Princess Catherine wears Oriental Circlet tiara reserved 'only for Queens' at German state banquet

The Prince and Princess of Wales helped usher in a new chapter in UK-German relations on Wednesday, December 3, kicking off the German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Büdenbender's first state visit to Britain in 27 years with a blend of ceremonial grandeur and symbolic royal style.

Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, personally greeted German President and his wife at Heathrow Airport, starting a three-day visit focusing on bolstering ties on security, trade, and environmental cooperation.

Later, the royal couple joined King Charles III and Queen Qamilla for a formal ceremonial welcome with a Guard of Honour on the lawns of Windsor Castle.

Beyond the diplomatic ties, one thing that really stands out is the Princess of Wales’ tiara. She debuted a historical statement tiara from the Royal Collection, a piece laden with personal and diplomatic significance.

The beautiful tiara was crafted in 1853 for Queen Victoria under the direction of her husband, Prince Albert. The tiara’s is inspired from Indian lotus flowers and Mughal arches originally featured his favourite opals.

These opals were later replaced by rubies that now sparkle alongside its 2,600 diamonds.

Most importantly, Queen Alexandra was believed to have worn the tiara on a state visit to Germany, a likely inspiration for its selection for this occasion.

Until now, the tiara was worn exclusively by Queens consort.

Queen Elizabeth known as The Queen Mother favoured it for decades, and the late Queen Elizabeth II wore it only once in public after her mother’s death in 2005.

Its appearance on the Princess of Wales highlights a major shift in the management of the royal jewelry collection under Queen Camilla’s stewardship.

For the banquet, Princess Catherine paired the historic tiara with a dazzling blue cape gown by Jenny Packham.