It's no secret that Britain's Royal Family is partial to family heirlooms with secret meanings; a trip through Buckingham Palace is like an IRL version of Clue, only with less murder and a lot more oil paintings. Still, finding out about the hidden significance behind these storied objects never gets old — and today's installment of royal revelations is super-sweet.
As it turns out, Kate Middleton's engraved necklace — a gift from sister Pippa after the birth of Prince George — was designed to resemble Princess Diana's own necklace, The Mirror reports. Given to Kate in 2013, the dainty gold necklace features a disc etched with "George Alexander Lewis" and a small charm in the shape of a little boy. Also on the necklace? A small heart charm emblazoned with a "W" in honor of Prince William.
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The necklace was sent to Pippa Middleton by Merci Maman, a London-based online boutique specializing in custom jewelry. In a touching twist, the piece was specifically designed to a gold pendant necklace of Princess Diana's, which bore the name of her son Prince William.
"Upon the birth of Prince William in 1982, Prince Charles gave Diana the gift of a gold pendant engraved their new son’s name, which she always wore close to her heart," Merci Maman wrote in a blog post. "In 2013, Pippa Middleton continued this family tradition by giving her sister Kate, The Duchess of Cambridge, our Personalized Duchess Necklace to celebrate the birth of Prince George."
Kate has access to the greatest jewelry box of all time (the Crown Jewels, obviously), but she's still been spotted wearing her family charm necklace on numerous occasions. And unlike the priceless Crown Jewels, the Merci Maman necklace comes in at just $129.
While it's unclear if a Charlotte charm has been added to Kate's necklace, a version with charms for both children is currently available for purchase on Merci Maman's website. Customers are also able to add in their own engravings or purchase a replica of Kate's necklace. So, if you're looking to broadcast your love of the Royal Family, this is probably the most stylish tribute we've seen thus far.
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