Kate Middleton Is ‘So Good at Sending Thoughtful Messages,’ Says Her Go-To Jewelry Designer (Exclusive)

Kate Middleton’s style choices are as symbolic as they are chic.

Stepping out publicly for the first time since completing her cancer treatment, Kate recently wore a pair of discreetly glamorous gold fern earrings that have long been in her collection — but on this occasion held new meaning.

“Ferns are a symbol of endurance, resilience and new beginnings,” Catherine Zoraida Blackwell, the jeweler who made the handcrafted earrings, tells PEOPLE. “It’s lovely to see her back, doing what she loves, the things she cares about so much about.”

The Princess of Wales joined her husband Prince William for an unannounced visit to Southport, England on Oct.10 to meet the families of those affected by the mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed yoga and dance class in July, which left three girls dead and many others injured. The couple not only spent time with the grieving families but also the emergency responders on duty that day.

Wearing a chocolate brown coat from Alexander McQueen worn over a burgundy polka dot shirt dress from Whistles (styled using the belt as a neck tie!), Kate, 42, accessorized with a stack of eternity bands and the gold fern drop earrings, which retail for $214 and are a favorite of the Princess of Wales, having worn them multiples times.

“She’s so good at sending those thoughtful messages and I love that about her. She’s so thoughtful and caring in every way,” adds Blackwell, whose designs have been a go-to for Kate since 2012, the same year the Colombian-born jeweler set up her online business, Catherine Zoraida.

“Her PA got in touch to say, ‘We really like your jewelry and would you be able to send some pieces to the palace?’ I think they were drawn to it because of the nature aspect of my work,” she says. “Two weeks later, Kate was on tour in Malaysia and wore a pair of my earrings to compliment a gold embellished Alexander McQueen gown to attend a state dinner. It was mind-blowing. It really was a dream moment!”

Since then, Kate has ordered five pieces from the brand, all inspired by their mutual love of the outdoors, which Blackwell constantly references in her designs.

“Somehow when you get so busy in life, you can forget that this magical world is around you and I think that really connects with people, with their memories and what makes them feel good,” she tells PEOPLE.

For Kate, most of this year has been spent prioritizing her health after what William described recently on tour in South Africa as a “brutal” year. After having “planned abdominal surgery” in January, Kate announced on March 22 that she had an undisclosed form of cancer, and on Sept. 9 shared that she had completed her chemotherapy treatment and was hoping to slowly get back to work.

“It was such an important time for her to be out of the limelight, just with her family, solely concentrating on her health. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for her this year,” says Blackwell, who added that she personally wrote to the royal to wish her well and thank her for her support over the years.

“Every so often I get in touch and tell her how grateful I am,” Blackwell says.

 

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Having opened her own studio in a picturesque, converted 17th century barn in Gloucestershire last year, Zoraida’s unique demi-fine jewelry has a stand-alone home for the first time, making everything either in her studio or at her workshop in Hatton Garden, London’s renowned jewelry district.

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And Kate isn’t the only royal fan of the brand: Meghan Markle has a pair of her swallow studs, and Queen Camilla is a fan of her zodiac collection. Kate’s favorites seem to be the fern drop earrings and the fern hoops. both bestsellers for the company.

“I love seeing how she styles everything! Every time I see her I am always wowed,” Blackwell says. “It’s so clever how she puts it all together.”