Catherine, Princess of Wales Revives Historic Amethyst Necklace for Digger Premiere
Catherine, Princess of Wales brought a century-old necklace back into public view at the world premiere of Digger in London.
She attended the premiere with William, Prince of Wales, at the ODEON Luxe Leicester Square. The couple greeted actor Tom Cruise and director Alejandro G. Iñárritu on the carpet. The Times
The princess wore a floor-length gown in royal purple by Jenny Packham. Packham is a British designer the princess has worn for official dinners and red carpets for years. The dress had long sleeves and a flowing skirt.
The color matched the jewelry. That was the story of the night.
What makes this stand out is the necklace. It was the Queen Mother's Amethyst Sautoir Necklace, a long necklace set with amethysts, diamonds and pearls. Sautoir is a jewelry term for a long chain or strand that often ends in a pendant. Town & Country
The piece has a direct family history. It was a wedding gift in 1923 from Queen Alexandra to Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Bowes-Lyon later became the Queen Mother, the mother of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The necklace had not been seen in public for more than a decade. It was last worn by Queen Camilla, the wife of King Charles III, when she was still Duchess of Cornwall. She wore it to the premiere of the James Bond film Skyfall in 2012.
Royal premieres in London are working events, not just photo calls. The prince is president of BAFTA, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and the couple often meets cast, crew and charity partners tied to the film.
