Royal watchers love a Diplomatic Reception! It gives us the opportunity to see the family dressed in all their splendour— the enchanting gowns and heirloom jewels 😍
I thought it’d be fun to look back on Kate Middleton’s sartorial journey at the event so far, especially as she didn’t attend this year. It’s only right that we dig back into the archives and enjoy some of these fantastic looks again—the Princess of Wales has not disappointed over the last decade.
We’ll go in reverse chronological order, starting with her last appearance in 2023 and ending with her very first attendance in 2013.
Kate’s Diplomatic Reception Gowns & Jewels: A Style Retrospective:
2023 Pretty in Pink: Let’s start with Kate’s appearance at the most recent Diplomatic Reception (December 2023). The Princess opted for a stunning rose pink gown by Jenny Packham.
She paired the pink dress with the Queen Mary Lovers Knot Tiara, Queen Elizabeth’s Cartier “Greville” Chandelier Diamond Earrings and her Art Deco Brooch.
We don’t know for certain, but we speculate that King Charles and Queen Camilla purchased the brooch for the Princess’s 40th Birthday last year.
She also carried her pink Prada clutch and wore her embellished ‘Rania 105’ pumps by Gianvito Rossi.
Of course, the Princess finished her look with the Royal Victorian Order insignia and Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II ribbon. Those hoping to see the new Royal Family Order badge following the change in Monarch were left disappointed.
If you follow Kate’s style, you’ll know the Princess wore this entire look, from top-to-toe, in Jordan in 2023.
2022 Regal in Red: In 2022, The Princess stunned in a resplendent red beaded gown by Jenny Packham, coupled with the Lotus Flower Tiara.
She added sparkle to her look with the Late Queen’s ‘Diamond Frame Earrings’ and the Art Deco diamond brooch.
Once again, the Princess finished her look with the Royal Victorian Order insignia and the Royal Family Order of Elizabeth II ribbon. The choice of red looked suitably festive for the December engagement. It also symbolised confidence and strength, perfectly aligning with Kate’s evolving royal role (it was her first Diplomatic Reception as The Princess of Wales).
2019 Midnight Majesty: In 2019, the-then Duchess wowed us with a dramatic dark blue velvet gown by Alexander McQueen. It marked a significant departure from the more romantic and ethereal looks she had worn to previous Diplomatic Receptions.
The gown’s silhouette featured a deep V-neck enhanced with shoulder pads, which added a touch of modernity without compromising the formality of the occasion. The Princess paired the frock with her favourite tiara, the Queen Mary Lovers Knot Tiara. Laden with pearls and diamonds, the tiara is an heirloom piece often associated with the Princess’s late mother-in-law. The Princess wore added significant sparkle to her look with Queen Elizabeths’s Diamond Chandelier Drop Demi-Parure Earrings (provenance unknown) and a new diamond ring (provenance unknown).
The Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace—another loan from the royal vault—was the show-stopping piece that completed her look. It added a radiant focal point to the dress’s neckline.
Kate topped her ensemble with the Royal Victorian Order sash and badge. 2019 was the first year Kate wore the insignia to the Diplomatic Reception, an honour she received in April of that year. She also wore her yellow Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II ribbon. The overall look was commanding yet elegant.
2018 Ethereal Elegance: 2018 marked the first year the Royal Family allowed a Royal Rota photographer into the palace to capture the reception. This meant it was the first year we got multiple pictures of Kate in her gown, tiara and jewels from different angles!
Prior to this, we’d only caught glimpses of Kate in her gown and tiara. (We’d seen photos of the Princess in the car on the way to the palace, a screen grab from a TV documentary commemorating the Queen’s 90th birthday, and one single handout photo back in 2016.)
In 2018, Kate dazzled in a silver-grey ethereal gown, confirmed as a Jenny Packham design. The fairytale-like gown was a shimmering creation of tulle embellished with sequins and crystals, which gave the dress a celestial sparkle and an air of softness and romance. The upper bodice featured a modest draped cowl neckline with added cap sleeves.
Kate wore her signature tiara, the Queen Mary Lover’s Knot Tiara, placed on top of an elegant up-do. This allowed her earrings—the Collingwood Diamond and Pearl Drops—to shine. The jewels previously belonged to Princess Diana. They were a wedding gift from the famous Collingwood jewellery company.
Completing her look, Kate wore a chain link bracelet that started life as a choker worn by Queen Mary, but later converted into a bracelet by the late Queen Mother. She also carried her Jenny Packham Casa clutch in silver.
Kate had not been initiated into the Royal Victorian Order at this point, so she didn’t wear the sash or badge. She did, however, have her yellow Royal Family Order badge pinned to her bodice.
