Kate Middleton Wore Earrings With a Hidden Message for a Post-Chemo Outing

The British royals have a history of sending messages and dropping Easter eggs with their jewelry and accessories. Both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle often pay tribute to their late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, by wearing her special pieces, and much of the family’s crown jewels go even further back.

For her most recent post-chemo outing, Middleton wore super-symbolic gold fern earrings with a hidden message. During Middleton and Prince William’s surprise appearance in Southport on Thursday, the princess wore a long brown coat buttoned over a white-and-maroon polka-dot dress with a pussy-bow collar, which she accessorized with the dainty dangly earrings. It appears that Middleton’s choice of jewelry wasn’t a coincidence.

Ferns are commonly believed to represent new life, resilience, and endurance. This isn’t the first time Middleton has used the plant to depict a hopeful message. Ferns were a motif throughout her video announcing the end of her chemotherapy treatments.

The emotional video, which she shared to social media last month, captured the family in beautiful woodsy setting rich with greenery, including ferns. In the clip, William and Kate walk hand-in-hand with their three kids, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

“As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment,” the princess shared in a voiceover. “The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown.”