The Princess of Wales once again showcased her mastery of state banquet fashion last night, reaffirming her unparalleled sense of style within the royal family.

At 43, Catherine captivated onlookers with a stunning Jenny Packham gown in a soft shade of blue, as she joined fellow royals in greeting the German president and his wife for their first official visit to the UK in nearly thirty years.

Royal enthusiasts were thrilled to catch a glimpse of Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet tiara adorning the future Queen’s head, a piece that rarely makes public appearances.

This choice was significant as the tiara, one of the most grandiose in her collection, symbolized Catherine’s journey and growth in her state banquet appearances over the past decade.

Beyond wearing a magnificent gown, Catherine exuded a serene confidence that underscored her role as a leading figure in what can be described as ‘modern couture diplomacy’ at the royal level.

‘Kate Middleton’s state-banquet evolution has been playing out for years, but last night’s appearance proved beyond doubt that she is now the unrivalled architect of modern couture diplomacy,’ celebrity stylist Clare Chambers told the Daily Mail. 

The princess has not always dressed this way. When she first married into the royal family, her evening gowns were sweeter, softer, and a touch more romantic as they echoed her early years in The Firm after marrying Prince William.

And last night, Catherine certainly looked worlds away from the ‘anxious’ princess who attended her first state banquet, when the late Queen hosted the then-Chinese President Xi Jinping at Buckingham Palace, in October 2015.

Kate was on dazzling form as she stole the show in a glittering Jenny Packham gown complete with long draped sleeves that fell to the ground and Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara, one that she had never worn before

In July 2017, the then-Duchess of Cambridge switched it up in a blush pink lace gown by American label Marchesa for the state banquet for King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain. The gown had a deep, plunging neckline which wasn’t repeated again as her necklines raised higher over the years. h the Lover’s Knot tiara which went on to become one of her favourite headpieces of choice

For the occasion, the then-Duchess of Cambridge picked a custom-made Jenny Packham dress – with cap sleeves – in the colour of China’s flag. She accessorised with the delicate pearl and diamond Lotus Flower tiara. 

It was appropriate and flattering as the sweeping red gown, believed to be worth around £2,600, featured a slim-fitting waist with a belt and tailored top. 

The next time Catherine attended a state banquet was in 2017 when Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia travelled to the UK. The occasion also marked the first time Prince Harry, then 32, participated in a State Visit. 

The Duchess, 35 at the time, donned the Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara – which she also wore for Wednesday night’s reception – that was beloved by Princess Diana, as she picked a dusky Marchesa pink lace dress for the evening’s look. 

She drew further attention to her décolletage with an eye-catching diamond and ruby drop Boucheron necklace, which once belonged to the Queen Mother. 

The jewels fell just inches above the lowest point of the V-neck. The gown was beautiful, frothy and unabashedly Hollywood, the sort of dress worn by a young royal still finding her footing in a centuries-old institution.

The gown was a surprisingly revealing choice for the duchess and a departure from the conservative cuts she usually favoured – but as her responsibilities grew, the necklines began to rise. 

‘The raised neckline symbolised a woman stepping firmly into queenship, embracing the gravitas of her role with both sartorial discipline and quiet certainty,’ Ms Chambers explained. 

Kate’s third state banquet was in 2018, and honoured King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, with the princess choosing a pale blue Alexander McQueen silk gown with ruched bodice and her favourite Lover’s Knot tiara for the occasion

Wearing white in the form of a ruffled Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen gown, Kate was elegant in romantic ruffles and the Lover’s Knot tiara to welcome Donald and Melania Trump to the UK during his first term in office

‘It also underscored the careful balancing act she now performs, glamorous enough to command attention, modest enough to honour tradition, impeccable enough to represent the monarchy at its most formal.’ 

While Catherine has always been considered a style icon, one of her earliest state banquet gowns for US President Donald Trump’s first official visit in 2019 did not play to her strengths, according to experts.  

