement ring. The 12-carat oval sapphire is surrounded by 14 diamonds and set in 18-carat white gold. It originally cost £47,000 (or $60,000) when Diana first selected it in 1981, but is now estimated to be worth £300,000, or nearly $400,000.

Prince William, Diana’s oldest son, proposed to Catherine Middleton with the ring in 2010. The couple were wed in a lavish ceremony in 2011, and are now Prince and Princess of Wales – with William being next in line for the British throne.

Meghan’s diamond engagement ring

Side by side images of Meghan Markle's engagement ring and engagement photo
Left: Meghan Markle showcases her diamond engagement ring. (Photo Credit: Chris Jackson / Getty Images). Right: The engagement announcement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. (Photo Credit: Daniel Leal / AFP via Getty Images)

Meghan Markle’s engagement ring also pays homage to her husband Prince Harry’s mother Diana in her own simple and elegant style. Harry designed the ring himself and proposed to Meghan in 2017. The ring features a three-carat cushion cut diamond from Botswana – where they fell in love while on a trip early in their relationship.

The center stone is flanked by two round diamonds from Diana’s personal jewelry collection, and the ring is set on a gold band. Recently, Meghan has sported a slightly redesigned ring, which now has a micro-pave diamond band in place of the original gold one.

Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara

Side by side of Princess Diana and Kate Middleton wearing the Cambridge Lover's Knot tiara
Left: Princess Diana wearing the Lover’s Knot tiara in 1989. (Photo Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images). Right: Kate Middleton wearing the Lover’s Knot tiara in 2016. (Photo Credit: Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images)

Kate Middleton has been seen wearing her favorite tiara at many special events, but the Queen Mary Lover’s Knot tiara was also a favorite of Princess Diana‘s. The tiara was originally given to Diana as a wedding present from the Queen, but dated back to 1913 when it was commissioned for Queen Mary.

The tiara is made of diamonds set in silver and gold with 19 stunning hanging pearls. The piece was reportedly so heavy that Diana often got headaches after wearing it. Even so, it remained her favorite piece, and one of the most iconic tiaras of the royal family, throughout her life.

Meghan’s ‘something blue’ aquamarine ring

Side by side of Princess Diana and Meghan Markle wearing the same aquamarine ring
Left: Princess Diana wears an aquamarine ring to an event in 1997. (Photo Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images). Right: Meghan Markle wore the same ring on her wedding day in 2018. (Photo Credit: Steve Parsons – WPA Pool / Getty Images)

A common custom includes wearing “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue” on your wedding day – and Meghan Markle made sure she didn’t snub tradition at her 2018 nuptials. Her “something old” was the stunning Queen Mary bandeau tiara lent to her by the Queen for her special day. Her custom Givenchy wedding gown was definitely “something new” and her “borrowed” and “blue” piece was an eye-catching aquamarine ring that originally belonged to Princess Diana.

Meghan wore the ring as part of her reception ensemble following the wedding ceremony at St. George’s Chapel. Diana left the ring to her sons as part of her will, and Harry made sure to have a piece of his mother with him on his big day.

Kate’s diamond and South Sea pearl earrings

Princess Diana and Kate Middleton wearing the same diamond and pearl earrings
Left: Princess Diana attends a gala at Bridgewater House in 1995 wearing the diamond and South Sea pearl earrings. (Photo Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library / Getty Images). Right: Kate Middleton wears the same earrings to the 2019 BAFTAs. (Photo Credit: Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images)

Kate Middleton stepped out in a stunning white gown at the 2019 BAFTAs, completing the look with a pair of beautiful diamond and South Sea pearl earrings that belonged to Princess Diana. Kate’s touching tribute to her late mother-in-law’s timeless style gives a glimpse into how the future Queen hopes to continue Diana’s legacy.

Meghan honored Diana with forget-me-nots at her wedding

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their wedding day
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle kiss outside St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle after their wedding. (Photo Credit: Jane Barlow / PA Images via Getty Images)

Princess Diana‘s favorite flower was a somewhat unusual choice that now carries a haunting meaning: forget-me-nots. The small flowers are now a simple reminder of Diana’s enduring presence in her children’s lives. When Meghan Markle wed Prince Harry in 2018, she carried a bouquet comprised of sweet peas, lilies of the valley, jasmine, and, most importantly, forget-me-nots.

