Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. The new Duchess of Sussex ensured she had them all covered with her show stopping jewellery at last weekend’s Royal Wedding in Windsor. While she may have kept to tradition in this way, the personal touches demonstrated how bespoke jewellery can add further meaning to an already very special event and even add a sophisticated but modern twist.
The question on everyone’s lips prior to the big day was whether the bride would follow tradition and wear a tiara and if so which one would she choose?
Meghan didn’t disappoint and opted for Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau tiara that was made in 1932. The intricate art deco piece is made up of eleven sections, pierced and set with diamonds throughout and a beautiful detachable brooch that dates back to 1893 at its centre. It is believed that Meghan personally selected the stunning headpiece whilst viewing the Royal Collection with Her Majesty the Queen.
To complement the stunning tiara, Meghan wore a sparkling pair of Galanterie de Cartier earrings. Simple but elegant, the earrings feature a diamond solitaire at the centre of each stud, encircled by several smaller diamonds.
We were delighted to see that her earrings of choice resembled our own Triple Halo Diamond Earrings, which were selected to form part of our current Jewellery Box Collection.
For Meghan’s something blue, it was touching to see the new bride wear an exquisite aquamarine cocktail ring that was formerly owned by Princess Diana. A gift from her groom, it was one of many ways the Duke involved the memory of his late mother in the couple’s celebrations. This iconic ring is reminiscent of our Aquamarine and Diamond Cocktail Ring, which is currently on display in-store and available to purchase.
Meghan’s engagement ring also features two diamonds taken from Diana’s jewellery collection, flanking the central diamond sourced from Botswana. Diamonds were also prominent in the bride’s Reflection de Cartier bracelet made of white gold and diamonds, which was much admired during the ceremony.
Finally, what wedding would be complete without the everlasting symbol of the day? Prince Harry has also broken Royal tradition, choosing a wedding band made of textured platinum, and contrary to his brother and grandfather, he will actually wear it. Meghan’s band was made from the traditional Welsh gold gift from the Queen.
One of our favourite things about this Royal Wedding was that it was full of personal touches and twists on tradition. The new Duke and Duchess of Sussex personalised their day in lots of different ways. We are firm believers that whether you are choosing your cake or your wedding jewellery, it should be a combination of your own style, sentiment and substance. The beauty of choosing a bespoke piece of bridal jewellery means you can commission a piece that reflects your personal style and love story, and those that want to follow in the footsteps of Prince Harry, can even remodel a heirloom piece to add an extra layer of sentiment.
Image via Kensington Royal.