Long live the Queen\u2019s pearls.<\/p>\n
Kate Middleton paid tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II on what would have been the monarch\u2019s 100th birthday, wearing a beloved three-strand pearl necklace<\/a> to a Buckingham Palace reception Tuesday.<\/p>\n The Princess of Wales, 44, chose a bespoke Emilia Wickstead lilac midi dress with three-quarter-length sleeves for the occasion, pairing it with the Queen\u2019s Bahrain Pearl Earrings \u2014 crafted from pearls gifted to the then-Princess Elizabeth on her wedding day in 1947.<\/p>\n Kate Middleton wore some of Queen Elizabeth II\u2019s most treasured jewelry to a Buckingham Palace reception honoring the 100th anniversary of the late monarch\u2019s death. AP<\/p>\n The princess paired her lilac Emilia Wickstead dress with the Queen\u2019s Bahrain Pearl Earrings, a 1947 wedding gift, and a three-strand pearl necklace. POOL\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n Prince William and Middleton greeted centenarians celebrating their own 100th birthdays at the palace event. Getty Images<\/p>\n Queen Elizabeth wore triple-strand pearls almost daily, including in her final official portrait, making the piece deeply symbolic. Getty Images<\/p>\n Middleton joined Prince William, 43, King Charles, Queen Camilla and other royals in the palace\u2019s Marble Hall, where they mingled with citizens also celebrating their own centennial birthdays.<\/p>\n The late monarch\u2019s signature pearls<\/a> have become a meaningful throughline in Middleton\u2019s wardrobe since Queen Elizabeth\u2019s death in September 2022. She wore the triple-strand necklace for a Buckingham Palace reception<\/a> ahead of the funeral \u2014 along with Princess Diana\u2019s pearl bracelet and the Queen\u2019s Silver Jubilee Pearl Earrings<\/a>.<\/p>\n She\u2019s since put the necklace into rotation for some of her biggest fashion moments, including last July\u2019s state visit from French President Emmanuel Macron<\/a>, when she paired it with a pale pink Dior ensemble \u2014 her first time wearing the French fashion house.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tShop \u2019til you drop with Post Wanted\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSave time and money with the latest deals, discounts, trends, reviews and more.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Pearls hold deep significance in royal mourning tradition, dating back to Queen Victoria\u2019s era. Getty Images<\/p>\n Middleton first donned the necklace in September 2022 at a reception following the Queen\u2019s death. Getty Images<\/p>\n Middleton also wore heirloom pearls last July with a Dior ensemble for state visit from French President Emmanuel Macron. Getty Images<\/p>\n The Prince and Princess of Wales shared photos of their children with their late great-grandmother on social media, praising her legacy of \u201cinspiring generations through a lifetime of duty.\u201d Getty Images<\/p>\n The centennial celebrations extended beyond the reception. King Charles and Queen Camilla visited a new exhibition at Buckingham Palace displaying more than 300 pieces from the Queen Elizabeth II\u2019s wardrobe, and Princess Anne opened the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Garden at Regent\u2019s Park.<\/p>\n The Prince and Princess of Wales also shared a social media tribute<\/a> featuring photos of their children \u2014 Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7 \u2014 with their great-grandmother.<\/p>\n \u201cRemembering Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the 100th anniversary of her birth,\u201d the couple wrote. \u201cInspiring generations through a lifetime of duty.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t