Kate Middleton turned to jewelry with a personal connection as she welcomed England’s women’s rugby team to Windsor Castle on Thursday.
Alongside a pair of vintage pearl-cluster earrings, the mother-of-three donned a gold necklace with a simple garnet stone. The gem is Kate’s birthstone, and is said to symbolize inner strength and healing—a fitting reflection of the Princess’s past few years. She turned 44 on January 9.
It appears as though the necklace has been part of the royal’s jewelry box since June 2022, when she wore it in a video for the Platinum Jubilee, which saw her baking cakes with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
Birthstones have long been integral to Kate’s wardrobe. Known for her intentional choices of jewelry, the Princess has worn garnets on a number of occasions, including a romantic trip to Pontypridd with Prince William in February 2025. Long before the couple got engaged, William offered Kate a promise ring that featured garnets intertwined with his own birthstone, pearls.
On this occasion, Kate Middleton chose the delicate garnet piece as a perfect accessory for a bold red Alexander McQueen suit, which nodded both to the color of her birthstone and to the name of the English team: the Red Roses.
The Princess of Wales has worn the power suit on a number of previous occasions, including to a concert celebrating King Charles III’s coronation and to an event launching her “Shaping Us” early childhood campaign in 2023. Kate Middleton also rewore the favorite blazer and matching trousers as she welcomed the Red Roses to the royal residence following their victory over Canada at Twickenham in September 2025.