Kate Middleton paired a butter yellow Elie Saab gown with historic royal jewels at Tuesday night’s state banquet for Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman at Windsor Castle.
The Princess of Wales turned to the Lebanese designer’s spring 2025 ready-to-wear collection for her gown, a caped dress with pleating and keyhole cutout below the braided neckline. The silhouette of the dress included a cinched waist and served as the ideal canvas for the shimmering jewels from the royal family vault.
Along with her badge, sash and star of the Royal Victorian Order, Middleton wore Queen Mary’s diamond choker bracelet, as well as the Greville diamond chandelier earrings, both of which previously belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Topping off her regal wardrobe moment, Middleton wore Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot tiara, one of her most frequently worn royal jewels. Middleton has often worn the Lover’s Knot tiara for royal banquets, including in September 2025 for the banquet honoring the president of the U.S.
Though her bracelet and earrings certainly paid homage to Queen Elizabeth II, the tiara was a nod to Middleton’s late mother-in-law Princess Diana, who regularly wore the tiara for several high-profile occasions during her time as a member of the British royal family.
“Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot tiara is probably the piece most people will recognise, particularly because of its connection to Princess Diana,” jewelry expert Nilesh Rakholia, founder of Abelini, the U.K.’s leading online jewelry store, said in a statement provided to WWD.
Commissioned by Queen Mary in 1913, the tiara was worn by Princess Diana on numerous occasions, and it’s become closely associated with her. “Seeing Catherine wearing the same piece as Princess of Wales feels particularly meaningful. It’s a lovely example of how jewelry can preserve someone’s legacy long after they’ve gone,” Rakholia added.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Princess of Wales wore a forest green McQueen coat, adorned with the Prince of Wales brooch, which was also previously worn by Princess Diana.
The banquet concluded the first day of the Sultan’s three-day state visit, the first by an Omani ruler to the U.K. since 1992.