From one Princess of Wales to another, style reigns supreme.

Kate Middleton—along with her husband Prince William—took part in a ship naming ceremony for the HMS Glasgow in Scotland on May 22.
The future queen held a masterclass in literal dressing, wearing a navy and white Suzannah London coatdress and a sentimental pair of heirloom earrings.
The sapphire and diamond drop earrings once belonged to the Princess of Wales’ late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, who was thought to have received the pair as a wedding gift when she married Prince Charles in 1981.

Kate Middleton’s ensemble yesterday as she took part in a ship naming ceremony for the HMS Glasgow was a masterclass in literal dressing—and the look took several cues from the style of Kate’s late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.

Seeing as the Princess of Wales—known as the Duchess of Rothesay while in Scotland—was launching a ship, she wore a nautical-inspired navy and white coatdress from Suzannah London that fit the theme of the day. The silhouette of her coatdress mirrored outfits Diana wore throughout her years as a royal—shoulder pads included. But perhaps the most outright callout to Diana was a pair of the late Princess of Wales’ sapphire and diamond earrings, thought to be a wedding present when Diana married Prince Charles in 1981. The earrings feature cabochon sapphires surrounded by diamonds, with a central diamond connecting the two clusters, per Town & Country, which added that the sapphires are thought to come from the strap of Diana’s Saudi sapphire watch. Kate wore this particular pair of earrings with the same Philip Treacy hat she wore on May 22 to Trooping the Colour in June 2022, which doubled as Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee marking her historic 70 years on the throne.

Diana wore this pair of earrings while on tour in Melbourne and at the Council of Fashion Designers Awards in New York City in 1995. The earrings were also present on Diana’s 1994 cover of British Vogue, which marked her 33rd birthday.

Kate, for her part, wore the set for the President of South Korea’s state visit to London in 2023, as well as more than one Trooping the Colour. The pair also complement Kate’s sapphire and diamond engagement ring—which, of course, also previously belonged to Diana.

In addition to her Suzannah London coatdress, Philip Treacy hat, and heirloom earrings, fashion site What Kate Wore reported that Kate wore Gianvito Rossi suede pumps, a clutch by Emmy London, and a new brooch, designed by local jeweler Simon Porter of James Porter and Son, a fifth-generation family-run firm. The Naval crown is present at the top of the brooch, and thistles—Scotland’s national flower—are also visible, as is the word “Glasgow” near the top of the piece. What Kate Wore made a prediction that the figure in the center of the brooch is St. Kentigern (also known as St. Mungo), patron saint of Glasgow. Per Tatler, Porter said it was an “absolute honor” to see Kate wearing the brooch. “Against a plain navy background, it really stood out,” he added, per The Daily Mail.

The Princess of Wales—then the Duchess of Cambridge—was named the sponsor of the HMS Glasgow in June 2021, and, per The Daily Mail, is said to hold “a real interest” in the ship “and in the lives of those who will serve onboard.” At the naming ceremony yesterday, the future queen said, “I have the pleasure to name this ship HMS Glasgow. May God bless her and all who sail on her.” Of Thursday’s events, Kate “appeared relieved it had gone to plan,” The Daily Mail reported.

“It’s so beautifully made,” Kate said of the vessel, adding, “It’s so exciting to see it all come together. All the technology is so impressive. What’s really interesting as well is seeing the international interest.”

While at the royal engagement yesterday, Kate admitted, “I’m still learning all my naval lingo. There are a lot of abbreviations that I don’t fully understand. I’ve got a lot to learn.”

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