Which jewels will Kristen Stewart wear in her portrayal of Princess Diana?
The famous sapphire engagement ring, the Spencer family tiara, the Cartier watch – but will the Twilight star shine in the role of her career?
Recent news that Twilight actress Kristen Stewart is cast to play Princess Diana in the upcoming movie Spencer was met with mixed feelings.
The movie centres around the emotional turmoil of the late princess the weekend she realised her marriage was over.
The film’s director Pablo Larraín is confident in his casting, and in an interview with CNN called Stewart “one of the great actors around today” and that her ability to play a range of emotions from “very mysterious and very fragile and ultimately very strong as well” was what landed her the role.
There’s no information as to which year the film will be set, though we do know Princess Diana and Prince Charles’ separation was announced in December 1992.
Here, we take a look at some jewellery pieces from important moments in Charles and Diana’s marriage and take a wild guess about which pieces will be recreated for Stewart’s portrayal on the big screen.
Garrard sapphire and diamond engagement ring
Instead of picking something from the queen’s jewellery box, Charles bought a sapphire and diamond engagement ring from British jeweller Garrard’s permanent collection for his proposal to Diana. Diana kept the ring after her divorce from Charles. After she passed away, Harry got the ring, which he eventually traded with William for Diana’s gold Cartier Tank watch when William expressed his desire to propose to Kate.
Will we see this in the film?
An important symbol of her marriage to Charles, it’s likely a replica of this ring will make an appearance in the movie.
The Spencer tiara
A piece in the Spencer family since the 1930s, it was said to be fashioned into its current form from several diamond jewellery pieces passed down through generations in the Spencer family. Diana’s sisters both wore this tiara at their weddings. In a move that surprised many, Diana too chose to wear this piece on her big day, despite the arsenal of diadems available to her as part of the queen’s collection.
The tiara belonged to Diana’s father, the 8th Earl Spencer. It was later passed down to Diana’s brother Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer. Diana wore the piece many more times after her wedding. The piece has not been seen in public since her death.
Will we see this in the film?
Surely, there will be flashbacks to the fairy tale wedding of the royal couple. After all, it was one of the most-watched televised events in history with an estimated 750 million viewers in 74 countries.
The sapphire brooch necklace
This was one of the most famous necklaces Diana owned, the design was modified from a brooch from the queen mother. The necklace had two very famous moments in the media, one being her dance with John Travolta in 1985 during her visit to the White house.
The other time the necklace made headlines was in 1994. Diana wore it with the off-shoulder chiffon, above the knee number, the so-called “revenge dress”, to an event at the Serpentine Gallery in London on the same night Prince Charles acknowledged his long-time affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles on television.
Will we see this in the film?
Diana stepping out in that dress marked an important moment of vindication for the late princess – Charles finally owning up to what she knew all these years. This event, however, takes place two years after the announcement of the separation, so we are not sure how that will fit into the storytelling.
Cartier Tank watch and gold earrings
In a televised interview in November 1995 when she famously said, “There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded”, Diana wore a pair of gold earrings with her favourite Cartier watch. It’s the same watch William traded for Kate’s engagement ring with Harry.
Will we see this in the film? The Cartier Tank Watch was pretty much her daily timepiece, so it’s likely we will be seeing this number.
Asprey aquamarine ring
Diana commissioned Asprey London to create this emerald-cut aquamarine ring shortly after her divorce. She swapped her sapphire engagement ring for this one, which she regularly wore on her ring finger. Prince Harry gave Meghan Markle the ring and she wore it on her wedding day.
Will we see this in the film?
Depending on where the storyline takes us, if there are scenes of Diana post-divorce, Stewart is likely to be sporting this significant symbol of the late princess’ severed relationship with Charles and the British royal family.