Kate Middleton was at her glamorous best in the blush pink gown as she made her triumphant return to the awards ceremony
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The Princess of Wales of Wales has made a triumphant return to BAFTA after a two-year hiatus.
Kate Middleton looked every inch the fairytale princess in an ethereal, off-the-shoulder chiffon gown by Gucci as she arrived on the arm of her dapper husband, Prince William, who coordinated in a velvet burgundy tuxedo jacket.
The romantic gown was a frothy, floor-length, flowing number with a crisscrossed V-neck tying together several shades of pink – from a deep rose to the palest blush – and finished with a velvet belt in a sumptuous shade of plum.
The Princess of Wales’ chestnut curls cascaded over her shoulder and Catherine appeared to look particularly bronzed, suggesting the Wales family might have recently returned from a sun-soaked half-term break.
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The Prince and Princess of Wales were a pink-hued dream as they made their triumphant return to the BAFTAs
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It marks a rare departure from Catherine’s tried-and-tested stable of British labels, particularly long-time favourites Alexander McQueen and Jenny Packham (both of which she has worn to the BAFTAs).
The Princess of Wales first wore the Gucci evening gown at the 100 Women in Finance gala dinner at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in February 2019. On that occasion Kate, then the Duchess of Cambridge, accessorised with Oscar de la Renta heels and morganite earrings by Kiki McDonough, which she previously wore to her sister Pippa Middleton‘s wedding.
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The Princess of Wales was at her show-stopping best with cascading curls and the off-the-shoulder gown
Tonight, however, it was a duo of diamond-encrusted heirlooms that proved the perfect finishing touch for her pink gown.
When Kate tucked her hair behind her shoulder, she revealed a dazzling glimpse of the Greville Chandelier Earrings. Crafted by Cartier between 1918 and 1929, the pair boast an exquisite Art Deco design, fashioned with modern cut diamonds and set in platinum. They were originally owned by Margaret Greville, a society figure who was a close friend of Queen Mary. When Greville died, the earrings were part of an extraordinary collection of jewels that were bequeathed to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. It was she, along with her husband King George VI, who decided to gift the earrings to the then Princess Elizabeth on her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947.
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Appreciating their exquisite design, the Greville Chandelier Earrings became a favourite of Queen Elizabeth II, particularly during the 1950s and 1960s, when she wore them on several occasions.
More recently, however, they have enjoyed a new royal admirer: the Princess of Wales, who has chosen these dazzling diamond for a number of black and white tie occasions. Among the most memorable outings was the 2023 Diplomatic Corps reception, when the Greville jewels proved the perfect accessory for her glittering Jenny Packham gown and Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara.
