Kate Middleton made a glamorous return to the red carpet and surprised royal fashion watchers by bringing out a rarely seen piece of royal jewellery for the special occasion.
The Princess of Wales joined Prince William at the world premiere of Digger in London on September 22, where the couple reunited with Hollywood star Tom Cruise.
Kate chose a dramatic deep purple gown by Jenny Packham for the evening. The flowing design featured a plunging neckline, billowing sleeves and an elegant silhouette that immediately drew attention as she walked onto the red carpet.
But it was the jewellery around her neck that created another major talking point.
Kate wore the Queen Mother's Amethyst Sautoir Necklace, a rarely seen royal piece featuring amethysts, diamonds and pearls. At its centre is a distinctive heart-shaped jewel that added an unmistakable royal touch to her look.
The necklace came from the royal vaults and has only appeared publicly on a limited number of occasions. Its previous notable appearance was when Queen Camilla wore it at the premiere of Skyfall in 2015, according to Parade's report.
Kate's choice of the necklace made her purple gown even more striking, with the heart-shaped pendant positioned prominently against the plunging neckline.
The Princess of Wales also added another meaningful royal jewellery connection to her outfit. She wore pearl drop earrings that once belonged to Princess Diana.
The earrings, known as the Collingwood pearl earrings, were given to Diana as an engagement present in 1981. Kate has worn pieces from Diana's jewellery collection on several important occasions, making the choice particularly notable for royal fashion followers.
Prince William complemented Kate's glamorous appearance with a black velvet tuxedo and a large bow tie.
The couple's appearance marked their first joint movie-premiere red carpet outing since 2022. They previously joined Tom Cruise for the London premiere of Top Gun: Maverick, creating another memorable Hollywood moment.
This time, Cruise welcomed William and Kate again at the premiere of Digger, giving the evening a strong sense of déjà vu for royal and entertainment fans.
The event was also the 73rd Royal Film Performance, held in support of the Film and TV Charity, which supports people working behind the scenes across the British film and television industry.
The latest red carpet appearance offered Kate an opportunity to combine classic royal jewellery with a much more dramatic evening gown. Her choice of the rarely seen heart-shaped amethyst necklace quickly became one of the standout details of the night.
Kate and William's appearance also came during a busy period for the Royal Family, making their glamorous public outing particularly noticeable. For the evening, however, the focus remained firmly on the couple's return to the red carpet and Kate's striking royal jewellery choice.
Key Takeaways:
- Kate Middleton joined Prince William at the London premiere of Digger.
- The Princess of Wales wore a dramatic deep purple Jenny Packham gown.
- Kate revived the Queen Mother's rarely seen Amethyst Sautoir Necklace.
- The necklace features amethysts, diamonds, pearls and a distinctive heart-shaped jewel.
- Kate also wore pearl earrings that belonged to Princess Diana.
- Prince William wore a black velvet tuxedo for the glamorous event.
- The couple reunited with Tom Cruise at the premiere.
- William and Kate previously appeared with Cruise at the 2022 Top Gun: Maverick premiere.
- The event was the 73rd Royal Film Performance supporting the Film and TV Charity.
