Kate Middleton Recreates Exact Princess Diana Look 31 Years Later for Meaningful Appearance

The Gist

• Kate Middleton’s most recent appearance took place on April 25 and saw her commemorate Anzac Day at both the Cenotaph and at Westminster Abbey.

• The Princess of Wales wore a rarely seen tanzanite necklace from Prince William, as well as a pair of Princess Diana’s sapphire and diamond drop earrings.

• The future queen’s Sarah Burton for Givenchy ensemble also directly channeled a look Diana wore in Germany in 1995.

In addition to wearing a pair of sapphire and diamond drop earrings from Princess Diana’s collection, for her most recent appearance Kate Middleton also directly channeled a look her late mother-in-law wore in 1995—31 years ago.

Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 25, 2026.
Credit: Getty

Princess Diana in Germany on July 22, 1995.
Credit: Getty

On April 25, Kate attended Anzac Day commemorations, both at the Cenotaph and Westminster Abbey. Her bespoke coatdress from Givenchy by Sarah Burton directly mirrored a look Diana wore in 1995 while visiting Germany. Diana was in the country to present new colors to the Light Dragoon Guards Regiment, and (per Hello!) wore a navy Catherine Walker skirt suit with white lapels that was almost identical to Kate’s outfit from Saturday. Diana completed her look with a wide-brimmed hat and a white belt.

Kate Middleton on April 25, 2026.
Credit: Getty

Princess Diana on July 22, 1995.
Credit: Getty

Kate kept her ensemble in the navy family on Saturday, wearing not just her coatdress—which, too, had bold white lapels, as well as a wrap front and structured shoulders—but also a matching Jane Taylor hat, navy Gianvito Rossi pumps, and carrying a navy bag by DeMellier London. Kate affixed a red poppy pin to her coat to honor those who lost their lives in conflict. Anzac Day itself serves as an important occasion to commemorate all Australians and New Zealanders who lost their lives in battle and to honor those who served. Both Australia and New Zealand are Commonwealth countries.

The Princess of Wales further accessorized her look Saturday with a rarely seen tanzanite and diamond pendant from G. Collins & Sons, thought to have been a gift from her husband Prince William in 2015. She also wore Diana’s sapphire and diamond drop earrings, thought to have been a wedding present when Diana married Prince Charles in 1981. Diana wore the earrings to many fashion-forward occasions, from her one and only Met Gala in 1996 to on the cover of British Vogue in 1994, when she appeared in honor of her 33rd birthday.

Kate Middleton wore a pair of Princess Diana’s sapphire and diamond drop earrings.
Credit: Getty

“On an occasion like Anzac Day, jewelry stops being decorative and becomes communicative,” Nilesh Rakholia, founder of Abelini, tells InStyle. “It’s about meaning, continuity, and respect for the moment.”

“These are pieces that already hold a strong emotional and historical narrative,” he continues. “By choosing them for a day centered on remembrance, she allows that narrative to extend beyond personal legacy into something more collective. The jewelry becomes part of the language of the occasion.”

Kate Middleton on April 25, 2026.
Credit: Getty

Rakholia says that “In a setting like this, jewelry cannot feel performative,” and adds, “This is jewelry used with intention. Not to decorate, but to communicate.”

“She has consistently used jewelry to create a sense of lineage,” Rakholia adds of Kate. “But it never feels like replication. Pieces associated with Diana are recontextualized, worn in a way that reflects her own role, her own moment. That’s where the distinction lies.”

Read the original article on InStyle