Kate Middleton Dazzles in Rarely Seen Royal Jewels at Movie Premiere With Tom Cruise
Kate Middleton is digging into the royal archives for fashion.
For the first time ever, the Princess of Wales wore the Queen Mother’s amethyst sautoir—a 103-year-old necklace featuring a heart-shaped pendant framed in diamonds hanging from strands of pearls—at the London premiere of Tom Cruise‘s new movie Digger on Sept. 22.
Joined by her husband Prince William, Kate paired the show-stopping piece of jewelry with teardrop pearl earrings and a plunging, royal purple gown complete with a billowy skirt by Jenny Packham.
This was the first time the necklace was brought out in public since 2012, when Queen Camilla—then known as the Duchess of Cornwall—wore it to a premiere of Skyfall. At the time, the wife of King Charles III donned the bauble with a plum, off-shoulder evening gown made from velvet.
Indeed, the Queen Mother’s amethyst sautoir has been exchanged through several royal hands. It was first gifted to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later known as the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) by her future mother-in-law Queen Alexandra in 1923.
