Tom Cruise 'Digger': Kate Middleton wears Queen Mother’s 103-year-old necklace and Princess Diana’s earrings. Brings three generations of royal history to Hollywood

The cameras may have gathered for Hollywood star Tom Cruise, but at the world premiere of Digger it was Kate Middleton’s jewellery that quietly stole the spotlight. Dressed in a dramatic purple Jenny Packham gown, the Princess of Wales paired her red-carpet look with two pieces carrying stories that stretch across generations of the British royal family. Princess Diana’s earrings and a century-old amethyst necklace once owned by the Queen Mother.

Kate Middleton dons Princess Diana's jewellery, becoming a talking point at Digger premiere

Kate Middleton and Prince William attended the premiere of Digger at London’s Leicester Square on Tuesday. They joined Tom Cruise and the film’s star-studded cast. Kate’s floor-length purple gown became a striking backdrop for her historic accessories. However, what become the attraction at the premiere was the earrings, which belonged to Princess Diana. According to Harper’s Bazaar, they were Collingwood pearl drop earrings given to Diana as a wedding gift in 1981. Its appearance alongside the necklace gave Kate’s ensemble a deeper royal connection: one jewel represented her late mother-in-law, while the other reached back another generation.

The necklace that began its royal journey in 1923

The centrepiece was the Queen Mother’s necklace, far older than its glamorous appearance might suggest. The jewellery was originally owned by Queen Alexandra, the wife of King Edward VII. In 1923, Alexandra gave the necklace to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the future Queen Mother, as a wedding present when she married the Duke of York, later King George VI. Westminster Abbey confirms that the couple married there on April 26, 1923.

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Featuring three strands of pearls and amethysts surrounding a distinctive heart-shaped pendant, the necklace was created in the fashionable sautoir style of the 1920s. Tatler described Kate’s decision to wear it as “dynastic dressing”, highlighting how the piece connects different generations of royal women.

From the Queen Mother to Princess Diana and now Kate Middleton

The significance of Kate’s jewellery choices lies not simply in their age, but in the people who wore or received them. Princess Diana’s earrings connect Kate directly to William’s mother. This jewellery has frequently appeared in the Princess of Wales’s public wardrobe. British Vogue has previously highlighted Kate wearing several pieces associated with Princess Diana, including the Collingwood pearl earrings and other heirloom jewels.

The amethyst necklace connects Kate Middleton to an even earlier chapter of royal history. The Queen Mother received it from Queen Alexandra, making Kate’s appearance a visual link between three generations of royal women. The necklace has also appeared on other modern royal occasions. The Times of India reported that Queen Camilla previously wore the piece to the 2012 premiere of Skyfall, when she was still Duchess of Cornwall.

Kate Middleton's jewellery is now a living royal archive

Kate Middleton's choice reflects a broader tradition within the royal family: historic jewellery is not simply stored away as museum-like treasure. It can be brought back into public life, carrying memories of previous generations with it. At Tom Cruise's Digger premiere, that history became particularly visible. Princess Diana’s earrings represented one chapter, while the Queen Mother’s necklace reached back to Queen Alexandra and the royal wedding of 1923.

For a night dominated by Hollywood glamour and Tom Cruise’s latest film, Kate’s jewellery offered a quieter story, one measured not in diamonds alone, but in decades. Her earrings recalled Princess Diana, while the amethyst necklace carried the legacy of the Queen Mother and Queen Alexandra. Together, the pieces transformed a modern red-carpet appearance into a glimpse of royal history still being worn, remembered and carried forward.