The Princess of Wales made a series of discreet changes to a new Elie Saab gown before wearing it to a lavish royal banquet held in honour of the Sultan of Oman last night, where she appeared alongside senior members of the royal family.

Kate, 44, arrived with Prince William in the striking floor-length creation, which featured flowing fabric, a dramatic cape, a braided neckline and an elegant keyhole detail.

The original design, presented during the Lebanese designer’s Spring/Summer 2025 Ready-to-Wear show, included a transparent overskirt layered over a considerably shorter dress, along with a much lower neckline.

For the formal royal occasion, however, the gown was noticeably adapted to create a more traditional and demure silhouette.

The sheer skirt was replaced with opaque fabric, while the neckline was raised and shortened, giving Kate’s version a more modest finish suited to the prestigious engagement.

She completed the look with one of her most recognisable royal accessories: the Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara. Kate has worn the historic piece 15 times over the past 10 years, including at the previous royal state banquet in March.

Decorated with diamonds and pearls, the celebrated tiara has travelled through several generations of the royal family. Its former owners include Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana, before it became part of Kate’s jewellery collection.

Hair stylist Tatiana Karelina previously told the Daily Mail that Kate’s frequent decision to wear the tiara is deliberate. The piece is said to flatter the princess’s oval face shape and work particularly well with her preferred loose waves and low chignon hairstyles.

Karelina also pointed to a practical explanation for the tiara’s status as a trusted favourite: its familiar design makes it easier to secure comfortably and safely in Kate’s hair.

The Cambridge Lover’s Knot was created in 1914 by royal jeweller Garrard for Queen Mary, who commissioned it using diamonds and pearls already in her collection.

The design was inspired by a tiara once owned by Queen Mary’s grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse, who married the first Duke of Cambridge, the seventh son of King George III, in 1818.

Its appearance reflects a strong French influence, with a neoclassical structure formed from 19 openwork diamond arches and an oriental pearl drop suspended from a diamond lover’s-knot bow.

To create the bespoke jewel, Queen Mary repurposed pieces from her existing collection, including elements of the dismantled Some Ladies of England Tiara, pearls from the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, and pearls taken from several of her favourite brooches.

She later removed the tiara’s upper row of pearls and returned them to the brooches from which they had originally come.

Queen Mary eventually left the tiara to the late Queen Elizabeth II in her will. The former monarch wore it on many occasions, including an evening engagement in 1955.

In 1981, Queen Elizabeth II presented the tiara to Prince William’s mother, Diana, as a wedding gift. Diana first wore it later that year at the State Opening of Parliament in November.

Following Diana’s death in 1997, the historic tiara was stored in a secure room at Buckingham Palace. It was later given to Kate, then known as the Duchess of Cambridge, in 2015.

Kate first wore the family jewel on December 8, 2015, when she attended the late Queen’s annual Diplomatic Reception in a touching tribute to her mother-in-law.

Since then, the mother of three has worn it 15 times – including for the royal wedding of Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa in 2023, the first state banquet of King Charles’s reign in 2022, and during US President Donald Trump’s state visit last year. 

And she had it removed from storage for last night’s high-profile royal engagement, as Kate accessorised the ethereal gown with diamond earrings and a bracelet that belonged to Queen Elizabeth. 

She joined the King, Queen and Prince William for the state banquet – just hours after Prince Harry’s interview insisting he wants to reconcile with his family.

The monarch was accompanied by William and Catherine, Queen Camilla, the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester as they hosted Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al Said and his retinue in St George’s Hall at Windsor Castle.

William was dressed for the occasion in a white tie with the Windsor tail coat, his Most Noble Order of the Garter Sash with the Lesser George and other medals and decorations.

Camilla looked regal in a purple chiffon dress by Fiona Clare, while Charles sported the Sash of the Order of Al Said, an honour given to him by the Sultan of Oman earlier in the day.

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One hundred and sixty guests were invited to dine on Scottish langoustine and Cornish crab, pot roasted Windsor pheasant and stuffed cabbage, individual baked Alaskas with Balmoral Plum and Windsor Estate honey ice cream.

It came hours after the King’s youngest son Harry insisted he wants to reconcile with his family, while denying he was taking a ‘swipe’ at his brother William when declaring: ‘Some people don’t want it to work out.’

The Duke of Sussex, who has not spoken to William for four years, admitted in an interview with GQ that he is grieving his ‘complicated relationships’ with the King and the Prince of Wales.

Charles spoke of the importance of the friendship between Britain and Oman at a time of ‘painful’ conflict in the Middle East.

