Pregnant Duchess joins A-listers who have worn the stones Baftas 2018

The Duchess of Cambridge broke ranks with her fellow Bafta attendees last night by not wearing a black dress in support of the Time's Up movement, but it seems that Kate may have been showing her solidarity in a subtle but significant way.

Pregnant Kate, 36, was criticised on social media for not wearing a black outfit, but significantly she teamed her dark green Jenny Packham gown with a dazzling emerald and diamond jewellery set.

Last month, stars arrived en masse at the Golden Globes dressed in black to support Hollywood's backlash against sexual harassment, with many also accessorising with emeralds because of the significance of the stone as a symbol of 'hope, renewal and growth'.

Debra Messing, Zoe Kravitz and Catherine Zeta Jones were just some of the stars who wore the precious stone which was a talisman of Alexander the Great and Aristotle, who identified emeralds as a symbol of victory.

Although the Royal Family is meant to avoid political statements, royal watchers have also interpreted the black sash on Kate's dress as well as her matching shoes and clutch as a subtle nod to her backing for the Time's Up movement.

Of course, the Duchess made sure to pull out all the stops for her red carpet appearance with experts estimating her jewellery set cost at least a million.

Stephanie Lee of London-based jewellers Ntinga told Femail: 'The Duchess of Cambridge wore a stunning Columbian Emerald and diamond suite made up of four approximately 20-25ct Emeralds surrounded by a what appears to be cluster of marquise and round cut diamonds in a triple row drop collar.

 

'The matching earrings had been modified from a drop pair she had worn in 2014 to made a large cluster earring with an emerald set in the centre of diamonds and a matching cuff.

'We would have thought this suite would be valued within the seven figured price bracket.'  It was the most openly political Bafta night in its history, with all the female nominees urged to follow the example of last month's Golden Globes awards and wear all-black.

Several actresses brought feminist activists as their guests, including prominent gay rights campaigners, trades unionists and two women who were involved in the equal pay protests at Dagenham in the 1960s.

Royal protocol dictates that family members should not make political statements and this is believed to be the reason behind the Duchess' decision to shy away from a black gown. Some had speculated ahead of the event that she might choose a patterned black gown as a compromise.

Emulate Kate's evening look in a Jenny Packham gown

The Duchess of Cambridge made an appearance at the BAFTAs this weekend. As usual she was keeping up her fashion icon status by wearing British brand Jenny Packham and not for the first time. The designer is a go-to for Kate when attending big events and this elegant gown is another memorable look.

She stunned in a deep green maxi gown that billowed to the floor thanks to the empire waist design. It featured cap sleeves with a wrap over bodice that was simply finished with a black ribbon waistband. The flattering design of the dress is a signature for Jenny Packham with the Duchess previously wearing similar versions.

 

To finish her look, she chose a pair of Prada wave cut out pumps and the modern diamond and emerald demi-parure jewellery she debuted back in 2014.

This gown is a custom made creation, but shop the current Jenny Packham collection for yourself by clicking the link (right). Or if you're feeling inspired, recreate Kate's green look with a dress from the likes of Quiz, Kalita and Chi Chi London.

Others came to the Duchess' defence and pointed to the muted colour of her gown as being a subtle nod to the politically-charged dress code. The Duchess previously wore the stunning earrings during her official visit to New York in 2014, while pregnant with Princess Charlotte.

The earrings are adjustable and can either be worn as studs or drop earrings.The emerald is said to inspire 'an ongoing search for meaning, justice, compassion, and harmony' according to the experts at Crystal Vaults.