Kate Middleton’s Jewelry Collaboration: The Story Behind the Royal Touch in Jewelry Design

You know how sometimes you love something so much, like jewelry, fashion, or colors, that you just have to get involved? Like, not just wear it but shape it? That’s exactly what happened with Kate Middleton (now the Princess of Wales), and a jewelry collaboration most people don’t even realize existed, one that began long before she was a global royal figure.

Before Royalty. Before the Zara McDermott Vogue Covers. Before the Tiara Moments…

Back in 2007, long before she wore royal gowns on state occasions, Catherine wasn’t just a stylish young woman with an eye for timeless elegance; she was a jewelry collaborator.

At age 25, Kate was working in London and had just started her foray into fashion design, not as a hobby, but professionally.

And then she got a letter.

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A Phone Call That Almost Wasn’t Real

Jewelry designer Claudia Bradby recalls the moment she first contacted Kate. Not through a stylized email. Not via a polished assistant. But with a simple letter and a call that Kate answered on her phone.

Bradby said she just wanted to collaborate on a piece of jewelry. And when the phone rang, and Kate answered?

“I thought it might be a prank!” — Claudia Bradby, on Kate’s call back.

A now-iconic royal almost didn’t take that call because it sounded too good to be true.

But she did take it. And that call led to a collaboration with the British jewelry brand Junior Jigsaw, specifically on a piece called the Mother and Child Pendant Necklace.

Yes. That Kate Middleton jewelry collaboration.

And while that sounds like fashion history going by in a blur, this wasn’t some quick celebrity endorsement deal. It was personal. Thoughtful. Intentional.

The Necklace Itself: Simple, Meaningful, Lovely

When you picture royal jewelry, your brain probably goes right to tiaras, diamonds the size of tennis balls, and sapphire rings that literally define bridal style. But not this piece.

No. What Kate helped design was subtle, clean, and timeless.

Perfect in its simplicity. The British jeweler recalls that Kim “wanted to develop a necklace with charms that a mum could buy for herself and her daughter, for them to wear together, which I thought was a lovely idea.”

It featured three charms: a silver nugget, a rose quartz, and a pink pearl. Nothing over the top. No royal fanfare. Just beauty with a gentle purpose.

Why those three? There wasn’t a press release declaring their symbolic meaning. Instead, the idea was much gentler: a piece a mother could wear with her daughter. That was intentional, a lasting, quiet celebration of connection.

Bradby explained that Kate was very vocal about what she wanted: a “simple, clean aesthetic.” Not flashy. Not loud. Nothing that takes the spotlight from the person wearing it.

And here’s the thing: twenty years later, this necklace is still selling, still beloved, and still a bestseller for Junior Jigsaw. That’s not a fluke. That’s real demand.

A Collaboration Rooted in Personality

What’s especially striking about this story and this whole jewelry collaboration is how human it is.

Claudia Bradby remembers Kate not as a distant royal figure but as a young woman with clarity and a thoughtful way of working.

She described Kate’s temperament as quiet and discreet, almost the opposite of what you’d expect when designing jewelry that might someday be worn by a princess. Bradby said, “She is obviously a very beautiful and striking woman, but you know how some people can occupy a lot of space, and some people go quietly? I remember thinking she had a charming and quiet nature about her.”

It wasn’t about glitter and cameras. It was about purpose. And that says a lot not just about the necklace itself, but about why Kate’s choices in jewelry over the years resonate with people so deeply.

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Beyond the Collaboration: How Jewelry Has Played a Role in Her Story

Because that 2007 piece isn’t the only jewelry-related story in Kate’s life. Far from it.

Since becoming Princess of Wales, she’s worn everything from pieces with deep sentimental value to heirlooms inherited or loaned from the royal vault.

For example:

• She’s revived historical gems like the Greville Chandelier Earrings (once worn by Queen Elizabeth II).
• She’s worn chains and bracelets from respected British designers.
• And she’s repeatedly spotlighted independent jewelry designers simply by choosing to wear their pieces.

One designer told People that Kate’s support of small British brands is “hugely encouraging,” especially for brands run by women and mothers.

That’s not just a fashion choice. That’s influence that ripples through an industry. And wouldn’t you know it, that “Kate effect” is real. Styles she wears often sell out almost instantly.

Of course, she doesn’t design all of them. Not at all.

Still, her taste? It’s informed by her past, including that early collaboration moment.