And amid the continuing drama around Harry, he told the Sultan of Oman of his pride that both ‘our sons’ – William and the Crown Prince of Oman – had become joint patrons of the Jewel of Arabia expedition, a cultural and environmental trek through the region last year.

‘Your Majesty, there can be few happier symbols of success than a living relationship being passed from one generation to the next,’ he said.

His speech came at the end of a damp but successful day as the Sultan arrived at Windsor Castle at the start of a three-day State Visit.

Oman is one of Britain’s oldest and most trusted allies in Arabia and the British Government requested the state visit to emphasise trade, military and cultural links at a perilous time in the region.

Toasting his guests at the banquet, Charles said it was a ‘treasured moment to receive dear and old friends’.

‘Oman is one of Britain’s oldest allies and, after all these years, I pray, one of your closest friends,’ he said.

He said he had been ‘immensely fortunate and blessed’ to have come to know Oman well over many visits and praised both the late Sultan’s ‘inspired leadership’ and the present leader’s ‘energetic and far-sighted leadership’.

Turning to the current conflict, he said: ‘I would especially like to recognise, at a time when conflict has returned so painfully to the region, Oman’s enduring commitment as a trusted interlocutor to all parties.’

And referring to the Strait of Hormuz he said: ‘Oman’s noble efforts in trying to keep open one of the world’s most important shipping routes have been of great service to the whole international community, and particularly to the most vulnerable of those affected.

‘Oman’s role across the Gulf and her “constructive neutrality”, as you put it, matters far beyond Hormuz, and is worthy of our utmost respect.

‘The unique and special relationship we share helps to make the world and our peoples safe.’

The King also highlighted the environmental challenges facing both countries and the ‘promise and peril’ of AI.

He concluded: ‘Your Majesty, I hope this State Visit shows the importance the United Kingdom attaches to Oman, its monarchy and institutions, and to our friendship with you personally.’ 

Tuesday night’s 50-metre-long table, which runs the whole length of the room, was laid with 480 knives, 480 forks, 160 spoons and the Grand Service, commissioned by George IV, which runs to more than 4,000 silver-gilt pieces.

In a touching tribute, the centre 12-light St George and the dragon candelabra, commissioned by William IV in 1833, was decorated with pomegranates grown on a tree planted by the late Duke of Edinburgh around 50 years ago on the East Terrace.

The unseasonably warm summer has caused it to fruit so staff decided to use them as decorations, although they are not to be consumed afterwards as they are inedible.

For the first time, the salt on the table has been imprinted with the King’s royal cypher.

Among the guests were athlete Mazoon Al Alawi and sailor Mohsin Al Busaidi. It also marked Andy Burnham’s first state banquet as Prime Minister.

During Harry’s interview yesterday, the Duke was asked directly whether he really wanted to heal the rift with his brother and father. Harry replied: ‘Of course I do. With everything else that’s going on in the world, the most important thing is to reconcile. That’s the key point.’

But in remarks widely interpreted as a dig at William, he added: ‘Some people don’t want it to work out. I want it to work out.’

Hours after the interview was published, a Sussex spokesman insisted the remark was not aimed at his older brother as speculation mounted over who Harry was referring to.

He said: ‘It was absolutely not intended as a swipe at his brother or any other member of his family.

‘The comment was made in a general context and was not directed at his family in any way.’

President Donald Trump hailed the release of Stephen Hubbard from Russian custody early Wednesday, while criticizing former President Joe Biden for what he described as a failure to bring the retired teacher home sooner.

Trump said he raised the case of the 74-year-old American during a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week and personally urged him to approve Hubbard’s release.

“Stephen Hubbard, taken four years ago by Russia during the Biden Administration, was just released from prison, at the request of President Donald J. Trump, made directly to President Vladimir Putin in a telephone conversation last week,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The president also claimed that Moscow did not seek a prisoner exchange or other concession for Hubbard’s freedom, saying the decision was made “out of respect for President Trump.”

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Trump used the announcement to intensify his criticism of Biden, arguing that the former administration should have done more to secure the American’s return.

“Biden should have done the Hubbard release long ago! What a difference a President makes!” Trump wrote in a second Truth Social post.

Hubbard, a veteran of the US Air Force and National Guard from Big Rapids, Michigan, had been living in eastern Ukraine with his Ukrainian partner when Russia began its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Russian forces detained him in April 2022. In October 2024, a court convicted Hubbard of serving as a mercenary and sentenced him to six years and 10 months in prison.

“Law enforcement needed to do a better job explaining why charges have not been filed.”

