With the eyes of the world on her every move, tracking every garment she wears (guilty as charged), Meghan Markle's Colombia tour outfits could send all sorts of messages. For day two of the trip, Duchess Meghan went the sentimental route paying homage to the late Princess Diana by re-wearing her butterfly earrings.
For day two of Meghan Markle's tour through Colombia, August 16, the Sussexes spent the day visiting Colegio La Giralda, an elementary school in Bogotá. The Duchess chose a classic outfit formula consisting of a blazer and button-up over black pants and Chanel ballet flats.
Her clothing echoed the easygoing outfits she wears for dinners in Los Angeles and select engagements, but her jewelry dialed in to something special. She seemed to anchor her jewelry stack in a pair of Princess Diana's butterfly earrings, which the late royal first wore back in 1986 on a state visit to Canada alongside then-Prince Charles. Markle also wore her Cartier Tank watch, a style frequently seen on Princess Diana's wrist as well.
Princess Diana's butterfly earrings, set in gold, were originally styled with a matching choker. She'd also worn the fluttery jewelry set over a cobalt-blue suit and matching hat. Markle's styling in the present leaned away from a matchy-matchy moment, instead coordinating the gold with mixed neutrals and select pieces by Cartier.
A superficial read of Meghan Markle's earrings would call them a fun choice for a school visit. Their meaning is actually much deeper. Diana, Princess of Wales, was famously a kindergarten teacher before assuming a royal title through her marriage to then-Princes Charles. The late Princess had a deep appreciation for children and a special bond with many she met as a working royal—so much so, her memorial statue at Kensington Palace imagines her standing with three children.
Duchess Meghan's decision to re-wear the earrings for a school visit very well reads like a nod to Lady Di's nurturing spirit and former presence in the classroom. They're also a symbol for rebirth, transformation, and hope, three themes pertinent to Markle's conversations about shaping young minds during her ongoing Colombia tour.
Of course, the Bogotá itinerary isn't first time the Duchess of Sussex has returned Princess Diana's butterfly earrings to the public eye.
Meghan Markle debuted her special gift from Prince Harry in 2018, when she wore the butterfly earrings for the couple's official visit to Sydney, Australia. The jewelry was a touching addition to her debut outfit for a public appearance following news that the Sussexes were expecting their first child.
Both Duchess Meghan and Princess Kate, wife to Prince William, have been given meaningful pieces from Princess Diana's archives for their wardrobes. Meghan Markle has also worn a diamond tennis bracelet and aquamarine ring previously belonging to Prince Harry's mother for special occasions.
Markle has also found ways to indirectly reference Princess Diana through her wardrobe. She frequently carries Dior's Lady Dior bag, a purse named for the late Princess of Wales. And on her trip in Colombia, Duchess Meghan has continually worn a Cartier necklace with a history full of rebellious symbolism. It's a fitting choice, even if it's not directly chosen as a tribute: Both women famously challenged royal conventions in their own ways, through their style and beyond.
