Kate Middleton’s Pearl Earrings in New Photo Hint at Meaningful Symbolism Amid Cancer Treatment

Princess Kate Middleton’s pearl earrings might hold significant symbolism as she undergoes cancer treatment.

On Friday, June 14, the Princess of Wales, 42, shared an update on her health in a statement shared via Instagram by Kensington Palace, which included a photo of Kate standing by a tree on the Windsor estate. Along with a pair of dark wash jeans and a tan, pinstripe sports coat, Kate’s Annoushka pearl earrings (officially labeled the Baroque Pearl Earring Drops) stood out against her brown tresses. Elegant and understated, she has worn these earrings to public events since 2012.

According to jewelers at Marahlago, pearls are “often associated with good luck” and are “seen as a symbol of turning something negative into something positive” because of its “unique formation,” wherein an “irritant inside a mollusk shell transforms into a beautiful gemstone.”

In her health update, Kate shared that she was “making good progress” in her treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer.

“I have been blown away by all the kind messages of support and encouragement over the last couple of months. It really has made the world of difference to William and me and has helped us both through some of the harder times,” Kate shared in her statement on Friday.

“I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days,” she continued. “On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.”

Kate attended the Trooping the Colour, the annual birthday celebration for King Charles III, one day after sharing her health update. Present with Kate were her husband, Prince William, and their three children: Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 5. The Princess of Wales’ ears were adorned with a different pair of pearl earrings, which she paired with a white, long-sleeved Jenny Packham dress and a white Philip Treacy headpiece.

Saturday’s Trooping the Colour marked Kate’s first public appearance since undergoing her preventative chemotherapy treatment. She confirmed her diagnosis in March.

“I’m looking forward to attending The King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to join a few public engagements over the summer, but equally knowing I am not out of the woods yet,” Kate said in her statement on Friday. “I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty.”