It was a black tie evening to remember as Kate Middleton and Prince William arrived on the 2026 BAFTAs red carpet on February 22. The Princess of Wales chose to re-wear a blush-pink gown for the occasion—and accessorized with a number of dazzling diamond pieces from the royal collection.
Alongside the Greville Chandelier Earrings—gifted to the then-Princess Elizabeth on her wedding to Prince Philip—Middleton opted for the rarely-seen Queen Mary Choker Bracelet, which is a truly extraordinary piece only reserved for the most glittering of royal occasions.
As the name suggests, the piece was originally designed for Mary of Teck, wife of King George V. Composed of diamond bars in an art deco design, the piece was created in the 1920s, around the time when it was notably worn by Queen Mary in a portrait. Although it was worn as a choker on that occasion, it is not known whether it was originally designed as a bracelet or a choker—although it has certainly become more popular as a bracelet in recent years.
After the death of Queen Mary in 1953, the choker was not seen again for more than 20 years, when it reappeared on the wrist of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, in portraits marking her 75th birthday, notes the Royal Watcher. After her death in 2002, the bracelet was inherited by Queen Elizabeth II.
However, it is in the last decade that it has found a new royal fan: Kate Middleton, who first wore the piece as a bracelet for the Chinese state banquet in 2015. The then-Duchess of Cambridge dazzled in the piece, wearing it with the Lotus Flower Tiara and an elegant red gown. It has been worn on a handful of formal occasions in the years since, including a charity gala in 2016, on a state visit to Paris in 2017 and the Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace in 2018.
