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On Wednesday evening, the British Royal Family hosted an opulent state banquet at Windsor Castle, in honour of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, during their three-day state visit to the United Kingdom.
Credit: Royal Family
Ahead of the grand event honoring the German delegation, the Prince and Princess of Wales posed for a striking photograph, their regal poise captured against a backdrop of twinkling Christmas lights.
Credit: Kensington Palace
A photo of the royal couple entering St. George’s Hall for the white-tie banquet.
Picture by Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace
At the banquet, Princess Catherine was seated beside the President.
For this evening’s state occasion, the Princess of Wales stepped out in a cornflower-blue caped gown, echoing Germany's national flower. It is a bespoke Jenny Packham creation, shimmering with sequins in a soft ombré finish. The design features a modern asymmetric neckline, a precisely fitted bodice, and padded shoulders. A sheer tulle cape drapes elegantly from the gown, with only a delicate scattering of sequins for a light, ethereal effect.
Picture by Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace
The evening’s greatest surprise was the Princess’s choice of tiara — Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet. This rarely seen piece has scarcely appeared in modern royal history, last worn by Queen Elizabeth II in 2005.
Also known as the Indian Circlet Tiara, this 19th-century jewel was commissioned by Prince Albert for his wife, Queen Victoria. Its selection for the evening carried diplomatic nuance, with Prince Albert’s German heritage offering a subtle nod to the visiting guests.
Credit: Kensington Palace
Crafted by Garrard & Co. in 1853, the tiara originally featured opals and approximately 2,600 diamonds. Its design, inspired by the East India Company jewels at the 1851 Great Exhibition, showcased a distinctive "Indian" aesthetic with Mughal arches and lotus motifs. It was altered in 1858 but never worn again by Queen Victoria after Prince Albert's death.
Courtesy of Garrard: a painting of Queen Victoria wearing the Oriental Circlet Tiara.
When it passed to Queen Alexandra in 1901, she replaced the opals with rubies and adjusted the arches for better wearability.
Image: Royal Collection/Tiaras – A History of Splendour
From this angle, you can see how delicately the tiara rests on the head.
Other notable pieces included the late Queen’s diamond chandelier earrings, which Kate has worn on several occasions since 2011. She also wore the sash and badge of the Royal Victorian Order, accompanied by the Maltese Cross, and the Royal Family Order of King Charles III.
The Princess's accessories included the black Anya Hindmarch 'Maud' Satin Clutch and, on her feet, the glittering Gianvito Rossi 'Rania 105' Pumps in Silver.
7 Comments
Milly
8/12/2025 04:53:53 pm
Elizabeth, I’ve been eagerly awaiting your blog post about this state banquet! This is another stellar look from the Princess, and I found it fascinating that the blue of her gown echoes Germany’s national flower, which I wasn't aware of. The tiara was a jaw-dropping surprise — I’m so glad Catherine is delving into the royal vault, because these jewels deserve to be seen and worn.
Sam
8/12/2025 09:33:09 pm
Bravo Kate for bringing out this tiara! I read it has only ever been worn by queens before. I really hope she continues to bring out other long forgotten tiaras. The gown is stunning and I particularly like the asymmetrical neckline. I'm with Milly, the black clutch and silver shoes are an odd pairing.
Graziele
9/12/2025 01:52:27 am
Absolutely gorgeous, as always. I didn't expect her to outdo herself after the US state banquet dress, but she surprised me again. What I liked most about the dress (besides the color) is its asymmetrical cut; it adds charm and doesn't look monotonous. I hope she wears this type of neckline more often. The tiara suited her very well; I hope she wears more tiaras from now on. As a princess and future queen, it's time for her to wear more variations of tiaras, and I'm (absolutely) sure the royal collection has many available. And about the accessories, I agree with Milly; a black satin shoe would have really matched the bag better, or a different bag like the Jenny Packham 'Casa' and Jenny Packham 'Belle', even if it has 'too much sparkle', it would have been a better match.
Sarah
10/12/2025 04:21:52 pm
Kate has been killing it at the state banquets this year, every look gets better. So princessy, love it
Anna
13/12/2025 04:57:07 am
I swear, we need a state banquet every 3 months
Ava Pittman
3/1/2026 11:36:06 am
The Princess looked beautiful. Gown, accessories, and jewels, perfection. It was marvelous to see a new tiara for Catherine worn from the royal vaults
Ava Pittman
8/1/2026 11:05:33 am
The Princess looked beautiful at this state banquet, though I am not a fan of this gown. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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