Kate Middleton’s Subtle Armistice Day Jewelry Tribute Had a Sweet Family Secret Hiding in Plain Sight
Kate Middleton made a particularly meaningful jewelry choice when she stepped out for the 2025 Armistice Day Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
The Princess of Wales appeared in a dignified black military-inspired coat dress by Catherine Walker, which she had previously worn for Remembrance Sunday in 2019 and 2023. She completed the solemn ensemble with a wide-brimmed Jane Taylor hat, black boots, poppy decorations and an Irish Guards brooch, reflecting her role as the regiment’s colonel since 2022.
But it was her earrings that offered perhaps the most personal detail.
Kate wore a pair of ruby-and-diamond drop earrings featuring a central ruby surrounded by a halo of diamonds. The pieces, associated with G Collins & Sons, are relatively new additions to her public jewelry rotation and had been seen only twice previously in 2025: at the 80th anniversary of VE Day celebrations in May and during the British royal family’s welcome for then-U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump in September.
The ruby appears to carry an especially touching connection to Kate’s eldest child, Prince George.
Ruby is the traditional birthstone associated with July, the month in which George was born. While Kensington Palace has not officially confirmed that the earrings were selected specifically as a tribute to him, royal fashion observers have interpreted the choice as a subtle nod to the future king. Kate has frequently used jewelry to incorporate personal and family symbolism into major public appearances, making the interpretation particularly plausible.
The timing was also notable.
George, now 12, has increasingly begun taking part in important royal occasions. In 2025, he joined his mother at a VE Day commemorative event at Buckingham Palace and also attended the Royal British Legion’s Festival of Remembrance. His growing presence has drawn comparisons with his father, Prince William, who began undertaking public Remembrance appearances at a similar age.
That makes Kate’s choice of ruby earrings particularly fitting. The stones can be viewed not simply as an elegant accessory, but as a discreet reminder of the next generation of the royal family and the responsibilities that will eventually pass to George.
There was another layer to Kate’s Armistice Day appearance. Her role at the National Memorial Arboretum marked her first solo appearance at the annual Armistice Day service, where she led the traditional two-minute silence and laid a wreath at the Armed Forces Memorial. She also commissioned poet Arji Manuelpillai to create a poem for the occasion, emphasizing themes of human connection, duty and the bonds that endure through conflict.
Against that solemn backdrop, the ruby earrings created an understated bridge between remembrance, family and the future.
Kate’s fashion choices often invite close examination, but this appearance demonstrated why her jewelry can be just as significant as her clothing. Rather than making an obvious statement, the Princess appeared to let a small, easily overlooked detail speak for itself.
Whether the rubies were deliberately chosen for George or simply happened to complement the occasion, the symbolism has resonated because it fits so naturally with the broader themes of the day: remembrance of those who served, continuity between generations and the quiet responsibilities carried by the royal family.
