Kate Middleton's favourite pearl studs make a 2026 comeback for historic event - they're the perfect accessory for any outfit

When she wants to be the epitome of understated elegance the Princess of Wales reaches for pearls and she settled on an old favourite pair of pearl studs for the Installation of Dame Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury. This was a historic moment, as she's the first woman to hold this role in the Church of England’s history.

Kate dressed to suit the serious occasion, going for a smart but simple Prince of Wales checked coat dress, hat and her Cassandra Goad Cavolfiore Earrings. These studs have been in her collection for at least eight years and this is the first time the Princess has worn them so far in 2026, though they’ve been seen a lot before.

Pearl earrings, and particularly studs, are a clever pick for your spring capsule wardrobe as they’re remarkably versatile. Pearls bring a subtle gleam to an outfit without being too showy.

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Bigger earrings are a jewellery trend for 2026 and the Princess’s pair is slightly larger than some of her other staples, whilst still being easy to mix and match with different outfits. Cassandra Goad describes the Cavolfiore style as being inspired by the abundance of fruit and vegetables at Sicilian markets and I can see what they mean about the grape-like cluster design.

The pearls are accentuated by tiny diamonds, though you can’t go wrong with plain pearl studs and these would be a lot more affordable. Alternatively, faux pearl designs can look utterly fabulous and bring the same sense of low-key glamour.

If you go for white or cream pearls like Kate, there’s no outfit or fashion colour trend they won’t complement either. She likes wearing these cluster studs when her ensemble features some kind of white element and then they tie in cohesively.

At the Installation of the Archbishop of Canterbury her outfit was entirely monochrome and the pearls picked up the white in the Prince of Wales check. She’s also styled these cluster studs with a white and navy outfit at Trooping the Colour and a black and white look for the Service of Remembrance in 2018, as well as her pretty lime-green look at Wimbledon in 2023.

Each of these outfits were on the formal side, though pearl studs would work just as well with something more casual like jeans and a shirt. The bigger the earrings are, the more I’d advise keeping them as your only piece of jewellery, as this will look more minimal and chic.

The future Queen only wore a simple cross necklace and her wedding rings as her other accessories for the day. When she met the Archbishop in February she had on her trusty mixed metal earrings, though pearls were perfect for the Installation in a symbolic sense too.

Pearls are often associated with purity, calm, grace and innocence and all of that means that Kate’s favourite pearl studs were a great choice for this religious ceremony. Prince William will one day be Head of the Church of England and faith is very important to the Royal Family, who regularly attend church, especially on holidays like Christmas and Easter.