![The Princess of Wales attends a Realm Governors General and Prime Ministers Lunch, ahead of the coronation of King Charles III, at Buckingham Palace on May 5, 2023 in London, England (Toby Melville - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023-0505-02-kate01.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Coronation weekend has arrived, everyone! The Princess of Wales began the festivities on Friday by wearing a pair of earrings from the collection of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
![The Prince and Princess of Wales attend a Realm Governors General and Prime Ministers Lunch, ahead of the coronation of King Charles III, at Buckingham Palace on May 5, 2023 in London, England (Toby Melville - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023-0505-02-kate02.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
The Prince and Princess of Wales joined members of the royal family at a luncheon at Buckingham Palace on Friday for Prime Ministers and Governors General of the Commonwealth Realm nations.
![The Princess of Wales speaks with well-wishers on The Mall near to Buckingham Palace in central London, on May 5, 2023, ahead of the coronation weekend (MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023-0505-02-kate03.jpg?resize=1200%2C1523&ssl=1)
After the reception, the couple headed out to the Mall to greet the members of the public who are already camped out ahead of tomorrow’s coronation.
![The Prince of Wales speaks with well-wishers on The Mall near to Buckingham Palace in central London, on May 5, 2023, ahead of the coronation weekend (BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023-0505-02-kate04.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Here’s William doing a bit of handshaking.
![King Charles III speaks with well-wishers on The Mall near to Buckingham Palace in central London, on May 5, 2023, ahead of the coronation weekend (MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023-0505-02-kate05.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
The couple were also joined on the walkabout by the man of the hour, King Charles III.
![The Princess of Wales attends a Realm Governors General and Prime Ministers Lunch, ahead of the coronation of King Charles III, at Buckingham Palace on May 5, 2023 in London, England (Toby Melville - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023-0505-02-kate06.jpg?resize=1200%2C1807&ssl=1)
Kate wore black and white for the palace luncheon, accessorized with diamonds and pearls.
![The Princess of Wales attends a Realm Governors General and Prime Ministers Lunch, ahead of the coronation of King Charles III, at Buckingham Palace on May 5, 2023 in London, England (Toby Melville - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023-0505-02-kate07.jpg?resize=1200%2C1573&ssl=1)
Peeking out from her bouncy blowout are the Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings.
![The Princess of Wales attends a Realm Governors General and Prime Ministers Lunch, ahead of the coronation of King Charles III, at Buckingham Palace on May 5, 2023 in London, England (Toby Melville - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023-0505-02-kate09.jpg?resize=1200%2C1753&ssl=1)
The earrings, which feature pearl drops suspended from diamonds, were loaned to Kate by the late Queen during her reign.
![Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom visits the ballet in Winnipeg during the royal tour of Canada on October 16, 1951 (AFP via Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023-0505-02-kate10.jpg?resize=1200%2C1714&ssl=1)
The pearls themselves were wedding gifts to the then-Princess Elizabeth from the Hakim of Bahrain in November 1947. Above, she wears them in Winnipeg during the 1951 tour of Canada, paired with the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara and the City of London Fringe Necklace.
![HM Queen Elizabeth II shares a toast with Chinese President Jiang Zemin during a banquet held at the Chinese Embassy in London, October 1999 (REUTERS/Alamy)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2023-0117-pearls03.jpg?resize=1200%2C1586&ssl=1)
Queen Elizabeth II wore the earrings throughout her reign, sometimes pairing them with the necklace and bracelet from the Japanese Pearl Suite.
![The Princess of Wales at a banquet for the British royal family given by Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands at Hampton Court Palace, 1982 (PA Images/Alamy)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2022-0829-diana02.jpg?resize=1200%2C1960&ssl=1)
She also loaned the earrings to other members of the royal family, including the present Duchess of Edinburgh and Diana, Princess of Wales (who wore them with the Lover’s Knot Tiara, the Japanese Pearl Necklace, and her own large sapphire and diamond cluster brooch).
![The Duchess of Cambridge is seen in the Parade Ring as she attends Royal Ascot on June 20, 2017 in Ascot, England (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023-0505-02-kate11.jpg?resize=1200%2C1653&ssl=1)
Kate has been the exclusive wearer of the earrings since 2016. Here, she wears them at Royal Ascot in June 2017.
![Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge during the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021 in Windsor, England (Chris Jackson/WPA Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2023-0117-pearls01.jpg?resize=1200%2C1799&ssl=1)
Kate memorably wore the earrings (and the Japanese Pearls) for the funerals of both Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II in 2021 and 2022.
![The Princess of Wales speaks with well-wishers on The Mall near to Buckingham Palace in central London, on May 5, 2023, ahead of the coronation weekend (SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023-0505-02-kate08.jpg?resize=1200%2C1672&ssl=1)
Here’s one more look at Kate wearing the earrings today in London.
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