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Kate and Meghan honour late Queen by wearing her jewellery for London coffin procession

The Princess of Wales and Duchess of Sussex pay tribute to the late Queen by wearing her jewellery for the procession in London, 14 September, 2022. (Getty Images)
The Princess of Wales and Duchess of Sussex wore the late Queen's jewellery for the procession in London, 14 September, 2022. (Getty Images)

Both the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex honoured the late Queen during the ceremonial procession in London today by wearing her jewellery.

Kate, 40, was seen wearing the late monarch's diamond leaf brooch with a trio of pearls, which Queen Elizabeth II wore during a concert on her 73rd birthday in Seoul, 21 April 1999.

Kate has worn the brooch before: she first wore it in July 2017 at the Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Belgium, as part of a series of commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele.

The Princess of Wales was driven behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II. (Getty Images)
The Princess of Wales was driven behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II. (Getty Images)

It was no doubt carefully selected as 'white' jewels are thought to be worn for mourning, with her wearing it again for the annual Festival of Remembrance at Royal Albert Hall in 2018, marking the centenary of the end of World War I.

While it is unknown who exactly originally owned the brooch, it is thought to be a fairly recent creation, as described by The Court Jeweller, with the late monarch loaning it to her daughter-in-law.

Diamond experts at UK retailer Steven Stone also detail that the pearls are placed in the centre of a pave-set leaf, with close up shots suggesting the piece appears to be made partly of yellow gold. They have valued the piece at approximately £60,000.

During the procession on Wednesday, Kate also wore Diana, Princess of Wales' Collingwood pearl drop earrings, as she did at the event in Belgium.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex depart after the procession for the lying in state of Queen Elizabeth II. (Getty Images)
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex depart after the procession for the lying in state of Queen Elizabeth II. (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Meghan paid tribute to the late Queen by wearing the pearl and diamond earrings she gifted her in 2018, before their first engagement together at Mersey Gateway Bridge in Cheshire.

The monarch also loaned her the Queen Mary's diamond bandeau tiara from her personal collection to wear at her wedding to the Duke of Sussex on 19 May, 2018.

Kate has adopted many jewels over the years. Most notably, these include a diamond necklace first gifted to the Queen by the Nizam of Hyderabad which Kate wore at London's National Portrait Gallery, and a Cartier Halo tiara she wore for her wedding to William, first gifted by King George VI to the Queen Mother who then passed it down to her daughter.

Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales and Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales leave after a service for the reception of Queen Elizabeth II's coffin at Westminster Hall, in the Palace of Westminster in London on September 14, 2022, where the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, will Lie in State. - Queen Elizabeth II will lie in state in Westminster Hall inside the Palace of Westminster, from Wednesday until a few hours before her funeral on Monday, with huge queues expected to file past her coffin to pay their respects. (Photo by Ben Stansall / POOL / AFP) (Photo by BEN STANSALL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
The Prince and Princess of Wales after a service for the reception of Queen Elizabeth II's coffin at Westminster Hall, also on September 14, 2022. (Getty Images)
The Queen, on her 73rd birthday, and the Duke Of Edinburgh (R) meet Lesley Garrett (L) on stage, after the British soprano led the hall singing Happy Birthday to the Queen at the close of a special concert held in her honour in Seoul, South Korea.   (Photo by Fiona Hanson - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)
The late Queen with Prince Philip and Lesley Garrett on her 73rd birthday at a concert in Seoul, South Korea, April 1999. (Getty Images)

The procession transported the Queen's coffin from Buckingham Palace, starting at 2.22pm, to Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament to lie in state.

Prince Harry and William walked behind the coffin along with their father, uncles and aunt while Kate and Meghan travelled by car. Kate sat in the same car as the Queen Consort while Meghan accompanied Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends the commemorations at the Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery on July 31, 2017 in Ypres, Belgium.  The commemorations mark the centenary of Passchendaele - The Third Battle of Ypres.  (Photo by Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)
The Princess of Wales attends Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Ypres Belgium on July 31, 2017. (Getty Images)

Kate first met the late Queen at the wedding of William's cousin Peter Phillips to Autumn Kelly on 17 May, 2008, although William wasn't there himself.

Meghan opened up about when she officially met her husband's grandmother during her interview with Oprah Winfrey, which she said occurred in Windsor after the late monarch finished a church service. The duchess memorably recalled it involved some last-minute curtsey practice.

Queen Elizabeth II sitts and laughs with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex during a ceremony to open the new Mersey Gateway Bridge on June 14, 2018 in the town of Widnes in Halton, Cheshire, England. Meghan Markle married Prince Harry last month to become The Duchess of Sussex and this is her first engagement with the Queen. During the visit the pair will open a road bridge in Widnes and visit The Storyhouse and Town Hall in Chester.  (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth II and Duchess of Sussex during the opening of new Mersey Gateway Bridge Widnes in Halton, Cheshire, June 14, 2018. (Getty Images)

Watch: Rehearsals underway for Queen's funeral