After a brutally difficult 2024, Kate Middleton has finally had some respite in the past month. Having faced the ordeal of a cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment, the Princess of Wales spent much of the year out of the public eye.
However, since ending her treatment, she has started to re-emerge and looked in great spirits as the royals gathered at Sandringham for Christmas. And today, January 9, she will celebrate her 43rd birthday with Prince William, 42, and their three children, George, 11, Charlotte, 9, and Louis, 6.
There are bound to be plenty of heartfelt presents for the princesses from her loved ones. But one gift will hold extra significance for the Princess of Wales.
Kate made headlines in October 2023 when she wore ‘Issy Star’ earrings made by Scottish jewellery brand Ear Sass for World Mental Health Day. The £26 18-carat gold-plated earrings were a gift to Kate from the brand’s founder Sophie McGown, who had created them as a tribute to her cousin Issy Phipps, who had taken her own life just a few months previously.
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Now Ear Sass, set up during lockdown, has designed a new a set of rose gold earrings to honour Kate on her birthday. The ‘Catherine’ earrings cost £27 with £5 from every purchase going to the mental health charity Brave Mind.
Ms McGown said Kate wearing the earrings had a huge impact on the business and helped raise £17,000 for Brave Mind after a big spike in sales, reports the Daily Mail. She said: “Having Catherine’s support feels beyond words, especially after she wore the Issy Star earrings on World Mental Health Day.
Kate wore the Issy Star earrings to an event to mark World Mental Health Day
“To say it meant the world to us as a family would be an understatement. It wasn’t just that she wore the earrings – it was the way she did it, with the utmost compassion and thoughtfulness.”
She added: “When Catherine first wore the earrings, it was so surreal. But reality soon hit as orders poured in. We received over 2,000 in just two days after her second appearance at a SportsAid event, allowing us to donate £10,000 to Brave Mind.
“I still can’t believe that we got through all that, but we did. It was phenomenal and Issy’s mum and friends all came and helped us pack to help us cater to demand and get the orders out on time.”
Kate had been gifted the earrings by Issy’s mum Sarah when she visited Issy’s rugby club in Worcester. Ms McGown said the princess “responded with such warmth and compassion” and embraced Sarah “like only another mother could”.
The earrings are inspired by Catherine’s ‘refined yet approachable nature’
(Image: Ear Sass website)
But they were still left overwhelmed when she wore them on World Mental Health Day. She said: “She used that moment to tell the world how much she cared and to show how deeply she supports others. Catherine’s kindness and support have been nothing short of remarkable, and her gesture will forever hold a special place in our hearts.”
Kate has been presented with a pair for her birthday and Issy’s family hope she will wear them in public at some point. Explaining the design, Ms McGown said: “I wanted the design to reflect her refined yet approachable nature, capturing the essence of beauty in its simplest form.
“The earrings are a tribute to her elegance and grace, with a design that is both subtle and striking, much like the Princess herself.” Go to the Ear Sass website for more information.
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