Princess Diana’s Jewellery: Where Are They Now?

Few people have had as much influence on how we wear jewellery as Diana, Princess of Wales. She wore royal heirlooms and pieces she simply loved with equal ease, and many of her jewels are still worn by the royal family today. Here are ten of the most famous, where they are now as far as is publicly known, and how to find the same spirit in antique jewellery.

1. The initial “D” necklace

Before her engagement, Diana was often photographed wearing a small gold pendant of the letter D, a simple, personal piece that has inspired countless initial necklaces since. Personalised pendants and charms are as popular as ever; see our antique charms.

2. The sapphire engagement ring

Diana’s engagement ring, made by Garrard in 1981, set a large oval Ceylon sapphire in a cluster of fourteen diamonds. Choosing a coloured stone was unconventional at the time, and it made the sapphire cluster one of the most requested ring designs in the world. The ring is now worn by Catherine, Princess of Wales. For the antique equivalent, see our guide to antique sapphire engagement rings.

3. The “revenge” choker

In 1994, on the night her husband’s television interview was broadcast, Diana wore a daring off-the-shoulder black dress with a multi-strand pearl choker set with a large sapphire at its centre. The photographs made headlines around the world, and the choker became one of her signature pieces.

4. The Collingwood pearl earrings

A wedding gift from the London jeweller Collingwood, these pearl and diamond drop earrings were among Diana’s favourites. They have since been worn by Catherine, Princess of Wales, on several important occasions.

5. The Spencer tiara

Diana wore her own family’s tiara, not a royal one, for her wedding in 1981. The Spencer tiara, a design of scrolls, tulips and stars set with diamonds, remains with the Spencer family and has been worn by later Spencer brides.

6. The Saudi sapphire suite

A wedding gift from the Saudi royal family, this suite of sapphire and diamond jewellery included a necklace, earrings, a ring and a bracelet. Pieces from it are understood to have remained in the royal family.

7. The aquamarine ring

After her divorce, Diana bought herself a large emerald-cut aquamarine cocktail ring. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wore it at her wedding reception in 2018, a touching tribute from Prince Harry. Aquamarine has been one of the most requested stones in antique jewellery ever since.

8. The emeralds and the Delhi Durbar parure

Diana famously wore Queen Mary’s Cambridge emerald and diamond choker as a headband in 1985. The emeralds come from the Delhi Durbar parure, made for Queen Mary for the Durbar of 1911, and remain in the Royal Collection.

9. The butterfly earrings

A pair of gold and diamond butterfly earrings that belonged to Diana was worn by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, on the royal tour of Australia in 2018, alongside a butterfly bracelet from the same set.

10. The heart earrings

Diana loved heart-shaped jewellery, and heart earrings and pendants appear again and again in photographs of her. Hearts are one of the great motifs of antique jewellery too, particularly in Victorian and Edwardian gold.

Bonus: the eternity ring

Like many brides, Diana wore an eternity ring alongside her engagement ring. It is one of the simplest and most personal ways to mark an anniversary or a birth, and antique eternity rings are some of the most beautifully made rings there are. See our antique eternity rings.

The legacy of Diana’s jewellery

What makes Diana’s jewellery so enduring is that it was personal. She wore pieces that meant something to her, broke rules when it suited her, and passed her jewels on to be worn and loved by the next generation. That is exactly the spirit of antique jewellery: pieces with a history, chosen with feeling, and worn every day.

Explore the collection

• Sapphire engagement rings
• Aquamarine engagement rings
• Pearl jewellery
• Antique earrings
• Antique eternity rings

Further reading

• The 13 most iconic royal engagement rings
• Why Princess Diana's engagement ring caused controversy
• Kate Middleton's engagement ring: get the look
• Princess Diana's engagement ring: get the look