Jamie Copenhaver, a former Florida sheriff’s detective who served with an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, said he wants to know why authorities have provided so little information about the absence of charges following the deadly Kansas soccer field crash.

Investigators say a mother drove onto the active field at Stryker Sports Complex while children and families were present, killing two people and injuring several others. She was released without being charged.

The crash occurred Saturday. Cole Adrian, 6, and Nicholas Schafer, 35, both of McPherson, were killed. Investigators interviewed the woman who was driving before releasing her later that day.

Wichita Police said she was released “pending the results of toxicology testing and a mechanical examination of the vehicle.”

In a statement Tuesday, police said investigators had interviewed nearly 50 witnesses and planned to conduct additional interviews.

“Investigators are also inspecting the truck, analyzing available vehicle data and continuing investigative work at Stryker Sports Complex,” police said. “They are working closely with the Regional Forensic Science Center and awaiting official, peer-reviewed toxicology results.”

Authorities said the driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators.

“Based on the information available Sunday morning, and after consultation with the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, investigators did not have probable cause to arrest the driver. She was released, and the investigation remains ongoing. Her release does not represent a final determination about whether criminal charges are appropriate.”

“We know that this case has captured the attention of people all over the country, and many of those people have strong opinions about the incident even though they do not have direct knowledge of what occurred,” Chief Joe Sullivan said. “We recognize that the decision the law and constitution required us to make on Sunday morning may not be popular. We swear an oath to support the laws of the State of Kansas and the Constitution of the United States and no one in the Wichita Police Department takes that oath for granted.”

Police said the driver had a valid license and no outstanding arrest warrants.

Authorities also pushed back against rumors circulating online, saying the driver is not in the country illegally, has no documented criminal history and has no connection to the Wichita Police Department, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office or any other law enforcement agency.

Andrew Ford, a Wichita Police Department spokesperson, told TMZ that investigators questioned the driver for several hours after the crash. According to the outlet, she answered questions about what happened.

Ford told TMZ that police are examining every possible explanation, including whether speed, a mechanical problem, drugs or alcohol contributed to the crash.

Wichita police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Did the driver suffer a medical emergency?

Authorities have not released information about the driver’s medical condition at the time of the crash.

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Copenhaver said releasing information about the woman’s physical health at the time of the incident may be necessary to “prevent conspiracy theories.”

“People need to know a little bit more transparency as to why this may have occurred,” he said.

Did her vehicle malfunction?

Police said that the black pickup truck involved in the incident was going to undergo mechanical testing. Copenhaver said the black box will be able to give a better idea of whether something went mechanically wrong before the deadly crash.

He said the data will reveal possible “contributing factors” like speed, whether she hit the brakes, timing of the braking, and how far the vehicle may have skidded.

“It doesn’t take that long, in my opinion, to download that data, have one of their experts go over it,” he said.

Copenhaver went on to say, “If there’s an issue with that truck, that computer is going to alert the examiner or the expert that’s looking at this data.”

Why is the toxicology taking so long?

Copenhaver said in his experience results from alcohol-related DUI testing usually comes back within a day.

“If it’s alcohol-related, they’re going to know instantaneously,” he said.

He added, “Once that blood draw is taken, once it’s ran through the machines [investigators] will be able to tell you if an individual is under the influence of alcohol.”

He said testing for other substances like hard drugs or medications can take significantly longer. Those require “specialty testing,” he said.

There is also a possibility that the woman may have been taking prescription medication, which could have impacted her driving, he said.

Testing for that is “longer than that normal blood draw,” he said.

In a statement sent to News Media, the Wichita Police Department shot down questions circulating on social media about whether there was a law enforcement connection.

“The Wichita Police Department is aware of false information circulating on social media regarding this investigation, including a rumor alleging that a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office deputy was involved,” the department said in part. “The Sheriff’s Office has publicly addressed that allegation and identified it as false.”

The department went on to say, “We ask everyone to be responsible with what they share, consider the harm misinformation can cause and allow investigators to do their work based on facts and evidence, not speculation.”

When asked by News Media about allegations of the driver’s possible connection to law enforcement, the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office referred questions to the Wichita Police Department.

A small Colorado town has approved plans to install gates at its entrances in an effort to curb cut-through traffic—a decision that has ignited a dispute with neighboring communities, where officials are warning of a possible “nuclear option” in response.

Bow Mar, home to roughly 950 residents, moved forward after a traffic study found that about 1,200 vehicles pass through the town each day. The findings intensified concerns raised by residents about safety in the quiet community.

Located about 12 miles southeast of downtown Denver, Bow Mar has homes valued at an average of $1.4 million. Residents told The New York Times that the traffic surge was putting children playing outside and older people at unnecessary risk.

