With every state visit made to the UK, a white tie banquet is part of the itinerary. As the final touches are put on everything from the distance between plates to the color of each floral bouquet, Her Majesty comes in to approve the staff’s work before putting on her jewelry and welcoming her official guests.
Tonight’s event, however, was a bit more exciting than most since it marked the Duchess of Cambridge‘s very first state dinner.
Dominic Lipinski/WPA-Pool
Catherine, who returned to work this fall following maternity leave, wore a bespoke red Jenny Packham gown with glittering bracelets and the Lotus Flower tiara, on loan from the Queen, and previously worn by Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
The historical piece is also referred to as the “Papyrus Leaf” tiara, according to The Royal Post, and originally belonged to Queen Mary, King George V’s consort.
Dominic Lipinski/WPA-Pool
In December 2013, Catherine wore the same tiara to a private diplomatic reception in London. Before that, Catherine wore the Cartier Halo tiara at her wedding on April 29th, 2011.
Jesal / Tanna / Splash News
Catherine’s chandelier earrings – first worn at a July 2011 BAFTA reception in LA, as well as at the 2013 reception – are believed to also be on loan from the Queen.
According to What Kate Wore, Order of Splendor and Anna N., one of Catherine’s bracelets was once worn by Queen Mary as a choker.
The other bracelet, Anna N. tweeted, is a wedding gift from Her Majesty.
Looks like one of the bracelets worn by The Duchess of Cambridge is the Wedding gift bracelet of HM The Queen pic.twitter.com/1aF5xIb5Nr
— Anna N. MSO (@AnnieElizabethN) October 20, 2015
Inside the Ballroom, Catherine was seated next to President Xi Jinping, a spot that royal commentator Victoria Arbiter tweeted was usually reserved for the Duchess of Cornwall, who was unable to attend the event.
VIDEO: Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, gets seated for her very first State Banquet at Buckingham Palace pic.twitter.com/OG5qUxlXgv — The Crown Magazine (@TheCrownTweets) October 20, 2015
Her Majesty posed alongside Peng Liyuan, who looked super-chic in a navy belted shirt dress. The Queen wore her George VI sapphire set, given to her as a wedding present from her father, according to The Court Jeweller. In 1963, the Queen acquired another blue sapphire necklace, one belonging to Princess Louise of Belgium, and had it made into a tiara.
Tony Melville/WPA-Pool
Tomorrow, William and Catherine will meet at Lancaster house for a creative industry event, according to Buckingham Palace’s site. The event has been put on to “celebrate cultural collaboration, existing and future, between the UK and China.”
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