Kate Middleton is often compared to Princess Diana, but sadly the two ladies never got to meet.
However, that doesn’t mean that Diana isn’t often at the forefront of Kate‘s mind.
And we’ve seen that numerous times over the years as the duchess paid a touching secret nod to Prince William‘s late mother.
Kate Middleton wears Diana’s engagement ring
Perhaps the most famous nod of all that Kate has made to Diana is wearing her engagement ring.
Diana picked out the 12-carat Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 round diamonds from jewellers Garrard when she and Prince Charles got engaged.
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After her death in 1997, Diana’s jewellery was passed down to sons William and Harry, and the sapphire engagement ring ended up on Kate’s finger.
At the time, William explained: “It was my way of making sure my mother didn’t miss out on today and the excitement and the fact that we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together.”
Not only that, back in 2019, Kate wore a pair of Diana’s diamond and sapphire earrings, which matched the engagement ring.
She had the earrings – given to her by William in 2012 – slightly remodelled, though, changing them from a stud to a drop.
Touching tribute ahead of couple’s wedding
A week before William and Kate got married, they made a secret trip to Diana’s burial site on the 13,000-acre Althorp Estate.
The couple reportedly took a boat out to Oval Island and laid flowers at Diana’s final resting place.
They also wandered around the princess’s ancestral estate and walked through the arboretum, where William and Harry planted trees as boys.
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A source told the Mirror at the time: “It was very important for William to take Kate to visit his mum just before their wedding day. Diana is still a huge part of her boys’ everyday life and always will be.
“Even though Kate never met Diana, she knows what an incredible woman she was and it is very important to her she can share and understand William’s love and grief for his mum.
“It is tragic that she won’t be there to see the wedding and that she never got to meet his bride.”
Kate’s tribute to Diana at the nuptials
Diana was very much a part of the couple’s wedding.
The wedding address was given by Richard Chartres, who presided over Diana’s funeral.
They chose the hymn Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer as part of the ceremony – the hymn was sung at Diana’s funeral.
Sir Elton John – who sang at Diana’s funeral – was also invited to witness the couple marry.
Kate Middleton paid more than a nod to Diana when George, Charlotte and Louis arrived
When Kate gave birth to her three children, she paid tribute to Diana in a couple of different ways.
Standing on the steps of the Linda Wing at St Mary’s Hospital with Prince George, Kate looked beautiful in a blue polka dot dress.
Rewind back to 1982 and you’ll have seen Diana on the steps of the very same hospital, also wearing a polka dot dress.
And, if we thought it was just a coincidence, the same happened with the birth of third child Prince Louis.
Standing on the steps of the same hospital, Kate walked out holding Louis in her arms wearing a red dress with a white collar.
Rewind to Prince Harry’s birthday and Diana appeared with her second-born child in her arms.
She wore a red jacket with a white shirt underneath, the ladies’ fashion choices strikingly similar.
Lorraine fashion expert Mark Heyes previously spoke about Kate paying tribute to Diana with her outfits.
“Specifically at St Mary’s Hospital. To me that was really definite.
“Some of them you think, I suppose anyone could wear polka dot, but that was very definite, which I think is incredible,” he said.
What’s in a name?
When middle child Princess Charlotte was born, Kate and William paid a more permanent tribute to Diana.
The tot was given Diana as a middle name, and Kate has revealed that her children make a Mother’s Day card for their granny every year.
On his card Prince George wrote: “Dear Granny Diana, happy happy Mother’s Day. I love you very much and think of you always. Sending lots of love from George.”
Princess Charlotte wrote: “Dear Granny Diana. I am thinking of you on Mother’s Day. I love you very much. Papa is missing you. Lots of love Charlotte.”
Diana’s diamonds are forever thanks to Kate
Kate has paid tribute to Diana on many occasions when it comes to her fashion and accessory choices.
Earlier this summer, Kate attended the G7 summit at the Eden Project.
She wore an all-white outfit, accessoried with a beautiful three-strand pearl and diamond bracelet.
Of course, eagle-eyed onlookers had first spotted the bracelet on Diana during a royal visit to Hong Kong back in 1989.
And, not only that, but she too wore it with a head-to-toe white outfit.
Kate Middleton pays Diana tribute at Prince Philip’s funeral
Kate also wore a pearl choker once worn by Diana to Prince Philip’s funeral earlier this year.
It belongs to the Queen, and she loaned it to Diana for a state banquet in 1982.
On such an emotional day for husband William, it was perhaps no surprise that Kate wanted to offer her support and wear a necklace with such a beautiful hidden meaning.
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