Kate Middleton wore the Queen’s diamond earrings to join Prince William on the West End

The Duchess of Cambridge paid a subtle tribute to the Queen as she joined Prince William on the West End last night. 

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enjoyed a date night at the Noël Coward Theatre, where they watched a special charity performance of hit musical Dear Evan Hansen.

Kate, 38, brought a touch of glamour to her black Eponine tweed dress with a pair of dazzling diamond chandelier earrings from Her Majesty’s jewellery collection. 

The glittering accessories are a favourite of the Duchess of Cambridge, and have been worn on a number of high profile occasions, including a state banquet for the Chinese president in 2015 and the Queen’s diplomatic reception in December 2013. 

However it is thought the Queen is less fond of the jewels and has never worn them on a public engagement. 

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge appeared in excellent spirits as they arrived for the special charity performance of Dear Evan Hansen, which was held in aid of The Royal Foundation. 

Kate opted for a black custom Eponine dress tweed dress with embellished buttons, which she teamed with her £525 silver Jimmy Choos, worn at the BAFTA awards and the Addiction Awareness Week charity gala last year, and a new matching £675 clutch. 

The otherwise pared back look was elevated by the earrings, which caught the light as Kate made her way inside. 

The Duchess has previously worn the showstopping jewels to black tie occasions, including a reception in Paris in 2017 and to the Tusk Conservation Awards in 2018. 

William looked smart himself, sporting a blue suit, crisp white shirt and spotted tie as they made their way into the theatre.

The Cambridges watched the show and met members of the cast before the Duke spoke to the audience at the end of the performance. 

The couple posted a number of pictures from the evening on their Kensington Royal Instagram, the caption said: ‘The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended a special performance of Dear Evan Hansen @dehwestend, held in aid of The Royal Foundation. 

‘The musical @dearevanhansen has been credited with helping to start important conversations about mental health between parents and teenagers. The issue of mental health is a key priority for The Royal Foundation which works to tackle the stigma and encourage more people to talk openly about their mental health.’ 

The musical, which won six Tony Awards after opening on Broadway in 2016, is about an anxiety-ridden boy struggling to connect in a hyperconnected world.

Their appearance came as Prince Harry landed in Scotland, where he will be hosting a summit today.

The Duchess of Cambridge also has a busy day ahead and is due to arrive at the London Stadium, in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford, for a SportsAid event.