As a member of the Royal Family, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge has borrowed necklaces, earrings and even tiaras from the Queen over the last decade. But three necklaces, in particular, stand out for their hefty price tags, and the Duchess could well have worn some of the most expensive necklaces in the royal collection. Express.co.uk takes a closer look at the Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace, Queen Alexandra’s Wedding Necklace and the Four-strand Pearl and Diamond Choker worn by Kate Middleton in recent years.
Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace – £66million+
The Queen’s Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace is perhaps the most breath-taking of the Queen’s jewels, and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge has been granted the honour of wearing it for some royal engagements.
Daena Borrowman, Marketing Manager at jewellerybox, told Express.co.uk: “The magnificent Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace, considered to be the most expensive piece of royal jewellery in the world, is worth over £66million.
“It was a wedding gift to Princess Elizabeth from the Nizam of Hyderabad, one of the richest people in the world.
“The Nizam is said to have generously instructed Cartier to let the bride-to-be pick anything she wished from their collections, to which the young Princess chose a tiara with three detachable flower brooches and what we now know as the Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace.
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“Featuring over 50 diamonds set in platinum, the Queen has worn this extravagant necklace in numerous portraits before her coronation and has even lent it to the Duchess of Cambridge on numerous occasions in recent times.”
Kate donned the expensive piece for an event at the National Portrait Gallery back in 2014.
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Queen Alexandra’s Wedding Necklace – £800,000
Kate, Duchess of Cambridge was pictured wearing Queen Alexandra’s Wedding Necklace for the Dutch state banquet in 2018, and the elegant necklace has huge historical importance for the Royal Family.
Ms Borrowman said: “Queen Alexandra’s wedding necklace was a component of a diamond and pearl parure (meaning ‘set’ in French) commissioned by Edward VII, while he was still the Prince of Wales, for his future bride, Princess Alexandra of Denmark.
“Crafted by Garrard, the necklace features eight clusters of individual pearls surrounded by diamonds and connected by diamond festoons with three stunning detachable diamond and pearl drop pendants. It is worth well over £800,000.”
Queen Alexandra’s Wedding Necklace has been beloved by several queens in recent royal history.
The jewellery expert added: “The necklace is very special because one future Queen and two standing Queens wore it to the weddings of three future monarchs – Queen Alexandra wore it to her own nuptials to the future King Edward VII and later to the wedding of her son, the future King George V. It was also worn by the Queen Mother to the wedding of the future Queen Elizabeth II.
“Queen Alexandra’s wedding necklace became one of the Queen Mother’s favourite pieces of jewellery and the Duchess of Cambridge was the first member of the Royal Family to wear it since the death of the Queen Mother.”
In 2018 Kate paired the necklace with another stunning piece from the Queen’s collection, the Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara, and a pair of pearl earrings to complete the opulent look.
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Four-strand Pearl and Diamond Choker – £400,000+
For Prince Philip’s funeral last April, Kate wore the Queen’s Four-strand Pearl and Diamond Choker – and she chose it for a poignant reason.
Ms Borrowman explained: “Queen Elizabeth commissioned the Four-strand Pearl and Diamond Choker from Garrards using pearls gifted to her from Japan.
“She wore it very regularly in the 1980s and 1990s and lent it to Princess Diana for one of her very first engagements as a royal.
“The Four-strand Pearl and Diamond Choker had its most striking moment when the Duchess of Cambridge, who had once worn it to the 70th wedding anniversary of the Queen and Prince Philip; wore it at the funeral of Prince Philip.
“Royal watchers remarked how she looked every bit the future Queen on that very poignant day. This necklace is worth over £400,000.”