2017 Ivory Sophistication: As I wrote above, prior to 2018, we only got limited views of Kate’s reception ensembles. At this point, Royal Rota photographers were not invited into the palace. In 2017, photographers snapped the Princess in her car as she whizzed by. From what we could see, she chose a pristine white gown with delicate shoulder beading for the event.
The then-Duchess paired the white gown with the Queen Mary Lover’s Knot Tiara and Diana’s Collingwood earrings. She also wore a dazzling necklace—thought to be a diamond collet necklace from the late Queen Elizabeth’s collection, likely inherited from Queen Mary. It was also reported that Kate wore her Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II ribbon for the first time to this event.
2016 Crimson Confidence: In 2016, the Royal Family released a single photograph from the Diplomatic Reception—which generated a lot of buzz on social media at the time. It was the first time we’d ever seen a photo from the reception! It featured Queen Elizabeth, the-then Prince of Wales and the-then Duke of Cambridge and their spouses. (I’ve cropped the image down so we can focus on Kate’s look).
In the years to follow (from 2018 onwards) they allowed a photographer into the reception to capture more images, including the royals meeting and greeting diplomats and other guests.
Kate chose a red sequin gown by Jenny Packham—a repeat from the State Banquet held for the Chinese President in 2015.
The Princess topped her gown with the Queen Mary Lover’s Knot Tiara, worn only for the second time. She also chose the late Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Frame Earrings and carried a red clutch. I suspect it was a custom Jenny Packham piece to match the dress.
Kate complemented her ensemble with The Queen’s Wedding Gift Bracelet. This treasured piece was originally presented to Princess Elizabeth by Prince Philip in 1947 as a wedding gift. It’s crafted from diamonds taken from a tiara once belonging to Prince Philip’s mother, Princess Andrew of Greece.
Kate looked fantastic in bold red gown, reinforcing her love for vibrant, statement-making colours.
2015 Romantic Blues: For the 2015 Diplomatic Reception, Kate chose a powder blue lace gown by Alexander McQueen. It was a re-wear for the Princess, who debuted the gown at the same event two years prior.
During a ITV documentary that aired in 2016, we were finally able to get a look at the floor-length gown. The demure piece had a soft, romantic look. It featured a subtle sweetheart neckline under a delicate lace overlay bodice, and was finished with cap sleeves, an inset waist and a softly pleated full skirt.
Kate debuted the Lover’s Knot Tiara at this event! It was the first time she’d worn the stunning headpiece, much to the delight of royal watchers! She finished the look with Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Chandelier Earrings, two glittering diamond bracelets and her Jenny Packham Casa clutch.
Above: The Princess of Wales wearing Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Chandelier Earrings, pictured on another occasion.
2013 Blue Beginnings: At her first Diplomatic Reception, the Princess wore the same dress and earrings as 2015. A powder blue lace dress by Alexander McQueen and Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Chandelier Earrings.
There’s limited images from 2013, and unfortunately, I cannot licence them. Click here to view them in a new tab.
You’ll notice there was one subtle-yet-significant change between 2013 and 2015, Kate’s tiara. In 2013, Kate wore the Lotus Flower Tiara. This was a memorable moment for fans, sparking considerable excitement online. It was Kate’s first tiara moment as a working royal, and the first time she’d worn such a headpiece since her 2011 wedding.
Stats:
Number of Diplomatic Receptions Kate’s attended to date: 8
Tiara count: We’ve spotted the Princess wearing the Lotus Flower Tiara twice and the Queen Mary Lovers Knot tiara six times.
Designers: We don’t have confirmation for every single gown. But the majority are from Kate’s go-to designers, Alexander McQueen (3) and Jenny Packham (4).
Colours: Various tones of blue, white, silver, red and pink. I’m sensing a Union Jack theme here…! 🇬🇧 This is hardly surprising, the Princess is known for her thoughtful and symbolic fashion choices. The reception hosts an assembly of diplomatic and ambassadors from around the globe. By wearing red, white and blue (or colours that are very close, like pink and silver), Kate is quite literally flying the flag for Great Britain through her attire. She’s subtly paying homage to her home country and reinforcing her position as a representative of Great Britain.
Repeat vs New: It looks like Kate debuted five new designs and repeated three.
Excellent, Kate and the Prince have charmed many Americans, including Jay Leno, Comedian in Los Angeles. They are inspiring young people.
Although practically everything she wears is beautiful as well as her jewelry can we see more of the rings she wears too
Thank you
Kate looks beautiful at every appearance, but I think 2018 in the silver-grey was especially flattering on Catherine.