The Queen's Pearl Choker Loaned To The Two Princess of Wales Has Japanese Ties

The new Princess of Wales paid tribute to her grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, during the state funeral on September 19, by wearing Her Majesty's pearl choker necklace with a diamond clasp.

However, it was not the first time that Catherine wore it to a royal event. The Queen first loaned it to her in November 2017 when she attended the diamond wedding anniversary celebration of Her Majesty and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at Windsor Castle with Prince Harry and Prince William (photo below).

Prince Harry, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attend the diamond wedding anniversary of the Queen and Prince Philip in 2017

The Queen loaned it to her again during the funeral of Prince Philip in April 2021, at St. George's Chapel in Windsor. She also paired it with a pair of pearl earrings. Pearls, jewelry experts claimed, are the appropriate jewelry for mourning because it means "tears". 

Left: at Prince Philip's funeral in 2021. Right: at the Queen's funeral

The question many fans are asking now, is this piece of jewelry of the Queen has been a permanent loan to Kate? We still don't have an answer but the Queen rarely wore this necklace in the later part of her reign, as she favored the three-strand pearl necklace fashion, which is more comfortable to wear as she aged. 

The rarely seen pearl choker of the Queen

Queen Elizabeth II was known to favor her pearl jewelry collection during public appearances, even in many photoshoots, however, this particular piece of pearl jewelry was rarely seen on her neck. 

Queen Elizabeth II wore this necklace during a state visit to Bangladesh in 1983

This four-strand pearl choker necklace is reportedly made from pearls gifted to the Queen by the Japanese government in the 1970s when she made a state visit to Japan in 1975. 

She commissioned Garrard, the Crown Jeweler, to make a necklace using these pearls. The design features four rows of pearls with a central diamond clasp in a curved shape, each side including three rows of diamonds joined at the top and bottom with marquise diamonds. 

On rare occasions the Queen wore the pearl choker necklace

According to Garrard: The Queen commissioned this from a set of the "finest cultured pearls presented to her by the Japanese government" during her first state visit to Japan in 1975.

Her Majesty wore it several times in the past but stopped wearing this necklace as she caught up with aging. It's inconvenient to her neck, of course, thus, the three-strand pearl necklace became her go-to accessory as she aged.

Diana, the Princess of Wales in 1982

The Queen loaned this choker to Diana, the Princess of Wales, in 1982, who was known to love the choker style, during a state banquet for Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands at Hampton Court Palace. Diana matched it with the Queen Mary Lover's Knot Tiara, which was also a loan from the Queen. 

The Prince and Princess of Wales attending a state banquet in 1982

Though Queen Elizabeth II was known to love pearl jewelry and pearl necklaces, she had a little fascination with the choker style, making this particular piece of jewelry rarely seen with her during public appearances in later life.

Attending Prince Philip's funeral in 2021

The new Princess of Wales seems to wear it also during important royal events only, and never on a regular basis. During the Queen's funeral, she wore a pair of Bahrain Pearl Earrings, made from pearls gifted to the Queen on the event of her wedding to Philip in 1947. 

The Princess of Wales at the Queen's funeral

The earrings contain a large round diamond with a smaller circle diamond hanging below it. Three baguette diamonds hang from there, with three more small diamonds making way to the dangling pearl.