From sequin-adorned evening gowns to heirloom tiaras, the Princess of Wales has mastered the art of state banquet splendour
The Princess of Wales and H.E. Sayyid Khalid Hilal Al Busaidy walk in procession to the state banquet for the Sultan of Oman, Sultan Haitham bin Tarik al Said at Windsor Castle
WPA Pool/Getty ImagesThe Princess of Wales' dazzled at her latest tiara appearance. Last night, Catherine joined her husband Prince William in supporting King Charles III and Queen Camilla as they hosted a state banquet in honour of the Sultan of Oman.
Sultan Haitham bin Tarik al Said landed at Stansted Airport on Monday evening ahead of the official start of the state visit on Tuesday. The three-day itinerary includes a meeting with the Prime Minister and charitable outings – but the state banquet was the glittering centrepiece.
All eyes were on the Princess of Wales, who brought a splash of sunshine to an overcast October evening in a canary yellow gown by Elie Saab. The caped creation marks a sartorial gear shift for the Princess, who typically favours go-to British designers like Jenny Packham and Alexander McQueen for such occasions.
However there was a sense of familiarity when it came to Her Royal Highness' look: the gown was topped with the Lover's Knot Tiara, which is Catherine's undisputed favourite. She adorned her ears with the Greville Chandelier Earrings, which previously belonged to Queen Elizabeth II and were given to the late monarch on her wedding to Prince Philip. But it was the Princess of Wales' bracelet that really caught the eye: glittering on her right wrist was the Queen Mary Choker Bracelet, an extraordinary piece reserved for only the most glittering of evenings.
The ensemble is the latest sartorial success story for the Princess of Wales, who has mastered the art of dressing for these grandest of royal occasions. The glamour of last night's banquet might already be fading but it is never too soon to remember the grandeur of previous stately occasions…
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Oman state banquet, October 2026
The Princess of Wales wore a yellow Elie Saab creation, which she paired with the Lover's Knot Tiara, the Greville Chandelier Earrings and the Queen Mary Choker Bracelet
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Nigerian state banquet, March 2026
For the Nigerian state banquet, the Princess of Wales broke from the norm to wear an emerald green gown by Singaporean designer Andrew Gn. The finishing touch? Sapphire and diamond earrings that belonged to the Queen Mother and her favourite Lover's Knot Tiara
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German state banquet, December 2025
The Princess of Wales wore a Jenny Packham gown and the Queen Victoria Oriental Circlet tiara for the state banquet hosted at Windsor Castle in honour of the President and First Lady of Germany
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American state banquet, September 2025
The Princess of Wales wore a Phillipa Lepley gown and her favourite Queen Mary's Lover's Knot tiara for the state banquet thrown in honour of President Donald Trump
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French state banquet, July 2025
The French state visit saw Catherine attending her first state banquet since her cancer diagnosis, with the royal mother-of-three wearing a custom-designed red evening gown by Sarah Burton for Givenchy. She completed the look with Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara
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South Korean state banquet, November 2023
The Princess of Wales surprised royal watchers by wearing the Strathmore Rose Tiara for the state banquet for President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea. She opted for a custom Jenny Packham gown for the occasion, which she paired with lengthy white opera gloves
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South African state banquet, November 2022
For her first state banquet as the Princess of Wales, Catherine wore a dazzling Jenny Packham gown which featured glittering embellishments across the shoulders and an elegant cape detailing. She paired the look with her favourite tiara, the Lover's Knot. The outfit would go on to be immortalised on a portrait commissioned for Tatler's July 2024 cover
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American state banquet, June 2019
Then-the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton also wore an elegant white gown to attend the state banquet for Donald Trump's visit in 2019. She paired the Alexander McQueen dress with the Lover’s Knot Tiara
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Dutch state banquet, October 2018
Catherine's third state banquet was in 2018, and honoured King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, with the Princess choosing a blue Alexander McQueen gown and her favourite tiara for the occasion
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Spanish state banquet, July 2017
Kate Middleton chose to wear a pink lace gown by Marchesa for the state banquet for King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain, pairing the look with the Lover's Knot tiara
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Chinese state banquet, October 2015
The then-Duchess of Cambridge attended her first state visit in October 2015 when Chinese President Xi Jinping was hosted by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. She wore a vibrant red Jenny Packham gown for the outing, choosing the Lotus Flower Tiara