Wearing white in the form of a ruffled Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen gown, the frothy fabric gave Kate a Disney princess feel rather than the polished princess she is now. 

Perhaps taking a style tip from the US First Lady Melania Trump by accessorising with a pair of opera gloves could have added structure and elegance with less skin on show. 

Over the past five banquets and, since she became the Princess of Wales in 2022, there has been a deliberate refinement of her state banquet style in line with her deepening understanding of what these nights signify. 

Catherine put her best fashion foot forward in a gem-embellished white gown from her favoured Jenny Packham as she joined Prince William, King Charles III and Queen Camilla for the reception in honour of South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa. 

Following the late Queen Elizabeth’s death in September 2022, it saw the Prince and Princess of Wales play their most prominent role at such an engagement – which are undertaken at the request of the Government. 

With its high neckline and full-length sleeves, the dress suggested Catherine had stepped confidently into her role while carrying herself with the grace expected from members of the Royal Family.

In November 2022, the special occasion marked the first state visit hosted by the UK with King Charles as monarch and Kate as a princess. Her look had a royal transformation as she dressed to impress in a cascading white Jenny Packham gown featuring dramatic embellished shoulders and the Lover’s Knot tiara once again

The Princess of Wales wore a Phillipa Lepley gown and her go-to Lover’s Knot tiara for the state banquet thrown in honour of President Donald Trump in September 2025. Featuring a lace overlay and high neck, the look was both regal and glamourous

Ms Chambers suggested that the mother-of-three understands the visual language of royal eveningwear and the monarchy’s long history of formal dressing.

‘What makes Catherine’s state-banquet style so consistently successful is her ability to balance tradition with a modern sensibility, moving with the times whilst respecting the history of the royal family and this event.’ 

Over the years, Catherine appears to have found her most flattering silhouette: fitted through the waist, with a gently flared skirt and crisp lines that frame her royal orders, allowing her tiara and jewellery to shine. 

She also appears to favour cape sleeves as Catherine made a glittering return to form at what is being described as her state banquet best last night. 

‘Cape sleeves are Kate’s superpower,’ one fan wrote on X/Twitter within minutes of her arrival.

Another shared, ‘At this point, she’s single-handedly bringing back the cape. No one wears it better.’

These sleeves, once a bold experiment, have become the cornerstone of her banquet identity. 

According to Ms Chambers, they give her the kind of regal presence that feels both timeless and entirely modern, a fresh take on the demure long-sleeved gowns worn by queens of the past. 

Kate’s first state banquet came in October 2015 when the late Queen hosted the then-Chinese President Xi Jinping at Buckingham Palace. She picked a vibrant scarlet Jenny Packham gown with simple cap sleeves for the outing and paired it with the Lotus Flower Tiara

Explaining why Catherine wears the style again and again, she added: ‘It plays to her strongest features. 

‘She has great arms that complement her figure and she knows they need to be covered for a state banquet. 

‘A long-fitted sleeve could easily drown or age her, and a voluminous sleeve would swallow her frame, so this is the perfect combination.’ 

Of course, this return to her signature style comes after a brief diversion in 2023 when the mother-of-three experimented with dramatic opera gloves in another custom Jenny Packham creation. 

The gown, donned by Catherine at the state banquet for  Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee, featured floaty short sleeves adorned with gold beads and her arms stayed covered with white opera gloves. 

She also debuted the Strathmore Rose Tiara, a piece which dates back to 1923. 

However, style experts felt the look was a touch too theatrical for a state banquet. 

Thankfully, by the following banquet, she had abandoned the gloves and reverted to the billowing caped sleeves that have since become her sartorial calling card.

Last night’s gown followed that template precisely, with this formula for the future Queen becoming something of an unspoken ritual. 

Each iconic gown feels like a continuation of the last, not a repetition but a refinement. 

The consistency is serene, almost ceremonial. 

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