Princess Kate Middleton wears Royal Family Order of King Charles III at state banquet
Kate wore the Royal Family Order of King Charles for the first time
Princess Kate Middleton made a powerful return to the spotlight at Monday night’s state banquet, with a royal honour she has never worn publicly before.
Attending the lavish dinner at Windsor Castle alongside Prince William, King Charles, and Queen Camilla, the Princess of Wales, 43, turned heads in a caped silk gown by Sarah Burton and the iconic Lover’s Knot Tiara.
But royal watchers were quick to notice something even more significant pinned to her sash: the Royal Family Order of King Charles III.
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Kate Middleton wears Royal Family Order of King Charles
This marked the first time Kate has been seen wearing her father-in-law’s royal order. The honour is traditionally given by the monarch to senior female royals.
The badge features a miniature portrait of King Charles set in diamonds and is framed by a pale blue ribbon. It was pinned just above the Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II, which Kate has worn at past formal events.
The Royal Family Order is not given automatically. It’s a personal gift from the sovereign to working royal women, typically bestowed after years of dedicated public service. The tradition dates back to King George IV in 1821. It has since been continued by monarchs including Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, and most recently, Queen Elizabeth II.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “The tradition of commissioning a Family Order, a badge worn by female members of the royal family and personally bestowed by the sovereign, was established by King George IV over 200 years ago.
Family Orders have since been instituted by Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, King George V, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.”
Queen Camilla became the first to wear the new order from King Charles during the Japanese state visit in June 2024. She also wore it at this week’s France banquet. Princess Anne, Duchess Sophie, and Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, are among the other royal women who have been awarded the honour.
Kate’s return to royal duties
The state banquet marked Kate’s first formal tiara appearance since 2023. The Princess of Wales took a step back from public engagements in 2024 to focus on her cancer recovery.
Meanwhile, Kate’s entire ensemble for the evening was rich with historical nods.
Her custom Sarah Burton for Givenchy gown paid tribute to both French fashion and her own royal wedding designer.
Her tiara of choice, the Lover’s Knot, was once a favourite of Princess Diana. She completed the look with Queen Elizabeth’s chandelier earrings, a pale pink clutch, and her cascading brunette locks softly swept away from her face.
This year, the Princess began her gradual return to public life. Kate’s recent appearances have included Trooping the Colour and the Order of the Garter Service.
She also visited Colchester Hospital, where she candidly spoke about the emotional toll of recovery.
“You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment,” Kate shared. “Treatment’s done, then it’s like, ‘I can crack on, get back to normal.’
“But actually, the phase afterwards is really, really difficult. You’re not necessarily under the clinical team any longer. But you’re not able to function normally at home as you perhaps once used to.”
Despite these challenges, her appearance at the French state banquet was filled with confidence and grace.
Read more: Kate Middleton stuns in red Givenchy gown and Princess Diana’s tiara at French state banquet
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