What the Royals' Favorite Watches Say About Them
Queen Elizabeth is never seen without a handbag tucked neatly under her arm–or a beautiful gold timepiece on her wrist. A true watch aficionado, the Queen even insisted on wearing a timepiece at her coronation in 1953. Knowing she couldn’t be caught checking the time on this all-important occasion, the Queen wisely chose a jeweled Jaeger-LeCoultre bracelet watch with a concealed dial. Her horological prowess didn’t go unnoticed among her family members, who have strategically chosen watches to make subtle—and sometimes not so subtle—statements.
Here, the royals' favorite watches.
Prince Charles's Parmigiani Fleurier Toric
Known for his impeccable sartorial style, Prince Charles has a watch collection that expresses the same attention to detail, craftsmanship, and heritage as his clothing choices do. These days, one of his favorites is an 18-karat gold Parmigiani Fleurier Toric, which he wore to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding. His impressive collection includes examples from the finest Swiss watchmakers, including the iconic Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, a Cartier Santos, a custom Breguet that was a 60th birthday present, and Patek Philippe’s Calatrava Disco Volante—a model that Diana was known to borrow.
Queen Elizabeth’s Jaeger-LeCoultre 101
The Queen favors uniquely feminine timepieces, like the Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 101 she wore for her coronation. In addition to a style statement, it was a technical achievement: even today, the elegant diamond bracelet houses the world’s smallest watch movement. But perhaps her most revealing watch is her ultra-feminine Patek Philippe timepiece with a pearl bracelet and a diamond-set bezel. The practical Queen is also a collector of tried-and-true classics like the Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse, Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, and Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars. She's even been known to share her collection. The British monarch gave her Vacheron Constantin gold and diamond model (which had been a wedding gift from the Swiss Federation Council in 1947) to Princess Diana after she married Prince Charles.
Prince Harry’s Rolex Explorer II
Prince Harry’s watch preference is, not surprisingly, more rebellious than the rest of the family’s choices. Once he became part of the Army Air Corps, he acquired a Rolex Explorer II timepiece with a GMT function, a chunky stainless steel model with features useful for pilots. The royal also possesses a bold Breitling Aerospace Advantage, a special-edition watch that is available to a certain class of pilots who have completed combat missions.
Meghan Markle’s Cartier Tank
Back before she was a Duchess, Meghan Markle purchased a two-tone Cartier Tank watch and had “To M.M. From M.M” engraved on the back in celebration of her acting success. That timepiece was a clear signal that she wants to celebrate her independence.
Prince William’s Omega Seamaster Professional
Prince William almost exclusively wears his Omega Seamaster Professional, and for good reason. It was gift from his mother, Princess Diana, which he wore on his wedding day and nearly every day since. The future king could certainly afford a gold timepiece, but he chooses the classic Quartz 300M in stainless steel with a blue dial for its obvious sentimental value.
Kate Middleton’s Cartier Ballon Bleu
Kate Middleton’s watch of choice is a classic Cartier Ballon Bleu. Like her husband, she doesn’t appear to change her watch too often, and obviously likes the understated elegance of the stainless-steel timepiece.
Princess Diana’s Patek Philippe
An original style-setter, Princess Diana also had good taste in watches and even adopted her own innovative way of wearing them. At a polo match in 1981, she wore two watches on the same wrist: Prince Charles’ Patek Philippe Disco Volante and another gold Patek Philippe timepiece that he gave her for her 21st birthday. At the time, she explained that she wore them to wish him luck in the match.
She was also a fan of Cartier’s classic models, including a gold Tank Francaise, which Meghan Markle has recently been spotted wearing. But Diana was photographed most in a gold Tank Cartier with an alligator strap. This simple and streamlined model was also a favorite of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Andy Warhol, and countless other fashion icons.
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