Princess Kate appeared to keep Prince William and Princess Diana close as she issued a health update earlier this week.
The Princess of Wales made a poignant return to public duties on Wednesday, visiting cancer patients whilst wearing deeply personal jewellery pieces.
During her hospital visit on July 2, Kate chose items with profound sentimental value, including her iconic sapphire engagement ring that once belonged to Princess Diana.
She paired the ring with her Cartier Ballon Bleu watch, a treasured third wedding anniversary present from Prince William. The Princess also wore a delicate necklace featuring a garnet, her birthstone, at its centre.
Kate’s subtle tribute to William and Diana spoke volumes amid health update.
Kensington Palace / Getty
The carefully selected pieces accompanied the same Blaze Milano blazer she had worn for her first official portrait following her 2024 cancer diagnosis announcement.
Tobias Kormind, managing director of 77 Diamonds, provided exclusive insight to GB News about the Princess’s carefully chosen ensemble.
“Poignantly dressed in the same blazer she wore for her first portrait post her 2024 diagnosis announcement, the Princess of Wales opted for sentimental pieces for her hospital visit,” he said.
Kormind highlighted the significance of each item: “She chose to wear her sapphire engagement ring, once belonging to Princess Diana, and complementing the ring was her Cartier Ballon Bleu watch – a third wedding anniversary gift from Prince William.”
Kate wore her Cartier Ballon Bleu watch – a third wedding anniversary gift from Prince William.
Kensington Palace
He noted that “completing the ensemble was a delicate necklace, which featured her birthstone, a garnet, nestled at its centre.”
The distinctive timepiece features blue hands that beautifully echo the sapphire in Kate’s engagement ring. The watch displays a large Roman numeral dial housed in a stainless steel case with a matching bracelet, with Kate favouring the 33mm size.
Prince William purchased the £5,900 Ballon Bleu de Cartier watch in 2014 to mark their third wedding anniversary. The thoughtful gift has become one of the Princess’s most cherished accessories, regularly appearing at significant public engagements.
The combination of these meaningful pieces created a deeply personal ensemble for her important visit to fellow cancer patients.
During a visit to Colchester Hospital’s cancer wellbeing centre, Kate revealed she had tried the traditional Chinese practice.
Getty
Princess Kate posing for pictures with the Colchester Hospital staff.PA
During the meaningful visit, Kate spoke openly with patients about the challenges of recovery after treatment.
“The phase afterwards is really difficult, you’re not necessarily under the clinical team any longer, but you’re not able to function normally at home as you perhaps once used to,” she shared with patients during the Wednesday visit.
The Princess’s candid remarks came from personal experience, having announced the completion of her chemotherapy in September. By January, she revealed that she had officially entered remission.
Her honest discussion about post-treatment difficulties resonated deeply with the patients she met during the hospital visit.
