The Princess of Wales introduced again a Jenny Packham robe for tonight’s glittering diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace.
A refresher on the occasion through a 2016 Each day Mail piece.
It’s also the most important reception held at Buckingham Palace, requiring hours of intricate planning by the Grasp of the Family and the Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, in addition to the commandeering of just about each member of ready employees.
Greater than 1,000 folks from round 130 nations, together with members of the British authorities, previous Prime Ministers and the Archbishops of Canterbury and York attend the gathering.
I don’t know if the King has saved the visitor checklist the identical, however the occasion is a spotlight of the social season for a lot of. In a information launch, Buckingham Palace notes, “The Reception, which often takes place yearly, sees The Sovereign invite the Diplomatic Corps to an occasion within the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace. The Reception celebrates the presence in London of one of many largest Diplomatic Corps on the planet and can see Their Majesties, The King and Queen, meet representatives of nations accredited to the Courtroom of St. James.”
The event supplied the possibility for a photograph portrait of the King, Queen, Prince, and Princess. It was shot earlier than the reception by Chris Jackson within the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace.
Embed from Getty Pictures
That is the second time the King has hosted the reception.
Under, a photograph from final yr’s reception.
The Prince and Princess of Wales.
A solo shot of the Princess.
Prince William greeting company.
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Now, let’s check out what the Queen wore this night, starting together with her embroidered night robe by Fiona Clare, a go-to designer for her. (With apologies, we now have only a few images from tonight’s occasion.) You see her Order of the Garter sash and star, and a pair of earrings from her personal assortment.
She additionally wore the Ladies of Nice Britain and Eire tiara, described by the Order of Splendor as “…a diamond design of festoons and scrolls set on a bandeau base of spherical and lozenge-shaped diamonds.” That is simply the second time she has worn the piece—extra from The Courtroom Jeweller’s protection of tonight’s festivities.
The diamond tiara, with its elegant fleur-de-lis and festoon designs, was given to Queen Mary as a marriage current in 1893. The reward got here from a committee of younger girls, the Ladies of Nice Britain and Eire. (Therefore the standard title for the jewel.) Initially the tiara had a row of pear-shaped pearl toppers, however Mary later had these eliminated and repurposed.
Queen Mary gave the tiara to her granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, as a marriage current in 1947. She wore the tiara for the following seven a long time.
Right here you see the Queen sporting it for the primary time at an October banquet.
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And the late Queen sporting it at a 2018 state banquet.
Queen Camilla wore a bracelet belonging to the late Queen and a placing piece referred to as a “stomacher” that belonged to the Queen Mom. Extra from Bethan Holt’s Telegraph column.
Camilla additionally re-introduced a relatively uncommon piece of royal jewelry to public view on the diplomatic reception. She opted to put on a diamond ‘stomacher’ which belonged to the late Queen Mom on her cream robe by Fiona Clare, one in every of her most trusted couturiers. This massive piece of jewelry, generally known as a devant de corsage due to the best way it decorates the bodice of a gown, as soon as featured closely in royal girls’s jewel rotations, creating alternatives for optimum adornment and status-signalling.
We return to The Courtroom Jeweller for extra on this piece.
Probably the most thrilling side of Camilla’s jewellery this time round, nonetheless, is the corsage decoration that she pinned to the entrance of her night gown. The diamond stomacher appears to me like a late nineteenth-century piece, with its fascinating diamond tassel design parts. This piece isn’t one which I can ever recall seeing the late Queen Mom put on, even in portraits from the times when she was Duchess of York. I don’t consider it matches any of the items described within the official lists of her wedding ceremony presents from 1923. May it presumably be a part of the Greville Bequest? (It appears so acquainted, however I can’t place it!)
The eagle-eyed Isaguor thought tonight’s robe regarded acquainted, and royal reporter Patricia Treble agreed.
I believe @isaguor is correct — Queen Camilla’s outfit at tonight’s diplomatic reception (left) and Annabel Eliot, standing beside her sister, in an official coronation picture (left)
That will take royal recycling to a brand new stage https://t.co/2PgCTJFfif pic.twitter.com/adRuXAiyPp
— Patricia Treble (@PatriciaTreble) December 6, 2023
UPDATE: The robe is not the identical fashion worn by Annabel Elliot, as defined by Viking Queen on Twitter.
To these speculating about Camilla’s robe tonight. It’s not the identical as Annabel’s coronation robe. There isn’t a embroidery on the shoulder of Annabel’s robe & if you happen to zoom it’s clear the embroidery on the sleeves is completely different as nicely. #QueenCamilla #KCIII pic.twitter.com/ms39txv3FH
— Lagertha of Denmark (@VikingQueen77) December 6, 2023
Now for our evaluation of what Kate wore this night.
