Since marrying Prince William in 2011, the Princess of Wales has attended a number of high-profile public events, from jubilees to diplomatic receptions and a historic coronation.
In the British royal diary, some of the most-regular high-profile events are those associated with hosting world leaders for state visits. These are made at the invitation of the king through the recommendation of the British government and typically span multiple days with diplomatic meetings and trade negotiations. Though the monarch does not participate in these functions of the visits, leaving that instead to the prime minister, it is their job as head of state to play host.
The centrepiece of any state visit is the banquet, which is hosted by the monarch either at Buckingham Palace in London or Windsor Castle in Berkshire. The event is attended by the visiting world leaders and their suite of aides and officials, alongside members of the royal family and British government.
Over the course of her 12-year marriage, Kate has attended four glittering state banquets held at Buckingham Palace, marking occasions that are highly anticipated by royal fashion-watchers.
The state banquets provide an opportunity to see the royals at their ceremonial best, wearing sashes and orders, white-tie and ballgowns. The female members of the family display heirloom jewels, topped off with dazzling tiaras.
The next state visit to Britain will be made by President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea in November.
Here, Newsweek looks at four times when Kate looked every inch a princess for glamorous state banquets.
State Visit of President Xi Jinping of China, 2015
The first state banquet that Kate attended was in 2015, where Queen Elizabeth II hosted President Xi Jinping of China at Buckingham Palace.
The princess displayed her skill at sartorial diplomacy for the event, wearing a vivid red ballgown made by British designer Jenny Packham. The color paid tribute to that of the Chinese flag; and, within Chinese culture, red is also considered lucky.
The banquet marked a significant milestone in Kate's royal fashion timeline. It was the first public occasion at which she was seen wearing a tiara since her marriage four years earlier.
For the banquet, Kate wore what is known as the Lotus Flower Tiara. It was made for Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in the 1920s and was then worn by Princess Margaret.
With this, Kate wore diamond bracelets loaned by Queen Elizabeth, including one that had been a wedding present to the monarch from Prince Philip in 1947.
State Visit of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, 2018
In 2018, Kate attended her first double-royal state banquet, when Queen Elizabeth II hosted King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands at Buckingham Palace.
For the occasion, Kate wore an elegant evening down made of pale-blue silk taffeta with a statement ruffled skirt by the designer of her wedding dress, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. With this, the princess wore historic diamond-and-pearl jewels worn by three former Princesses of Wales.
Kate wore the diamond-and-pearl lover's knot tiara that had been made for Queen Mary and later made famous by Princess Diana in the 1980s and 1990s.
Kate also had on the diamond and pearl festoon necklace that had been presented to Queen Alexandra as a wedding present in 1863.
State Visit of President Donald Trump of the United States of America, 2019
When U.S. President Donald Trump was hosted for a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in June 2019, Kate opted for a white-and-blue outfit. This contrasted with the crimson interiors of the palace to pay a patriotic nod towards the three national colors shared by both Britain and America.
The princess' gown of graduated ruffled tulle was again designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. It was accentuated by the royal blue sash of the Royal Victorian Order, which she had been given by Queen Elizabeth earlier that year.
With her outfit, Kate wore the Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's diamond-and-sapphire earrings, and a diamond-and-pearl bracelet that had belonged to Princess Diana.
State Visit of President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, 2022
Kate's most-recent state banquet appearance was made in November 2022 when King Charles III hosted the first event of its kind of his reign for President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa.
For the occasion, the princess wore a dramatic white gown with trailing split sleeves and crystal embellishments from Jenny Packham.
The newly elevated Princess of Wales paired the dress with Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara, Princess Diana's pearl and diamond bracelet, and a pair of Diana's pearl and diamond earrings.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
