News:Pearl jewellery is cool again thanks to Princess Kate – and it’s more affordable than you think:see more:

Pearl jewellery has always been a staple of the royals, and right now, it’s everywhere from the high street to street style. Up until a few years ago, pearls had been resigned to nothing more than a string of pearls or the fancy dress essential to wear to a Gatsby themed party.

And thanks to Princess no Kate’s love of a pearl plus some clever reimagining of the traditional jewellery gemstone, we’re seeing pearls in all their glory – from dainty pearls on huggies and delicate rings to large, irregular shaped stones on chunky gold chains, big, bold pearls on statement earrings and beaded styles too.

Princess Kate is often seen in her go-to pair of Annoushka pearl earrings, whether to a glitzy red carpet event or an informal royal engagement, and relies on classic pearl pieces and modern-skewed pearl jewellery to elevate her look, whatever the occasion. She’s also been known to re-wear the Monica Vinader Nura Pearl Necklace, most recently worn to the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall last November. She accessorised her elegant black coat dress by Alexander McQueen with a pair of Collingwood pearl earrings that once belonged to Princess Diana, and the pearl necklace.

She often wears affordable pearl jewellery mixed with heirloom pieces, including pearl jewellery that once belonged to Queen Elizabeth. Earlier this month, the Princess of Wales wore the late Queen’s four-strand pearl choker necklace, originally gifted to the Queen by the Japanese government during her first visit to Japan in 1975. Designed by Garrard, the official Crown Jeweller, it was also famously worn by Princess Diana and was the meaningful jewellery piece Kate chose to wear to Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.
They’re a beautiful gift to give your mum on Mother’s Day, as they’re beautifully timeless and transcend trends.

How to wear pearls now
Think of pearls as you would gold or silver jewellery – something for everyday, for special occasions and just because. I love how contemporary pearl pieces are designed to fit into an everyday uniform of jeans and T-shirts, with pearls designed to sit flat against the skin or as additions to hoops. Pearl studs are of course, forever chic, and look just as elegant enveloped in a structural gold shape as they do left alone, or as a drop pendant on hoop earrings (like Princess Kate).

Don’t be afraid to go classic, like Kate, with drop pearl pendants, simple pearl earrings or a single strand of pearls. I love the look of layering a single pearl strand with a diamond tennis necklace, or adding a single pearl stud to your earring stack.

Don’t be afraid to go classic, like Kate, with drop pearl pendants, simple pearl earrings or a single strand of pearls. I love the look of layering a single pearl strand with a diamond tennis necklace, or adding a single pearl stud to your earring stack.

Don’t be afraid to go classic, like Kate, with drop pearl pendants, simple pearl earrings or a single strand of pearls. I love the look of layering a single pearl strand with a diamond tennis necklace, or adding a single pearl stud to your earring stack.

As Kate proves, these days, pearls are considered as cool as they are classic – from high street pearl jewellery to designer pieces, there’s plenty of pearl jewellery to choose from.