Kate Middleton's Expensive Accessory Distracts From Cold Outing With Prince William

On a brisk December 3, the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Kate Middleton, braved the cold to welcome the Emir of Qatar and his wife. Middleton, as usual, looked amazing, dressed in deep scarlet-maroon — a hue meant to evoke the colors of Qatar's flag. Due to the plunging winter temperatures, Middleton wisely chose warm leather boots and a gorgeous coat dress designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. (Eagle-eyed Royal Family fans will note this is the same woman who designed Middleton's wedding dress.) However, the real star of the show was the gorgeous pearl choker Middleton wore.

The Four-Row Japanese Pearl Choker — which boasts a breezy $29,000 price tag — has a storied history and is often worn by Middleton as a tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II. She paired it nicely with the gorgeous Chanel Art Nouvelle Small Flap Bag. However, the accessories did not completely distract from just how tired and somber both Middleton and Prince William appeared. Although Middleton is well on the road to recovery and her appearance today indicates she is slowly coming back to her royal duties, something still appeared a bit off between the couple.

Even Kate Middleton's bedazzled jewelry couldn't hold up to the cold shoulder her husband, Prince William, seemed to give her. While King Charles, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and Qatar's royal couple, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani, lined up to shake hands, Prince William's body language appeared slightly off. It could have something to do with the history of the necklace Middleton was wearing.

According to The Court Jeweller, the four-strand pearl choker necklace was created with pearls that were a gift from the Japanese government to Prince William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. Not just this, but in 1982, Queen Elizabeth II loaned the necklace to Prince William's mother, Princess Diana, to wear for an iconic look during a visit from Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. On top of this, Middleton wore the necklace to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Perhaps Prince William's morbid behavior while welcoming the royal Qatari couple could be due to Middleton wearing such a visual reminder of what he's lost. The chilly atmosphere could also simply just be exhaustion for a couple that's gone through quite the year of health battles.

Since Kate Middleton announced the end of her chemotherapy treatments, everyone has still been wondering about her health. Middleton's bouncing back into royal duties can be cumbersome under the weight of recovering from a serious illness, and the general lackluster vibes of both Middleton and Prince William could be just that. After partaking in the outdoor ceremony, the Princess of Wales did not attend the state banquet later in the day. However, Queen Camilla — who has also been dealing with health issues – was able to make it.

For her part, Queen Camilla made sure to wear some beloved jewelry. She also donned some pieces that used to belong to Queen Elizabeth II, wearing a necklace and tiara that both used to belong to her deceased mother-in-law. Queen Camilla has been recovering from a chest infection that's mostly cleared up but has left her still needing to rest and avoid doing anything that could cause a flare-up — like standing outside in the London winter for a prolonged period of time. It could reflect that the Royal Family is behaving like, well, a family. With Middleton taking the duties that Queen Camilla could not, and vice versa. As well as sharing sentimental keepsakes like jewelry.