How Much Is Kate Middleton's 103-Year-Old Queen Mother Necklace Worth? Rare Royal Jewel Steals Spotlight at Tom Cruise Premiere

The Princess of Wales wore the Queen Mother's 103-year-old Amethyst Sautoir Necklace to the London world premiere of Tom Cruise's Digger on Tuesday, bringing one of the Royal Family's rarely seen jewels back into public view.

The necklace was given to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the future Queen Mother, by Queen Alexandra as a wedding gift in 1923, when she married the Duke of York, later King George VI. While its royal history is documented, there is no confirmed public market valuation for the necklace, with one specialist estimate putting its value at more than $66,000 (about £49,000).

Kate wore the necklace with the Collingwood pearl drop earrings associated with Diana, Princess of Wales, as she attended the premiere with Prince William at the ODEON Luxe Leicester Square. The event was the 73rd Royal Film Performance, held in support of the Film and TV Charity.

Kate Brings Together Two Royal Jewellery Legacies

The Princess of Wales paired the historic necklace with the Collingwood pearl drop earrings worn by Diana. The earrings were given to Diana as a wedding gift in 1981 and were later inherited by Prince William, who gave them to Kate.

William and Kate joined Tom Cruise, director Alejandro G. Iñárritu and members of the cast on the red carpet. The Royal Film Performance supports the Film and TV Charity, which provides support for people working across the UK's film and television industries.

Digger, which stars Cruise alongside Riz Ahmed, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jesse Plemons, is scheduled for release in UK and Irish cinemas on 2 October 2026.

How Much Is the Queen Mother's Necklace Worth?

The necklace does not have a confirmed official market valuation publicly available. Us Weekly cited jewellery specialist The Court Jeweller as estimating its value at more than $66,000, although that figure is an estimate and should not be treated as a formal valuation.

The distinction is important because the necklace is a historic royal heirloom and is not a piece with an established retail or auction price. Its provenance, rarity and association with the Royal Family make a straightforward market comparison difficult.

The necklace's documented history is considerably clearer than its monetary value. Queen Alexandra gave it to Lady Elizabeth in 1923, it became associated with the Queen Mother, and Queen Camilla later wore it publicly at the Skyfall premiere in 2012. Kate has now brought it back into public view at the Digger premiere.

A 1923 Wedding Gift From Queen Alexandra

The Amethyst Sautoir Necklace was displayed among Lady Elizabeth's wedding presents at Buckingham Palace in 1923. A handwritten note from Queen Alexandra accompanied the gift, which features pearls, diamonds and amethysts surrounding a large heart-shaped amethyst pendant.

The necklace was originally made in a two-strand design and was later reconfigured. There are no known photographs of the Queen Mother wearing it, although written records indicate that she wore the piece during the period of court mourning following Queen Alexandra's death in 1925.

The necklace did not appear publicly again until 2012, when Queen Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall, wore the reconfigured piece to the London premiere of Skyfall. Kate's appearance at the Digger premiere marked its return to a public film premiere 14 years later.