Kate Middleton wore an emerald green gown for Wednesday evening’s State Banquet at Windsor Castle, held in honour of Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
At first glance, the look appeared ‘classic Kate’—elegant and polished, entirely in keeping with her previous evening looks. But I think the Princess’s choice may have carried a deeper meaning…
In fact, there are three key reasons why this particular gown felt especially significant for the occasion:
First, the colour. Green is the dominant shade of Nigeria’s national flag, and the Princess has long used fashion to pay subtle tribute to VIP visitors. It’s a classic example of diplomatic dressing—one she’s returned to time and again for state occasions. 🇳🇬
Second, the cultural significance behind the shade. Green holds particular importance in Islamic tradition. With President Tinubu identifying as Muslim and visiting during the holy month of Ramadan, the choice feels especially considered.
Third, the silhouette. The gown’s high neckline, long sleeves and floor-length skirt created a modest, covered profile—one that felt respectful of the occasion and its guests, while remaining elegant and in keeping with royal eveningwear.
Let’s take a closer look at the gown.
The emerald green design is by Andrew Gn, marking a return to the designer after she previously wore one of his coats for Trooping the Colour in 2023. A reminder of that look:
The gown is based on look 47 from the designer’s Autumn/Winter 2021 ready-to-wear collection, where it was originally shown in a soft blue shade (and later retailed via Moda Operandi in both blue and pink).
For the Princess, the design was reimagined in a rich, saturated green.
The gown features a high neckline, softly gathered bodice and voluminous sheer sleeves, which fall into fitted cuffs.
The ready-to-wear version featured pearl buttons, but Kate does not seem to have these on her dress.
Similarly, Kate’s gown is not accented with the decorative belt—she chose to omit this for a simpler, more streamlined look.
The bodice gives way to a floor-length pleated skirt. A look at the back of the dress:
According to Middleton Maven, Andrew Gn confirmed he created the gown specifically for the Princess in 2022 before he retired from fashion the following year.
Laura has a theory that it was commissioned for an event that might have been rearranged due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Solid theory.
The original design retailed at £2,500, according to Moda Operandi. It’s no longer available to buy.
Kate paired the gown with a pair of Manolo Blahnik pumps—the designer’s iconic ‘Hangisi 105’ style.
You can see the signature jewelled buckle visible beneath the hem of the dress in some photos.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen the Princess wear the shoes—just the first time we’ve seen them in the flesh. Kate previously wore the emerald pumps in her 2022 portrait by Jamie Coreth, unveiled at the University of Cambridge.
The shoe is a satin pump finished with a crystal-embellished buckle at the toe. It’s one of Manolo Blahnik’s most recognisable designs and a long-standing staple within the brand’s collections.
The style remains available today, including at Farfetch, where the emerald satin version retails at around £830 / $1281 (subject to availability).
The Princess owns at least three pairs of Manolo Blahnik heels, to our knowledge. In addition to the Hangisi pumps, she’s also worn the brand’s BB suede courts in green—a sleek, pointed-toe design—and the Calogera leather pumps, a more understated, classic silhouette in navy.
Let’s move on to Kate’s tiara.
Most of the regular readers will recognise the piece. It’s Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara.
The diamond and pearl tiara was commissioned by Queen Mary in 1913 (shown below) and later became closely associated with Princess Diana, who wore it frequently during her time as Princess of Wales.
It was subsequently returned to the royal collection. The Princess has worn it frequently since 2015. (Below, at the French State Banquet in 2025).
The design features a series of diamond-set lover’s knot bows, each suspending a large, teardrop-shaped pearl. Originally, the tiara also included an additional row of upright pearls along the top, though these were later removed to create the more streamlined silhouette we see today.
Now, let’s take a look at Kate’s earrings. They’re another pair straight from the royal vault. They’re a pair of sapphire and diamond fringe earrings that once belonged to The Queen Mother:
I know many were hoping for emerald jewels for the evening banquet, but the eye-catching blue sapphires did provide a subtle pop of colour alongside the green gown.
The earrings feature a central deep blue sapphire encircled by diamonds, with delicate diamond fringes suspended beneath.
Here’s a closer look at the earrings, worn by Kate on previous engagement:
Originally belonging to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, the earrings are believed to have been crafted using stones from a sapphire demi-parure gifted to her by Queen Mary.
They were later inherited by Queen Elizabeth II and remained unworn for a number of years before being debuted by Kate in 2015. Since then, the Princess has returned to the earrings on several occasions.
Let’s take a look at Kate’s clutch now.
It’s the Jenny Packham ‘Casa’ clutch in silver.
The structured design features a trapezoid-shaped frame, a crystal-encrusted clasp and a shimmering lamé finish that catches the light.
She first debuted the clutch back in 2015, and has carried it on a number of occasions since, including premieres, diplomatic receptions and Royal Variety Performances.
Let’s finish with the orders and decorations. (Or, what I like to call “the section where we talk about the things Kate pinned to her dress”.)
The blush sash and star signify that Kate’s a member of the Royal Victorian Order, one of the highest honours personally bestowed by a monarch, at their discretion, for personal service to the monarch.
Queen Elizabeth II invested Kate into the order in 2019. The Royal Victorian Order was established by Queen Victoria in 1896.
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The yellow ribbon and miniature portrait pinned to her shoulder is the Royal Family Order of King Charles III. This is a deeply personal mark of favour from the King and is reserved for senior female members of the Royal Family.
Up until December, Kate wore two Family Orders—the blue ribbon for King Charles and the yellow ribbon for Queen Elizabeth II (see below, during the State Banquet held for President Trump of the United States).
It’s not yet clear why she has recently switched to wearing just one, representing the current monarch.
There may well be a practical reason behind the change—perhaps the combined weight of multiple orders was becoming difficult to support, or placing strain on more delicate fabrics.
All in all, I thought this was a beautifully judged look that felt perfectly in step with the occasion—and with the guests being honoured.
The state banquet, held at Windsor Castle, was hosted in honour of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu during their historic visit to the United Kingdom.
The two-day visit marks the first state visit by a Nigerian leader in 37 years, underlining the significance of the moment for both nations.
The evening itself was rich in tradition, with the King and the President both delivering speeches at the start of the banquet, reflecting on the longstanding ties between the UK and Nigeria and looking ahead to future partnership.
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