When the Princess of Wales began making a return to the public spotlight this autumn, she chose to wear a pair of favorite Catherine Zoraida earrings from her jewelry box. Recently, People shared a fascinating interview with the jeweler—and revealed that there’s another unseen Zoraida piece waiting to be worn by Kate.
When Princess Catherine arrived at the Southport Community Centre in October, she wore an autumnal ensemble accessorized with a pair of golden fern earrings from designer Catherine Zoraida Blackwell. She told People last week that she knows Kate chooses her jewelry very deliberately for moments like the visit. “She’s so good at sending those thoughtful messages,” Blackwell told Monique Jessen. She elaborated, “Ferns are a symbol of endurance, resilience and new beginnings. It’s lovely to see her back, doing what she loves, the things she cares about so much about.”
Kate has been a fan of Blackwell’s handmade jewelry since the very start. The brand, simply called Catherine Zoraida, was first established in 2012. That September, Kate appeared wearing Blackwell’s jewelry for the first time in public. For a gala banquet during a royal tour of Malaysia, the then-Duchess of Cambridge wore the brand’s Double Leaf Earrings and Spread Your Wings Bracelet with a dress from Alexander McQueen during the dinner.
Blackwell revealed to People that Kate’s office had reached out directly to her to inquire about acquiring a few pieces from her new line. ““Her PA got in touch to say, ‘We really like your jewelry and would you be able to send some pieces to the palace?’ I think they were drawn to it because of the nature aspect of my work,” Blackwell explains. Seeing Kate wear her jewelry two weeks later in Malaysia was a thrill. “It was mind-blowing. It really was a dream moment!”
Kate has worn the Double Leaf Earrings on more occasions since acquiring them a decade ago. Two notable appearances came in 2014: during a visit to Uluru as part of a royal tour of Australia and for a Christmas church service near the Sandringham estate.
Kate has also worn more pieces from Catherine Zoraida, including the Fern Hoop Earrings. Above, she wears them with a festive dress for a Christmas party for young people at The Mix in London in December 2016.
The Gold Fern Drop Earrings that Kate wore in Southport back in October have also been in her jewelry box for several years. We notably saw her wear the same earrings for a visit to the Chelsea Flower Show in May 2023, just a few weeks after the coronation.
Blackwell hinted to People that Kate owns even more pieces of Zoraida jewelry. The article shares that “Kate has ordered five pieces from the brand” over the past decade, which means there’s at least one piece of jewelry from the company in Kate’s jewelry box that she hasn’t yet worn in public. Having such a visible and influential person wear jewelry from a brand can greatly raise the profile of the company, and Kate’s association with Zoraida jewelry has helped Blackwell to open her own stand-alone studio in a converted barn in Gloucestershire. “Every so often I get in touch and tell [the Princess] how grateful I am,” Blackwell told People.
Kate has definitely been the most devoted fan of Blackwell’s work, but other members of the British royal family have been spotted in Catherine Zoraida jewelry as well. The Duchess of Sussex memorably wore the brand’s Gold Swallow Stud Earrings during one of her final royal engagements in London in 2020, and People notes Queen Camilla “is a fan of [Blackwell’s] zodiac collection.” Perhaps we can also keep our eyes peeled to see if any Zoraida jewelry pops up on the Queen?
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