As Per Usual, Princess Catherine’s Outfit Yesterday Was Loaded with Symbolism

The Prince and Princess of Wales marked the somber occasion of the one-year anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death by attending a memorial service for her at St. David’s Cathedral in Pembrokeshire, Wales, where at one point Catherine appeared visibly emotional as she laid down a bouquet of white roses in front of a framed photograph of Her late Majesty. Catherine very often sends sartorial messages through her outfit choices, and yesterday was no exception, from the earrings she chose to wear (they belonged to the late Queen) to the color she opted for.

The pair of diamond and pearl earrings that Catherine wore yesterday were once worn by Queen Elizabeth to her Silver Jubilee in 1977, reports Lauren Kiehna, writer and editor of The Court Jeweller. (Because of this, these particular earrings are called, aptly, the Silver Jubilee Pearl Earrings.) And it’s not the first time Catherine has worn this pair of earrings—she first borrowed the jewels from the Queen when she went to the Netherlands for her first solo foreign trip in October 2016, and she wore the same earrings multiple times in the weeks after Her late Majesty’s death, including viewing tributes at Sandringham, receiving the Queen’s coffin at Buckingham Palace, and greeting Commonwealth troops who arrived in the U.K. to take part in the Queen’s state funeral, People reports. “It was a fitting choice, as pearls were a staple of Queen Elizabeth’s wardrobe,” the outlet reports.

“Pearls are one of the very few jewelry items you can wear in mourning and are inextricably linked with Queen Elizabeth and her personal jewelry legacy,” said Bethan Holt, author of The Queen: 70 Years of Majestic Style, to People. “It’s a symbol of mourning a monarch but also a grandmother or great-grandmother.”

Per People, wearing pearls in mourning is a tradition set by Queen Victoria following the death of her husband, Prince Albert, in 1861—after his death, she wore black until the day she died in 1901, 40 years later. Victoria accessorized with colorless jewelry, often pearls, “which she felt were more discreet and respectful than sapphires, rubies, or other colored gems,” People reports. “Their power lies in the fact that they aren’t overwhelming,” said British jeweler Claudia Bradby. “It’s a subtle and slightly restrained look and, of course, the connection to the Queen is incredibly strong.”

Beyond her earrings, Catherine’s color choice to the memorial service was poignant. She wore the same burgundy coat by Epinone that she wore last December to host her second annual Christmas carol concert, freshening up the look yesterday by adding a hat in a matching shade by Sahar Millinery. People reports that Catherine often chooses to wear red by visiting Wales—it is a color featured on their flag—but “going with burgundy on Friday was likely an intentional choice,” the outlet reports. “The muted shade of red fit the solemn occasion of the church service honoring Queen Elizabeth.”