Photo screenshot: FTD News YOUTUBE/Every Time Meghan Markle Wore Princess Diana's Jewelry
Meghan Markle wore Princess Diana’s diamond and sapphire earrings Friday, August 7, while attending a gala in Victoria, British Columbia with Prince Harry celebrating 40 years of the David Foster Foundation. The choice marks one of several times Markle has quietly incorporated pieces of Diana’s jewelry into her own wardrobe since joining the royal family, despite never having met her late mother-in-law.
The gala honored music producer David Foster, a longtime friend of the couple. Markle paired Diana’s earrings with a black dress from Canadian designer Greta Constantine, while Harry wore a classic black tuxedo with a matching bow tie. The jewelry choice came roughly two weeks after Markle and Harry shared a rare photo of their children, Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie, visiting Althorp, Diana’s childhood home. That timing suggests the family has spent recent weeks reflecting on Diana’s memory.
How Meghan connects to David Foster and this gala
Foster and his wife, Katharine McPhee, have been friends with the Sussexes for years. In 2019, Foster helped arrange a private stay for the couple at a mansion on Vancouver Island as they considered stepping back from royal duties. He has described the gesture as personal, tied to his own Canadian roots and connection to the Commonwealth. Later that year, after Markle and Harry relocated to California, the two couples were spotted on a double date in Montecito.
McPhee and Markle first crossed paths decades earlier at the same Los Angeles middle school. McPhee has since described her husband’s bond with Harry as close, comparing it almost to a father-son relationship. Friday’s gala drew a wider circle of Foster’s famous friends, including Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger, entrepreneur Jim Treliving and singer Loren Allred, ahead of a private dinner.
Foster founded his charitable foundation in 1986 after his mother asked him to help a Victoria girl awaiting a liver transplant. The foundation has since supported roughly 1,600 Canadian families with children needing transplants, now assisting more than 100 families each year. A free concert followed Saturday at the Victoria Inner Harbour, featuring Foster, McPhee, CeeLo Green and Josh Groban, along with fireworks and a flyover from Royal Canadian Air Force jets.
Why this is not the first time Meghan has worn Diana’s jewelry
Markle has worn pieces from Diana’s collection on several previous occasions. During a 2024 trip to Nigeria, she wore a gold cross necklace reported to have belonged to Diana. A year earlier, she was seen wearing Diana’s Cartier watch while hiking.
Markle has spoken publicly about feeling a connection to Diana despite the two never meeting. In an April interview, she said she found comfort in comparisons Harry has drawn between his mother and his wife, particularly around warmth, empathy and confidence. She added that she wished she could have met her.
What this trip says about the Sussexes and Canada
Canada has held personal significance for the couple well before Friday’s gala. Markle was living in Toronto filming a television series when their relationship began, and the pair made their first public appearance together at the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto. They spent their first holiday season as a family of three in Vancouver in 2019 and returned for the 2025 Invictus Games as well, making this latest visit part of a longer, established pattern of ties to the country.
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