The glittering royal history of the Princess of Wales' chandelier earrings at the Oman state banquet

The Princess of Wales dazzled in some of her favourite pieces from Queen Elizabeth II's priceless jewellery collection as she arrived alongside Prince William for the Oman state banquet at Windsor Castle on Tuesday evening.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla welcomed Sultan Haitham bin Tarik al Said to Windsor Castle, where they were joined by senior royals including Princess Anne and the Duchess of Gloucester.

The Princess of Wales was resplendent in a yellow Elie Saab gown for the occasion, which she accessorised with the Lover's Knot Tiara and the Queen Mary Choker Bracelet. Adorning her ears were the Greville Chandelier Earrings, which were given to Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding present.

Crafted by Cartier between 1918 and 1929, the pair boast an exquisite Art Deco design, fashioned with modern cut diamonds and set in platinum. They were originally owned by Margaret Greville, a society figure who was a close friend of Queen Mary. When Greville died, the earrings were part of an extraordinary collection of jewels that were bequeathed to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. It was she, along with her husband King George VI, who decided to gift the earrings to the then Princess Elizabeth on her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947.

Appreciating their exquisite design, the Greville Chandelier Earrings became a favourite of Queen Elizabeth II, particularly during the 1950s and 1960s, when she wore them on several occasions.

More recently, however, they have enjoyed a new royal admirer: the Princess of Wales, who has chosen these dazzling diamond for a number of black and white tie occasions. Among the most memorable outings was the 2023 Diplomatic Corps reception, when the Greville jewels proved the perfect accessory for her glittering Jenny Packham gown and Cambridge Lover's Knot tiara. The Princess of Wales also wore them to the Royal Variety Performance in 2025, when they were once again paired with the Queen Mary Choker Bracelet.

As the name suggests, the piece was originally designed for Mary of Teck, wife of King George V. Composed of diamond bars in an art deco design, the piece was created in the 1920s, around the time when it was notably worn by Queen Mary in a portrait. Although it was worn as a choker on that occasion, it is not known whether it was originally designed as a bracelet or a choker – although it has certainly become more popular as a bracelet in recent years.

After the death of Queen Mary in 1953, the choker was not seen again for more than 20 years, when it reappeared on the wrist of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, in portraits marking her 75th birthday, notes the Royal Watcher. After her death in 2002, the bracelet was inherited by Queen Elizabeth II.

In the last decade it has found a new royal fan in the Princess of Wales, who first wore the piece as a bracelet for the Chinese state banquet in 2015. The then Duchess of Cambridge dazzled in the piece, wearing it with the Lotus Flower Tiara and an elegant red gown. It has been worn on a handful of formal occasions in the years since, including a charity gala in 2016, on a state visit to Paris in 2017 and the Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace in 2018. Most recently, it adorned Her Royal Highness' wrist at the Royal Variety Performance in November 2025.