The Earrings Kate Middleton Wore To Her Latest Appearance Have A Deeper Meaning

Fashion and politics go hand in hand in a lot of ways. What someone is wearing can send a message, and no one understands that better than Kate Middleton. She's famous for her elegant fashion sense and on-point accessorizing. Sometimes she uses that reputation to bring awareness to certain issues — like the ongoing war in Ukraine. Despite her royal status, Middleton is renowned for recycling or repeating outfits (via Us Weekly). Even her engagement ring has a story as it used to belong to Princess Diana. Clearly, she knows how to let her fashion speak for itself. 

The Duchess of Cambridge made a statement with her choice of accessories during her latest public outing. She wore a pair of gold honeycomb earrings to an event honoring the victims of a terrorist attack on Manchester Arena during an Ariana Grande concert in 2017 (via People). The small detail has more significance than you might realize. 

Specifically, the earrings referenced an important part of Manchester's identity in the wake of the terrorist attack.

The "Manchester worker bee" is a common sight in the city and represents the residents' "hard work ethic" (via Manchester City Council). It's on the city's coat of arms, and you can find bees everywhere from the streets themselves to storefronts, according to Visit Manchester. The bee symbol gained popularity after the 2017 attack on Manchester Arena where 22 people were killed and approximately 60 were injured after an Ariana Grande concert (via The Sun). The bee grew in popularity not just as a symbol of the city itself but also as a sign of solidarity with the victims, according to Radio X.

It's no coincidence, then, that Kate Middleton decided to bring these earrings out for the event. Beyond the city's own messaging, thousands of people — including Grande — got bee tattoos to memorialize the tragedy and its victims. While Middleton, as far as we know, doesn't have a bee tattoo, she's no stranger to the insect. She and her brother are hobbyist beekeepers, according to People. She's even given honey as a gift before, the outlet reported, although she opted for a bouquet of flowers to honor the victims of the Manchester Arena attack.