The Touching Cartier Connection Between Princess Diana, Prince William, and Kate Middleton

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Along with a laid-back lifestyle and charitable spirit, one of the things Princess Diana passed down to her son Prince William was a love for fine jewelry — especially beautiful Cartier watches. After her divorce from Prince Charles, Diana was frequently photographed wearing a gold Cartier Tank Francaise, a gift from her father, John Spencer. She bought William a similar timepiece from the famed French label, which she had engraved for one of his birthdays. After her death in August 1997, William chose to keep Diana's Cartier Tank as a memento — and in 2014, he gifted Kate Middleton with the Ballon Bleu de Cartier watch for their third wedding anniversary.

Not only was the watch on its own a beautiful way to connect his beloved mother and new wife, but William also went a step further by embedding a sapphire stone into the stainless-steel style to match Kate's engagement ring — which also belonged to Diana. William presented Kate with the Ballon Bleu de Cartier just before they embarked on their tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2014, and she wore it nearly every day that they were there.