Princess of Wales surprises at London premiere in purple gown with century-old family jewels

The Princess of Wales made a surprise appearance at the London premiere of Tom Cruise's new film, Digger, on Tuesday evening, wearing an elegant purple gown alongside her husband, Prince William. Catherine chose a long-sleeved silk-chiffon dress in a rich violet shade by Jenny Packham, featuring a pleated skirt and A-line silhouette. She accessorized with an amethyst and pearl necklace, a family heirloom given to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, on her 1923 wedding day. The necklace, last worn by the then Duchess of Cornwall at the 2012 Skyfall premiere, is over 100 years old and adds sentimental value to the look. William, as president of BAFTA, frequently supports the film industry, and the couple previously attended premieres for No Time To Die and Top Gun: Maverick.