Tonight, the Princess of Wales made a statement in a glimmering, cream-coloured lace couture gown by British designer Phillipa Lepley for a state banquet at Windsor Castle to honour the American president Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, who have been on their second state visit to the UK this week.
The princess paired it with a sparkling pearl-laden tiara, the Cambridge Lover’s Knot, which is often Kate’s go-to tiara, and which was also a favorite of the late Princess Diana. It was originally created for Queen Mary in 1914 by Garrard, using existing jewellery in the monarch’s collection, and was later lent to Diana on her wedding day in 1981.
State visits have historically been a chance for the Princess to express herself through fashion in bold and striking ways. When the French President, Emmanuel Macron, visited in July earlier this year, she wore a dark red Givenchy by Sarah Burton gown—a sartorial symbol of the symbiotic relationship between the two European countries.
It’s been a busy month for Kate Middleton. The Princess has been all over town, from visiting the Natural History Museum with new blonde hair to a visit to a family-run textile mill in Kent, where she wore a checked suit (an understated yet sweet tribute to her husband).
The state visit itself has also been action-packed with various lunches, speeches, and processions. Tomorrow (September 18), the Princess and First Lady will be visiting Frogmore Gardens to learn about nature, before the Trumps depart the UK later that same day.