As usual, the fashion predictions came rolling in ahead of the October 20 state banquet at Windsor Castle in honor of the sultan of Oman. When Princess Kate arrived at the official welcome ceremony on Tuesday morning, she wore a head-to-toe green outfit in tribute of one of the colors of the Omani flag. With the rest of the flag made up of red and white, royal watchers were largely expecting a gown—most likely a repeat—in one of those shades. But I can assure you, pale yellow leopard print was not floating around in my mind this evening.
The Princess of Wales arrived at Windsor Castle in a flowing Elie Saab dress featuring a dramatic cape and braided detail along the neckline, and at first glance, the pastel gown is standard royal fare. Zoom in and you'll see that the dress actually has an animal print design—a rather unexpected detail for a state banquet gown.
Did I Google "Does Oman have leopards?" Yes. And in fact, the country is home to a group of critically endangered Arabian leopards. With fewer than 200 in the wild and roughly 50 of them living in Oman, the country boasts one of the largest populations of the species.
Whether this is Kate's subtle nod to Oman, or she just felt like wearing a summery leopard-print dress, we'll probably never know. But the Princess of Wales paired her surprising new Elie Saab gown with an old standard, wearing the Lover's Knot Tiara frequently worn by Princess Diana.
Although her diamond and pearl tiara—which Princess Kate has worn numerous times during her royal career—delivers plenty of sparkle, she paired it with Queen Elizabeth's Greville Diamond Chandelier Earrings for some extra glam factor.
The Princess of Wales completed her outfit with a bedazzled clutch and diamond bracelet, adding the blue sash that she received in 2019 as a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, the highest ranking of chivalry personally awarded by Queen Elizabeth at the time.
She topped off her sash with the Royal Family Order of King Charles III, which features a painted portrait of the monarch surrounded by diamonds and a crown, set against a pale blue ribbon created by designer Philip Treacy.