Princess Kate is known for her love of sapphires, diamonds and pearls, but on Tuesday, 11 November, the Princess of Wales chose something rare — a pair of ruby and diamond drop earrings that are both beautiful and meaningful. 

During the Armistice Day event at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, the princess led the nation in a two-minute silence, her first solo appearance on the solemn day.

Kate showed quiet strength and elegance while wearing a black bespoke Catherine Walker coat dress — a piece she also wore for Remembrance Sunday in 2019 and 2023 — and a new Jane Taylor wide-brimmed hat. 

Her ensemble was completed with custom Gianvito Rossi boots, paper poppies and a brooch shaped like the Irish Guards symbol, a tribute to her status as the regiment’s colonel from December 2022. 

The earrings, a stunning set of ruby and diamond clusters that the Princess has only worn twice previously, drew the most attention from royal observers.

Her decision to wear rubies at the service comes just as her eldest son, Prince George, took part in his first Remembrance events. The 12-year-old joined his mother at the Festival of Remembrance on Saturday, mirroring his father, Prince William, who attended the same event at the same age. 

Rubies, the July birthstone, represent George’s birth month — he was born on 22 July — making the earrings a sweet, symbolic gesture of maternal pride.

The ruby earrings — believed to be from G Collins and Sons — appear to be among Kate’s most sentimental pieces. 

Ruby, known as the “king of precious stones,” has a long history of passion, power and wealth.