The Duchess of Edinburgh was the vision of royal elegance as she donned the lotus tiara, originally made for the Queen Mother in 1923, at last night’s dazzling state banquet.
Sophie, 59, channeled sophistication into this historic piece of jewelry, which was also a favorite of Princess Margaret during the 1960s.
And it also appeared to be a touching nod to his nephew Prince William’s wife Kate Middleton, who is currently undergoing treatment following a cancer diagnosis, and was the last to wear it to a 2022 Diplomatic Corps reception at the Palace of Buckingham.
The Princess of Wales also wore it in 2015, at her first State Banquet to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan.
The delicate diamond tiara has fan motifs topped by floating diamond arches and is also known as the Papyrus Tiara; It was created by the British jeweler Garrard from one of the Duchess Elizabeth of York’s own necklaces.
Serena Stanhope also wore it in 1993, when she married David Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley, son of Margaret.
The Duchess of Edinburgh was the vision of royal elegance as she donned the lotus tiara, originally made for the Queen Mother in 1923, at last night’s dazzling state banquet.
It is the first time Sophie has worn the ornate lotus flower tiara. In 1999, for her wedding day, she completed her look with the Anthemion tiara, her first piece from Queen Elizabeth II’s collection.
She is also known to like an aquamarine tiara, which she has worn on many occasions over the years; She recently wore it in November to welcome the President and First Lady of South Korea at a state banquet.
At yesterday’s event, the Duchess also wore a glamorous £4,890 emerald dress from Suzannah London.
The Couture ‘Crystalline’ silk dress featured a V-neck, short sleeves and a cinched waist for an elegant silhouette.
The product description on the website says it includes “structured silk bodice with layers of silk chiffon over the entire dress” and “draped sleeves with crystalline pleats add a 50s touch to this beautiful piece.”
She carried a Silver Maud clutch by Anya Hindmarch and to finish off the look, she opted for a very dazzling necklace and stunning earrings.
Prince Edward’s wife pulled back her blonde hair and opted for a summery, bronzed look.
Yesterday, he joined other royals, including King Charles and Queen Camilla, as they welcomed the Emperor and Empress of Japan to the UK, marking the start of a three-day state visit.
Sophie, 59, channeled sophistication into this historic piece of jewelry, which was also a favorite of Princess Margaret during the 1960s.
It was last worn by the Princess of Wales, for a Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace in 2022.
At yesterday’s event, the Duchess also wore a glamorous £4,890 emerald gown by Suzannah London. The silk Couture ‘Crystalline’ dress featured a V-neck, short sleeves and a cinched waist for an elegant silhouette.
The long-awaited trip, which had been postponed from 2020 as a result of the Covid pandemic, almost didn’t happen again due to next week’s general election, which saw several royal engagements cancelled.
But after behind-the-scenes negotiations to scale back some more political elements of the visit, it got the go-ahead, complete with pomp, pomp and jokes about Pokémon characters.
And last night, at a glittering state banquet with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, Camilla showed off the King’s new Family Order for the first time, painted on plastic instead of ivory. The tradition, which dates back to the 19th century, typically features a portrait of the monarch surrounded by diamonds and suspended from a silk ribbon.
Serena Stanhope also wore it in 1993, when she married David Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley, who is Margaret’s son.
Princess Margaret was known to be a big fan of the tiara. In the photo wearing it in 1959, in Portugal.
The delicate diamond tiara has fan motifs topped by floating diamond arches and is also known as the Papyrus Tiara; It was created by the British jeweler Garrard from one of the Duchess Elizabeth of York’s own necklaces. Photographed in 1923.
The King and Queen posed in full regalia before a state banquet with the Emperor and Empress of Japan.
Applause: The two heads of state clink their glasses after reflecting on their nations’ close relationship.
Charles, 75, has ditched ivory in favour of having his portrait painted in oils by miniaturist Elizabeth Meek on synthetic polystyrene. Camilla wore her new Family Order, along with the one given to her by the late Queen Elizabeth, in an embroidered cream silk crepe dress by Fiona Clare.
Also in attendance were Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, 44, and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, 58, who accidentally sat on the right leg of the banquet table, with Labor’s Sir Keir Starmer, of 61 years old, on the left.
Sunak did not take part in the official royal procession as he did in previous years, although his wife, Akshata Murty, did.
Last night’s banquet closed the first day of the visit which began with the Prince of Wales – without his wife, Kate, who is still receiving preventive chemotherapy – escorting the Emperor and Empress to Horse Guards Parade to meet Charles and Camilla, of 76 years old, in the Royal Pavilion.
Before them was the Guard of Honor of the Welsh Guards, the magnificent Mounted Band of the Royal Cavalry and four divisions of the Sovereign’s Escort, which involved more than 1,250 soldiers, 250 army musicians and 240 horses.
Dignitaries also included Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron and Home Secretary James Cleverly.