The Duchess of Sussex has a really nice jewelry collection. I believe she came into her marriage with some lovely pieces – earrings, rings and bracelets – which were probably accumulated from her actress years, either gifts or smaller pieces she purchased for herself. Her taste in jewelry has always reminded me of Jennifer Aniston’s collection – Meghan and Jennifer Aniston both seem to prefer smaller earrings and delicate-looking pendant necklaces and simple rings, often stacked together. Prince Harry has given Meghan some of his mother’s jewelry too – there’s the fantastic aquamarine ring, and smaller pieces like a pair of butterfly earrings and a nice bangle. When Meghan attended Trooping the Colour, she wore a new eternity band which Harry reportedly gave her for their one-year anniversary. So… how does all of that equal a £600,000 jewelry collection worth more than the Duchess of Cambridge’s collection? I truly do not know. But the Daily Mail is trying to make it into a thing, because look, Meghan is wearing JEWELRY.

When Meghan wore an eternity ring at Trooping the Colour this month, during her first public appearance after the birth of baby Archie, it was clear it had a special significance. Not only is the £4,350 diamond band believed to have been created by Harry Collins, the Queen’s personal jeweller, but it was given to her by her husband to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. The ring is the latest in an extraordinary collection of jewellery that Meghan has amassed in the past year, which has now been valued at a staggering £600,000.

It includes Princess Diana’s £75,000 aquamarine ring that Meghan wore on her wedding day, £60,000 Cartier drop earrings, and a set of £4,275 pearl and diamond earrings which were a gift from the Queen. In fact, the 91-piece collection, which boasts seven necklaces, 23 bracelets, 26 rings and 35 pairs of earrings, is so significant that it eclipses that of her late mother-in-law. But while some items cost as much as a modest home in some parts of the country, Meghan is also a fan of more affordable jewellery, sporting many pieces that can be bought for under £100.

Jeweller Grant Mobley, who valued some of Diana’s heirlooms, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘The Royal Family is one of the best examples of how diamond jewellery can stand the test of time, be passed down from generation to generation, and only grows in emotional and intrinsic value over the years.’

Even the Duchess of Cambridge doesn’t have such an impressive collection: she owns about 60 pieces of jewellery, including Diana’s sapphire engagement ring worth an estimated £300,000, and her ‘Saudi Suite’ – a wedding gift from Crown Prince Fahd which contained a sapphire watch, earrings, bracelet, ring and necklace.

[From The Daily Mail]

I still don’t know how Meghan’s collection is worth £600,000, or how her collection is worth more than Kate’s. The only thing I’ll buy is that Meghan simply has more jewelry than Kate. Meghan has so many smaller pieces which she mixes and matches, stuff which is more appropriate for day events and the kind of meetings and daily activities which make up a professional woman’s work week. Kate, on the other hand, tends to favor larger pieces like her sapphire suite, and larger drop earrings from Kiki McDonough, many of which she picks out for herself. I just think Kate has bigger pieces and more expensive pieces, while Meghan prefers smaller, less expensive stuff, and a lot of it. But the Daily Mail is gonna do their thing and try to get people mad about “Meghan’s spending habits!” and “how dare she wear jewelry!” and “she’s breaking protocol by wearing stackable rings!”

Photos courtesy of WENN, Backgrid and Avalon Red.