If tonight’s outfit appears acquainted, that’s as a result of it’s, together with the equipment. The identical ensemble was worn this June for the reception celebrating the marriage of Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa of Jordan. Under, a have a look at the Jenny Packham “Georgia” robe, a mode from the A/W 2019 runway assortment. The fashion options rose pink sequinned tuille with a row of crystal gildings accenting the waist and neckline.
The Princess additionally owns the robe in a wealthy inexperienced shade. Most not too long ago, it was seen on the Royal Selection Efficiency in 2021; it was first worn throughout the 2019 Pakistan tour.
Right here, you see the Princess sporting the robe on each events.
Many instantly acknowledged tonight’s tiara, the Lover’s Knot.
Background on the tiara comes through the Courtroom Jeweller:
…the piece is unquestionably essentially the most well-known lover’s knot tiara immediately, it was initially a duplicate of one other almost-identical sparkler that after belonged to the Cambridge household. The lover’s knot motif was very talked-about within the nineteenth century; the knots are the pretzel-like parts on the prime of the tiara — the half from which the pendant pearls are suspended.
Under, a chronological have a look at the tiaras worn for all eight receptions the Princess has attended. You see the Papyrus/Lotus Flower twice and the Lover’s Knot six occasions.
We return to Bethan Holy’s Telegraph story.
The Princess of Wales wore her favorite tiara, the Cambridge Lover’s knot which dates again to 1914 and was created by Garrard for Queen Mary as a reproduction of a bit belonging to her aunt, Princess Augusta of Cambridge. The ornate design incorporates a diamond body with a row of drop pearls. The tiara was utilized by Queen Elizabeth II earlier than being loaned to Princess Diana who wore it quite a few occasions regardless of complaining that it gave her a headache.
The Princess wore Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Greville diamond chandelier earrings.
The earrings had been a marriage current for the then-Princess Elizabeth in 1947 and mentioned to be a favourite of the late Queen. On this picture, you see her sporting them in Canada throughout a July 2010 tour.
The Princess wore the sash, badge, and Maltese Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, anchored to her shoulder by her Bentley and Skinner deco-style diamond brooch, and the Royal Household Order of Queen Elizabeth II.
Here’s a higher view of the insignia, proven when worn at a 2022 state dinner.
Extra on the Royal Household Order from a earlier submit. “The Order is a present that was personally bestowed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to feminine members of the Royal Household. It options a picture of the Queen in formal apparel and sporting a tiara. The oval is surrounded by diamonds and topped by a crimson enameled crown.” Trying carefully at tonight’s sporting, you will notice that the yellow ribbon holding the Order has been folded underneath, almost definitely in anticipation of a brand new King Charles III royal household order.
Rebecca English of the Each day Mail experiences {that a} portrait of King Charles has been chosen for the brand new Order, however the piece hasn’t but been created.
We noticed the return of the salmon/peach Prada clutch, a bit relationship again to at the least 2011. The satin hard-sided bag has rounded edges, a goldtone clasp, and the Prada brand.
Tonight’s footwear seem like the Gianvito Rossi ‘Rania’ fashion ($2695). The pointed-toe pumps are handmade of clear organza silk with suede trim, and embellished with 4500 crystals. (A couple of repliKates I discovered could be seen right here.)
Here’s a have a look at the ensembles seen at earlier diplomatic receptions. From left to proper, you see the crimson Jenny Packham’ Elodie’ robe worn final yr with the Lotus Flower Tiara and the Queen’s Diamond Body earrings. In 2019, we noticed the Lover’s Knot tiara and Nizam of Hyderabad necklace, in addition to a diamond ring and earrings worn with a dramatic black velvet Alexander McQueen robe. For the 2018 reception, a smooth, sequinned Jenny Packham design was accessorized with the Lover’s Knot tiara and the Collingwood earrings. On the 2016 reception, a Jenny Packham robe was repeated and paired with the Lover’s Knot tiara, the Queen’s Marriage ceremony Present bracelet, and Diamond Body earrings.
We should not have nice photographs of two different kinds worn by the Princess, together with the white robe from 2017 paired with the Lover’s Knot tiara, the Queen’s shimmering collet/rivière necklace, and the Collingwood earrings.
And the lacy blue Alexander McQueen robe believed to have been worn in 2013 and once more for the 2015 reception. These pictures are from an ITV documentary shot on the 2015 occasion.
I’ll go away you with yet one more view of the Princess.
I’ll see you Friday for the Christmas Carol Live performance at Westminster Abbey.
