![The Princess of Wales smiles during a visit to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at Combermere Barracks for the St David’s Day Parade on March 1, 2023 in Windsor, England (Alastair Grant - WPA Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate01.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
On Wednesday, the Prince and Princess of Wales celebrated St. David’s Day with the Welsh Guards in Windsor, and Kate wore a symbolic, diamond-studded badge for the occasion.
![The Prince of Wales speaks at a lectern during a visit to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at Combermere Barracks for the St David’s Day Parade on March 01, 2023 in Windsor, England (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate02.jpg?resize=1200%2C1800&ssl=1)
The Prince and Princess of Wales headed to Combermere Barracks in Windsor on Wednesday for a visit with the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards. William is now the Colonel of the Welsh Guards, a role he took over during a royal shuffle last December. (He succeeded his father, King Charles, in the role, while Kate took over his previous job as Colonel of the Irish Guards.) William delivered remarks during the visit on Wednesday, which also included a leek-giving ceremony and a St. David’s Day parade.
![The Princess of Wales smiles during a visit to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at Combermere Barracks for the St David’s Day Parade on March 01, 2023 in Windsor, England (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate03.jpg?resize=1200%2C1800&ssl=1)
Princess Catherine wore bright Welsh red for the visit. She sat with other attendees while her husband spoke, recalling his time training with the Welsh Guards several years ago.
![The Princess of Wales receives flowers from a little girl during a visit to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at Combermere Barracks for the St David’s Day Parade on March 1, 2023 in Windsor, England (Alastair Grant - WPA Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate04.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Kate received a bouquet from a lovely little girl during the visit.
![The Princess of Wales smiles during a visit to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at Combermere Barracks for the St David’s Day Parade on March 01, 2023 in Windsor, England (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate05.jpg?resize=1200%2C1584&ssl=1)
She also had a leek pinned to the lapel of her coat. The leek is the most important national symbol of Wales.
![The Princess of Wales wearing the traditional Leek during the Leek giving ceremony during a visit to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at Combermere Barracks for the St David’s Day Parade on March 01, 2023 in Windsor, England (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate06.jpg?resize=1200%2C1800&ssl=1)
Here’s a look at the leek pinned to Kate’s coat during the ceremony. You’ll notice lots of leeks pinned to the uniforms of the soldiers as well.
![The Prince and Princess of Wales sit for an official photo with The Prince of Wales's company during a visit to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at Combermere Barracks for the St David’s Day Parade on March 1, 2023 in Windsor, England (Alastair Grant - WPA Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate07.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
The royal couple posed for an official photo with the 1st Battalion during the visit.
![The Princess of Wales meets troops from the 5th Battalion of the Royal Australian regiment after a St David's Day Parade with 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at the Combermere Barracks in Windsor, west of London, on March 1, 2023 (ALASTAIR GRANT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate08.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Inside the barracks, the couple met with soldiers and personnel. Here, Kate speaks with troops from the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, which is allied with the Welsh Guards.
![The Princess of Wales wearing the traditional Leek during the Leek giving ceremony during a visit to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at Combermere Barracks for the St David’s Day Parade on March 01, 2023 in Windsor, England (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate09.jpg?resize=1200%2C2095&ssl=1)
For the day’s events, Kate chose a bright red coat from Alexander McQueen and black accessories, including a hat from Juliette Botterill Millinery.
![The Princess of Wales smiles during a visit to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at Combermere Barracks for the St David’s Day Parade on March 01, 2023 in Windsor, England (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate10.jpg?resize=1200%2C1733&ssl=1)
She also added a sparkling touch with diamond jewels. Her earrings are the Daisy Heritage style from Asprey.
![The Duchess of Cambridge visits the official presidential residence, Aras an Uachtarain, to meet with Ireland's President Michael D. Higgins and his wife, Sabina Coyne, on March 3, 2020 in Dublin, Ireland (Phil Noble - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate18.jpg?resize=1200%2C1496&ssl=1)
The earrings have been in her jewelry box for some time. She debuted them almost exactly three years ago, in March 2020, during an official visit to Ireland.
![The Princess of Wales smiles during a visit to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at Combermere Barracks for the St David’s Day Parade on March 01, 2023 in Windsor, England (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate11.jpg?resize=1200%2C1695&ssl=1)
On her lapel, Kate wore the diamond-studded cap badge of the Welsh Guards, which is in the shape of a stylized leek.
![The Princess of Wales attends the St David's Day Parade during a visit to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at the Combermere Barracks in Windsor, west of London, on March 1, 2023 (ALASTAIR GRANT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate12.jpg?resize=600%2C672&ssl=1)
Here’s a closer look at the details of the badge worn by Kate on Wednesday.
![Queen Elizabeth II reacts after presenting new colours to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at Windsor Castle on April 30, 2015 (Cathal McNaughton-Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate16.jpg?resize=1200%2C1210&ssl=1)
It’s something of a royal tradition for ladies to wear diamond-studded leek badges at events related to the Welsh Guards and to Wales in general. The late Queen Elizabeth II received one from the Welsh Guards in the 1960s. Here, she wears it for the presentation of new colours to the 1st Battalion at Windsor Castle in April 2015.
![Queen Elizabeth II attends a ceremony to mark her official birthday at Windsor Castle on June 13, 2020 in Windsor, England (Paul Edwards - WPA Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate13.jpg?resize=1044%2C1324&ssl=1)
One of her final appearances in the brooch came in June 2020, when she wore it for a scaled-back Trooping the Colour parade at Windsor Castle. (The Welsh Guards were the ones trooping that day.)
![Queen Camilla reacts during a visit at Cardiff Castle, in Cardiff, in south Wales on September 16, 2022 (CHRIS JACKSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate14.jpg?resize=1200%2C1800&ssl=1)
There are also other diamond leek badges in other royal jewelry boxes. Queen Camilla has her own, which is slightly smaller than the late Queen’s badge and features gold detailing.
![The Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by Prince William of Wales, greet members of the public in Cardiff on St. David's Day, March 1, 1991 (David Cooper/Alamy)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate17.jpg?resize=1200%2C805&ssl=1)
Diana, Princess of Wales, wore a small diamond leek badge on various occasions, too. Here, she wears hers on a blue coat for a visit to Cardiff on St. David’s Day in 1991. The occasion was Prince William’s very first official public engagement.
![The Princess of Wales holds a leek while another is pinned on her coat during a visit to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards for St David's Day Parade at the Combermere Barracks in Windsor, west of London, on March 1, 2023 (BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-0305-02-kate19.jpg?resize=1200%2C1800&ssl=1)
Here’s another look at Kate’s Welsh leek badge from Wednesday’s parade. I don’t know for certain whether this is a fourth leek badge, or whether Kate is recycling a previously-worn one. If it is a hand-me-down, I’d wager that this might be the same one worn by the late Queen Elizabeth II, but I’d need more evidence (a clearer photo of the Queen’s badge, or confirmation from the palace) to be certain. What do you think?
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