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From July 8 to 10, French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron will embark on a State Visit to the United Kingdom, invited by King Charles and Queen Camilla. The Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, will play a central role, welcoming the French presidential couple upon their arrival and accompanying them to Windsor Castle, where they will be received with full honors and hosted throughout their stay.
A welcome reception, the review of the royal guard, and a ceremonial carriage procession are all on the agenda. As night falls, Windsor Castle, which is still replacing Buckingham Palace during ongoing renovations, will host the traditional State Banquet. Kate decided to wear a stylish Dior look for the important occasion, marking her first appearance at such an event since 2023. Here we take a look at the tiara options available to her from the British Royal collection ahead of the rest of the events.
© Chris JacksonThe return of Kate Middleton, who has spent over a year and a half away from the spotlight while battling cancer, has been gradual. She began with health-related public appearances and has slowly resumed engagements tied to her core causes. However, she has not yet participated in any international trips or attended a State Banquet, one of the most significant and ceremonial events on the royal calendar, and one of the rare occasions where royal women are expected to wear a tiara.
© Chris JacksonIt's nearly impossible to give a definitive number of how many tiaras exist in the British royal collection. The Windsor jewel vault is one of the most extensive and mysterious in the world. Occasionally, a forgotten piece resurfaces, reminding us of its grandeur, such as the tiaras worn by Meghan Markle or Princess Eugenie at their weddings, jewels that hadn’t been seen publicly for decades.
What is certain is that tiaras are never assigned at random. Each one is allocated based on institutional hierarchy and historical significance. The most valuable and symbolic pieces are reserved for queens, currently Camilla, the wife of King Charles III.
© CARL DE SOUZAA Journey told in four tiaras:
In keeping with these unwritten rules, tiaras also trace the personal journey of each royal woman. They reveal whether she is royal by birth or marriage, and hint at the role she is destined to play. In Kate’s case, her tiara story has so far revolved around four pieces, to which she has gradually gained access as her institutional significance has grown.
Still, that doesn’t rule out the possibility of a surprise. Her long-awaited return could include the debut of a never-before-worn tiara, one that symbolizes the start of a new era.
© Max Mumby/IndigoThe tiara of a future queen:
Kate Middleton wore her first tiara at her 2011 wedding to Prince William. The piece was modest, relatively small, and understated, but crucially, it had always belonged to the Windsors. This detail is important considering the collection includes numerous jewels with controversial or disputed origins.
This particular tiara, commissioned by King George VI for his wife, later known as the Queen Mother, also told a love story. Historically, it served as an "initiation tiara." Princess Margaret (Queen Elizabeth II's sister) and her daughter, Princess Anne, both wore it early in their public lives before moving on to more elaborate pieces. The tiara had remained unused for years before Kate chose it for her wedding, a light but promising piece, once worn by a duchess who would become one of Britain’s most iconic queens.
© PoolFirst steps into royal duty:
As Kate advanced in her royal role, she began wearing the Lotus Flower Tiara to gala dinners and diplomatic receptions. This piece, created by the Queen Mother using wedding gifts, was frequently worn by Princess Margaret and, more recently, by Sophie, the current Duchess of Edinburgh, as a mark of her growing presence in the royal family.
Made of diamonds and pearls, the tiara is versatile and adaptable. Interestingly, Kate has tended to pair it with red evening gowns, though there have been a few exceptions.
© PoolThe Princess of Wales' transformation:
The most important tiara Kate has worn is the Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara. This neoclassical design of diamonds and drop-shaped pearls was created for Queen Mary, great-grandmother of King Charles III. It has the scale and presence of a true queen’s tiara, once worn by Queen Elizabeth II herself.
Famously, it was given to Princess Diana by Queen Elizabeth II following her marriage to Prince Charles. Though Diana originally wanted to wear her family’s Spencer Tiara on her wedding day, asserting her noble lineage, she later needed an official Windsor Tiara for state duties. The Cambridge Lover’s Knot became her go-to for official portraits.
Between its emotional connection to Diana and its reference to “the lovers of Cambridge, ”a title Queen Elizabeth granted William and Kate upon their wedding, it was clear this tiara was destined for Kate alone. Unlike the Lotus Flower, which can be shared among royals, this is uniquely hers as Princess of Wales.
© PoolA forgotten jewel reborn:
One of Kate’s last appearances before stepping back from royal duties in 2023 was particularly striking. At a State Dinner in November, she wore a historical tiara that had not been seen in public in nearly 90 years, the Strathmore Rose Tiara, a wedding gift to the Queen Mother from her father, the Earl of Strathmore, in 1923.
Designed to be worn two ways, on the crown or the forehead, it echoed the flexible elegance favored by early 20th-century royals like the Queen Mother. This subtle yet significant moment marked a new phase in Kate’s relationship with the royal jewel collection: one of rediscovery and quiet power.
© PoolA royal narrative told through jewels:
Kate’s tiara choices are deliberate and layered. Her selections range from historically significant to emotionally resonant and reflect not only her personal style but also her evolving status within the monarchy. Though the grandest jewels remain reserved for the Queen Consort, Camilla, Kate has masterfully crafted a legacy through the thoughtful use of tiaras that, while not the most ostentatious, speak volumes.
© WPA Pool
