Meghan Markle is kicking off 2025 with a bang, and she's keeping a particularly meaningful accessory close at hand in the process. While making her triumphant return to Instagram on Jan. 1 and teasing her new Netflix series the following day, the Duchess of Sussex has kept one thing consistent, and that's a piece of her late mother-in-law Princess Diana's jewelry.
The duchess, 43, has been wearing Princess Diana's gold Cartier Tank Française watch—a sentimental piece gifted by Prince Harry—on repeat since 2020, and she's seen sporting it throughout the trailer for her upcoming lifestyle show With Love, Meghan.
The video gives us a glimpse into her post-royal transformation, featuring the former Suits actress baking bread with celeb pals, throwing tea parties and casually making the most perfect floral arrangements. And while her outfits range from cozy cashmere shells to a surprisingly chic beekeeping suit (yes, really), Diana's elegant timepiece remains a constant companion.
The $26,000 Tank Française design features a classic 18K gold bracelet and serves as an elevated staple for the duchess that she pairs with another Cartier piece, the designer's iconic gold Love bracelet.
The Duchess of Sussex wears Princess Diana's watch throughout her new show.
Princess Diana wore the watch in the late '90s.
“The Cartier Tank is the French maison’s most iconic watch, famed for its timeless design and elegant silhouette,” British Vogue's jewelry and watch director, Rachel Garrahan, said in a 2023 story for the outlet. “Princess Diana frequently wore the classic design with a black leather strap. For more formal occasions she opted for a jewel-like gold Tank Française—it was based on the original Tank but has a more angular design and an integrated metal bracelet.”
The late princess wore her watch regularly after her divorce from Prince Charles, and according to British Vogue, the Cartier design "was named after the British military tanks that helped defeat the German forces at the Battle of the Somme in 1916." Ironically, Markle owns a two-toned version of the same watch, a piece she bought herself during her Suits days.
The gold watch appears to be ideal for everything from baking cakes to tending bees (hopefully no honey got on it!), and the idea that Markle treats every day as special is something that should be noted. Rather than saving the heirloom timepiece for nights out or dress-up occasions, she's embraced it as part of her everyday uniform.
As for With Love, Meghan, the eight-episode series, which launches on Netflix Jan. 15, suggests the duchess is ready to write her next chapter on her own terms. And if her farm-to-table chic outfits are any indication, she's mastered the art of mixing meaningful royal touches with her own California cool aesthetic.
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