The Princess of Wales turned heads on Wednesday evening as she stepped out in a brand new dress and a new tiara for the German state banquet. Princess Catherine wowed fans as she sported the new tiara, which was Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara.
The glittering piece, featuring diamonds and rubies, was designed for Victoria by her German-born husband, Prince Albert, in 1853, in what is thought to have been a thoughtful tribute by the future Queen to the King’s guests. Catherine glittered in a periwinkle blue, floor-length sequined gown with an asymmetric neckline and flowing cape shoulder detail by Jenny Packham for the white tie celebration.
She also wore the late Queen’s earrings, the Royal Family Order and the GCVO Sash and Star.
Catherine’s hair was down and styled in her signature waves and royal fans were quick to spot the genius way in which she had secured the new tiara in place.
It appeared the princess’s hair was twisted and wrapped around the back of the tiara to hold it securely on top of her head.
Royal fans loved seeing the princess in a new tiara and took to social media to express their jubilation.
One user wrote on X: “I always marvel at how the Tiaras stay fixed on the royal ladies’ heads, especially when it is a bigger piece like the one Catherine wore tonight. I love that we get a good look at how Catherine used her hair in a knot to secure the stunning heirloom on her head”
A second one said: “A tiara truly fit for a future Queen.”
Another one said: “Stunning. Jaw-dropping.”
A fourth one commented: “The hair look so flowy I was wondering how does it not slide down and then you see the neat trick in the back.”
A fifth one said: “For the big ones they tend to weave the hair on the velvet ring to properly secure the tiara.”
The Oriental Circlet Tiara is also known as the Indian Tiara. It was a favourite of the Queen Mother.
The large but delicate-looking piece features diamond lotus flowers and arches, and wraps itself nearly all the way around the wearer’s head.
Albert had it made as an opal tiara for Victoria in 1853 and it was said to have been inspired by a tiara made for the monarch by the East India Company in 1851 to commemorate the end of the Great Exhibition in 1851.
But Queen Alexandra later replaced the opals, which were thought unlucky, with rubies.
Catherine usually wears her go-to tiara, the Lover’s Knot, at state banquets.
