Being a real-life princess is not a fairy tale, but the royal life definitely has its advantages for the current Princess of Wales, Catherine Middleton. When Kate married into the Windsor family, she gained access to the stupendous heirloom of jewels that the British monarchs had gathered over hundreds of years. While most of those pieces don't actually belong to the Princess, she does showcase them every once in a while.
Here are five priciest ornaments in Kate Middleton's collection.
5. Lotus Flower Tiara (~$500,000)
Originally Princess Margaret's, this piece of jewelry could be seen on Kate a couple of times over the past few years. In 2015, the Duchess of Cambridge wore it at a state banquet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. In 2022, Catherine donned the tiara again at a Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace.
The intricate adornment is said to be worth around half a million dollars.
4. Princess Diana's Sapphire Engagement Ring ($600,000+)
Perhaps the most easily recognizable ornament in Middleton's collection, the ring was given to Prince William for his engagement to Kate by his brother Harry, who inherited it from their late mother, Princess Diana.
Featuring a 12-carat sapphire, framed with diamonds, Princess Diana's ring costs more than $600 thousand.
3. Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara ($1–2 million)
Brimming with crystal clear diamonds and exquisite pearls, this headpiece is difficult to appraise. Queen Mary presented Princess Diana with this tiara for her wedding to Charles. After Diana's untimely passing, it was inherited by the next Princess of Wales — Catherine, who wore it at the 2018 State Banquet dedicated to King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
2. Princess Diana's Saudi Sapphire Suite ($15 million)
Another heirloom of Princess Diana's, this sapphire jewelry set is estimated at approximately $15 million. The suite, consisting of a necklace and earrings, was Diana's wedding gift from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. Prince William's wife was seen wearing the set when she met with the President of Ukraine and his wife in 2020.
1. Delhi Durbar Emerald Choker ($20 million)
At the recent Earthshot Prize 2022 in Boston, Kate Middleton showed up wearing Princess Diana's emerald choker. Featuring an array of gems and diamonds, this piece is beautifully subtle, but it's also stunningly expensive, estimated at around $20 million.