Meghan wore Diana’s butterfly earrings

Side by side of Princess Diana and Meghan Markle wearing the same butterfly earrings
Left: Princess Diana visiting British Columbia, Canada in 1986. (Photo Credit: Lucy Levenson / Princess Diana Archive / Getty Images). Right: Meghan Markle wears Diana’s butterfly earrings at an event in Australia in 2018. (Photo Credit: Steve Christo / AFP via Getty Images)

While on a royal engagement in Australia the newly married Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex was spotted wearing a pair of diamond butterfly earrings that originally belonged to her late mother-in-law Princess Diana. Diana wore the earrings on multiple occasions, most notably while visiting Canada in 1986.

The birth of Prince George

Diana and Kate Middleton wear similar dresses following the birth of their sons
Left: Princess Diana wears a blue polka-dotted dress following the birth of Prince William in 1982. (Photo Credit: Anwar Hussein / Getty Images). Right: Kate Middleton wears a blue polka-dotted dress following the birth of her son Prince George in 2013. (Photo Credit: Anwar Hussain / WireImage / Getty Images)

Besides jewelry, Kate Middleton has also paid tribute to Diana by drawing inspiration from the Princess’s amazing sense of style. Following the birth of William and Kate’s first child Prince George, Kate donned a simple blue polka dot dress by British designer Jenny Packham. Diana wore a similar frock when she introduced the world to her first child Prince William in 1982.

Meghan’s green maternity ensemble

Princess Diana and Meghan Markle wearing similar green coats while pregnant
Left: Princess Diana pregnant with her first son Prince William. (Photo Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library / Getty Images). Right: Meghan Markle pregnant with her son Archie in 2019. (Photo Credit: Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images)

Meghan Markle also got some maternity inspiration from Princess Diana. While pregnant with her first child Archie, Meghan stepped out in a stunning green coat with black embellishments which looked inspired by a similar ensemble worn by Diana when she was pregnant with Prince William.

Birth of Prince Louis

Princess Diana and Kate Middleton wearing similar outfits after the birth of their youngest children
Left: Princess Diana after the birth of Prince Harry. (Photo Credit: Anwar Hussein / Getty Images). Right: Kate Middleton after the birth of Prince Louis. (Photo Credit: Chris Jackson / Getty Images)

Kate Middleton once again nodded to her children’s late grandmother following the birth of her youngest son Prince Louis. Kate wore a red Jenny Packham dress with a white collar that looked inspired by Diana’s own outfit following the birth of her youngest child, Prince Harry.

Honoring Diana’s granddaughters

Kate Middleton and Princess Charlotte
Kate Middleton at the Christening of Princess Charlotte of Cambridge. (Photo Credit: Matt Dunham – WPA Pool / Getty Images)

Lastly, the most touching tribute Meghan and Kate could use to honor the late Princess Diana was to pass her name down to their daughters. William and Kate welcomed their daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana in 2015, named after William’s grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and his late mother Diana.

More from us: 8 Stunning Royal Tiaras That Ooze Glitz And Glamour

Meghan and Prince Harry also passed the special name onto their daughter, Lilibet Diana, whose adorable first name comes from Queen Elizabeth II’s childhood nickname – and of course, her middle name Diana also passes the Princess’s incredible legacy onto the next generation of royal women.

Elisabeth Edwards

Elisabeth Edwards is a public historian and history content writer. After completing her Master’s in Public History at Western University in Ontario, Canada Elisabeth has shared her passion for history as a researcher, interpreter, and volunteer at local heritage organizations.

She also helps make history fun and accessible with her podcast The Digital Dust Podcast, which covers topics on everything from art history to grad school.

In her spare time, you can find her camping, hiking, and exploring new places. Elisabeth is especially thrilled to share a love of history with readers who enjoy learning something new every day!

The Digital Dust Podcast

linkedin.com/in/elisabethcedwards