A pair of special earrings worn by Princess Kate significantly contributed to raising £15,000 (approximately $20,000) for a mental health charity. During her visit to the Maidenhead Rugby Club in June 2023, as part of her Shaping Us campaign, the Princess of Wales engaged with players and staff.
It was here that she met Sarah Renton, a coach of under-14 boys at the club, and the mother of Issy Phipps, a young rugby player who sadly died by suicide earlier that year.
Kate and William Visit Bisham Abbey, Highlighting Mental Health Awareness
The heartfelt encounter between the two women included a poignant moment where the princess embraced the grieving mother. Renton gifted Kate a pair of star-shaped earrings crafted by her cousin, Sophie McGown, the founder of EAR SASS.
These earrings were named after Issy, and a portion of the proceeds from each sale supports the mental health charity Brave Mind, which is dedicated to promoting mental well-being in the rugby community across the U.K.
The story continued as Kate chose to wear the star earrings on World Mental Health Day last year, fully aware that her choice of jewelry would attract attention as a style icon. She was photographed sporting the earrings during a visit to the Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre with her husband, Prince William.
“On World Mental Health Day last year, she clearly waited and knew what she was going to do and wore them in honour of Issy, and we genuinely didn’t really think she would, you know, I mean, certainly not necessarily on that day,” said EAR SASS founder Sophie McGown in an interview with the Daily Mail.
