Princess Charlotte's Trooping The Colour 2025 Accessory Had A Secret Meaning

Trooping the Colour hasn't been quite the same since Queen Elizabeth II's death, but today, Princess Charlotte warmed hearts when she was spotted wearing a diamond horseshoe brooch, which pundits quickly recognized as the same one the young princess wore to her great-grandmother's funeral in 2022. Queen Elizabeth II and Charlotte reportedly shared a very sweet relationship, and it seems the young royal made sure to let the world know that she's thinking of her "gan-gan," as she called the queen, on this special day.

Queen Elizabeth gifted the brooch to Charlotte before her death. It's a family heirloom that first belonged to the queen's mother, also named Elizabeth. For the monarch, the brooch was special because of its association with horses (she used to be quite the equestrian in her youth). Charlotte reportedly loves horses as much as her gan-gan did and is taking riding lessons. We suspect the queen would be proud — Prince William certainly is, with sources saying he was "thrilled" when his daughter decided to take up the sport (via The Times). Princess Catherine, meanwhile, isn't as big a fan of horses but reportedly supports Charlotte's passion for them. After all, it runs in the family.  

Kate Middleton previously revealed that the queen was thrilled when she and Prince William had a girl. "I think as soon as we came back here to Kensington, she was one of our first visitors here," the princess said in the 2016 ITV documentary "The Queen at Ninety" (via People).

Princess Charlotte wasn't the only one who paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at the 2025 Trooping the Colour. Her mother, Princess Catherine, who is known for favoring sentimental pieces of jewelry, also made a sweet gesture to the late monarch by wearing the Bahrain Pearl Drop earrings. These earrings were crafted using pearls that Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, received as a wedding gift from the monarch of Bahrain in 1947.

Kate Middleton has been the fortunate owner of these priceless earrings since 2016 and has worn them on several occasions, even more so after the monarch's death. Bethan Holt, who has authored several books about the royal family's fashion choices, told People that Kate likely favors the earrings because of their sentimental value. "It's a symbol of mourning a monarch but also a grandmother or great-grandmother," Holt said. Kate previously wore the queen's pearl-and-diamond earrings as a tribute to the monarch on the first anniversary of her death. These, too, were first debuted by the princess in 2016, when she wore them on a trip to the Netherlands. 

Not only did both Princess Charlotte and Princess Catherine honor the late Queen Elizabeth II with their choice of special accessories, they also coordinated their outfits for the event. Princess Catherine wore an aquamarine dress designed by Catherine Walker, whom Princess Diana admired greatly, and Charlotte looked every bit her mother's daughter in a baby blue dress. Catherine's dress featured a white collar, and Charlotte's dress echoed this design with a white belt. 

Both princesses opted to style their hair in braids, with Catherine sporting a braided chignon. Charlotte, showing off her long locks, had her hair pulled back from her face with a simple braid.

Catherine and Charlotte are known for their matching looks at these events. At the 2024 Trooping the Colour, Catherine opted for white attire embellished with black ribbons. Charlotte, in turn, wore a black dress with white accents, once again echoing her mother's look. Fans were eager to get a glimpse of Catherine at Trooping the Colour that year since she'd been absent from the public sphere for an extensive period following her cancer diagnosis.