Lilibet, the newest member of the British royal family, was welcomed into the world on June 4th. The pomp and pageantry of royal life was immediately brought into focus with Hello! Magazine’s focus on the Cartier watch that Meghan Markle would one day hand down to her daughter. The British royal family is blessed with some of the most iconic jewelry the world has ever seen, and the younger members of the dynasty are no strangers to that or the wider tradition.
Cartier history
The watch Meghan may one day hand down is part of her own history, yet Cartier has a huge history with the royal family. As Vogue notes, the Duke of Windsor once described his childhood Christmases at the Sandringham estate as “Dickens in a Cartier setting.” Cartier has had a long love affair with the royal family, and one of the most poignant and beautiful pieces of all, Princess Diana’s watch, found its way to Harry following her death.
Fashionable monograms
Another piece of jewelry history touted to become tradition is the wearing of initials as necklaces. Started, potentially, by Diana, the SCMP notes how new members of the family – Meghan and Kate included – have now started wearing this jewelry, albeit with their children’s names rather than their own. A more simple, yet elegant style, keen watchers of the royals might expect to see this trend carried on down the years in subtle ways.
Gentle nods
This subtlety is carried in more flashy pieces too. British newspapers have reported on the appearance of what is an estimated GB£250k value necklace worn by Sophie, Countess of Wessex. While eye-catching, it has subtle initials – like those worn by many others in the family – and gives a real link back to her family while still having that show-stopping, glamorous nature to it. Pairing that quieter and more subdued nature of jewelry with a nod to the history of the crown jewels and everything they represent is something that can be seen in pieces like this, and will continue to represent the royal children – and, one day, be handed down to them.
As more royal generations are born, there’ll be new stories and new jewels to hand down. Meghan’s Cartier isn’t a classic piece, but it just so happens to fit right in with the jewels that are there already.
