Royalty

Kate Middleton Debuted Iconic Jewels at BAFTAs

The Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra pieces may have been a birthday gift

by Marion Fasel

Kate Middleton and Prince William have made an appearance at the British Academy Film Awards, otherwise known as the BAFTAs or Britain’s rendition of the Oscars for the last several years. Prince William is a patron of the organization. The event is an annual style moment for Kate, because it’s more of a red-carpet situation where she can be snapped by photographers than the usual shots we get where she is seated in the back of a car wearing a tiara or in a reception line.

A couple of years ago, when Kate was pregnant she wore a green dress and a dazzling semi-coordinated set of emerald and diamond jewels. Last year, she wowed everyone in a white gown and a pair of diamond earrings that belonged to Diana.

This year Kate went an entirely different route. She debuted a coordinated demi-suite of Magic Alhambra gold and mother-of-pearl jewels.

For the red carpet the BAFTAs asked everyone to dress sustainably. In the spirit of the request, I thought perhaps she had borrowed the jewels—that matched the print on the Alexander McQueen gown she has worn previously—from her mother-in-law Camilla Parker Bowles who is a big fan of Van Cleef & Arpels.

Camilla not only has several Alhambra jewels in her collection, she also has several dragonfly and ballerina brooches from the French jeweler. While I have never seen her wearing a Magic Alhambra necklace in gold and mother-of-pearl like the one Kate wore, it’s still possible they are her jewels.

Another possibility is that the pieces were a birthday present. Kate turned 38-years old on January 9. Perhaps she received the jewels from her in-laws and decided to debuted them for the big night at the BAFTAs.

While the source of the jewels is unknown, the price of the pieces is on vancleefandarpels.com for all to see. The earrings that are at least very similar in style, if not the exact jewels wore by Middleton costs $6,200. The Magic Alhambra six motif necklace costs $8,950.

If you are thinking perhaps Kate borrowed the pieces from Van Cleef for the event, it is a highly unlikely. Historically, royalty does not borrow jewelry.

Related Stories:

Van Cleef & Arpels’ Alhambra Is 50 Years Young

Kate Wore Diana’s Earrings To The BAFTAs

Let’s Talk About Kate Middleton’s Emeralds

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