Kate stuns in Princess Diana's tiara as she attends King Charles' first state banquet

22 November 2022, 21:46 | Updated: 22 November 2022, 21:51

Kate stunned guests as she arrived at King Charles' first state banquet at Buckingham Palace in Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara.

She arrived at the event with Prince William, opting for a caped, white evening dress with sparkling detail on the shoulders.

The Lover's Knot tiara, a diamond and pearl-encrusted headpiece made in 1914, was often worn by her namesake Diana, Princess of Wales.

It was given to Diana by the Queen as a wedding gift in 1981.

It was designed by the Queen's grandmother, Queen Mary, and based on one owned by Mary's grandmother

Alongside the tiara, Kate also wore Diana's diamond and pearl drop earrings as well as the family order, the GCVO Star and Sash and the four strand pearl bracelet belonging to the late Queen.

Also paying tribute to the Queen was Camilla, who wore her diamond and sapphire tiara.

The pair joined the King and the Prince of Wales and more than 160 guests for a glittering white tie evening affair at Buckingham Palace in honour of the South African president.

Read more: King Charles welcomes South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa for first state visit of his reign

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Meanwhile, the King turned to his green credentials as he hosted the first state banquet of his reign by personally requesting only sustainable flowers be used.

In the Buckingham Palace ballroom, the grand horseshoe-shaped table, set for 163 people, was decorated with blooms sourced from the palace gardens and Windsor Castle.

And in a new addition to the traditional floral centrepieces at banquets during the late Queen's reign, the table was also lined with hundreds of tiny individual stem glass vases, each filled with pink, red and purple flowers.

A spokesman for the King said: "It was the King's decision to ask for sustainable flowers.

"They are all seasonal and from the gardens of Windsor and Buckingham Palace. They have not been flown in from around the world."

The King and Queen Consort followed the late Queen's tradition of inspecting the table to make sure everything was in order, ahead of the evening event in honour of the South African president Cyril Ramaphosa.

Charles and Camilla, in footage posted on the Royal Family's social media account, were shown surveying the scene, with the Queen Consort reaching out to touch one of the central floral decorations.

The couple were said to have been "involved in every aspect of the state visit", which saw them welcome Mr Ramaphosa to the UK with a ceremonial welcome at Horse Guards Parade and a private lunch earlier on Tuesday.

In a break from tradition for state visits, no details of the gifts exchanged between the King and the president were released by Buckingham Palace.

The table was decorated with more than 100 ivory-coloured candles in silver-gilt candelabra, with displays of dates, pineapples, grapes and pears, and 23 large flower arrangements in silver-gilt centre pieces.

The elaborate grand service being used was commissioned by George IV.

Made of 4,000 pieces, it includes 14 tureens, 20 sauce tureens, 140 dishes, 288 dinner plates, 118 salts, 12 ice pails, 12 mirrored plateaux, 58 dessert stands and centrepieces and 107 candelabra.