A 20-mph speed limit and other measures failed to keep outside drivers away. Many motorists use Bow Mar as a shortcut to avoid congestion on the route between Denver and Littleton.

Town officials floated a plan over the summer to install gates at two entrances and shut a third access point. The proposal received unanimous backing during a council meeting on Monday.

The first gate could be installed as early as Thanksgiving, although the system is not expected to become operational until January. Officials have not yet explained how access will be controlled.

Bow Mar leaders say the project is driven by public safety, not an attempt to turn the town into a secluded enclave. Residents supporting the plan have made a similar argument.

“I never wanted to live in a gated community,” Shane Fable, a Bow Mar resident, told The Times. His 12-year-old son was nearly struck by a truck while replacing a bicycle tire. “It’s out of control.”

The truck crashed into a mailbox. Police later arrested the driver on charges of reckless driving and vehicular assault, alleging he had been driving under the influence of alcohol.

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Since the beginning of 2023, police in the town have issued more than 1,260 traffic citations. About half involved speeding.

Officials in Littleton and Denver, however, argue that closing Bow Mar’s roads would create new problems rather than solve existing ones.

Denver City Councilman Kevin Flynn has sharply criticized the plan and suggested that neighboring officials could respond by installing a gate of their own. He described that potential move as the “nuclear option,” according to The Denver Post.

“I think what they’re proposing is exacerbating our safety concerns by cutting off access to a public right of way to our residents,” Flynn told CBS.

“That’s not acceptable for us, for Bow Mar to be creating a significant traffic hazard for us in the course of resolving theirs.”

Littleton Mayor Kyle Schlachter and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston have joined forces, signing a letter that urges Bow Mar to put the gate project on hold.

“Bow Mar undoubtedly expects its residents to have reasonable access to Denver and Littleton roads and rights-of-way,” the letter states.

“Denver and Littleton expect the same in turn.”

Schlachter said the conflict was deeply damaging to relations between the neighboring communities. “It’s hurtful when your neighbor says, ‘You’re not welcome in our community,’” he said.

OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush deliberately designed the Titan submersible to implode during a Titanic wreck dive so he could secure a place in “Titanic mythology,” a longtime friend alleged, describing the vessel as a “mousetrap for billionaires.”

Karl Stanley, a commercial submersible expert and longtime friend of Rush, made the allegation in author Matthew Gavin Frank’s new book, Submersed: Wonder, Obsession and Murder in the World of Amateur Submarines.

Stanley told Frank that Rush’s ego was so large he was prepared to risk his own life and those of others to become the central figure in the story. Stanley alleged that Rush wanted to die at the Titanic wreck, believing that a highly publicized tragedy would make him and the passengers part of the wreck’s enduring mythology.

The Titan lost contact with its support ship on June 18, 2023, as it descended toward the Titanic wreck in the North Atlantic, triggering a multinational search. Authorities found debris four days later and announced that the submersible had imploded, killing all five people aboard: Rush, Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Hamish Harding, Shahzada Dawood and Dawood’s son, Suleman.

Passengers reportedly paid as much as $250,000 for a place aboard the Titan.

A subsequent investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard concluded that the disaster could have been prevented.

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Frank wrote that Rush’s ambitions allegedly extended beyond staging his own death. The author said the name Titan was chosen deliberately, referencing the doomed ocean liner in Morgan Robertson’s 1898 novel Futility. In that book, a fictional British ship called Titan strikes an iceberg, echoing the fate later suffered by the Titanic.

According to Stanley’s account, Frank wrote, Rush needed more than his own death to become part of the larger Titanic narrative. He allegedly created a “futile” vessel, gave it a name evoking the doomed ship and used it as the instrument of a fatal act.

Frank asked Stanley whether he believed Rush knew the submersible would implode—or actually intended for that to happen—and killed everyone aboard, including himself, to cement his place in Titanic mythology.

Stanley replied that he was certain that was what happened.

Stanley further alleged that “most everyone” at OceanGate knew what would happen to the Titan and claimed they were all terrified after the implosion.

Brandi Young, a former federal and state prosecutor, told News Media that proving a first-degree murder charge would have been difficult because Rush also placed his own life at risk. She said prosecutors might have been more likely to pursue manslaughter.

Young said prosecutors could potentially argue for second-degree murder by pointing to an extreme and reckless disregard for human life—conduct more serious than ordinary manslaughter. She noted that there was substantial direct evidence of what she called the “pure recklessness” of proceeding despite the danger to other people.