The Princess of Wales and other female members of the Royal Family paid a moving tribute to the late Queen at the state banquet last night.
As Kate wowed onlookers in her white dress and glittering tiara, many were struck by a yellow brooch pinned to her chest.
The curious piece of jewelry showed a portrait of a young Queen Elizabeth II in an evening gown with a ribbon and star of the Order of the Garter.
The object was affixed below the princess’s left shoulder with a yellow ribbon, with Camilla, Queen Consort, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, following suit.
The pins are a sign that the wearer has become part of the Order of the Royal Family, an honor bestowed on female members of the Firm by the monarch.
A total of 15 women received the late Queen’s honour, which is believed to have been first presented by George IV in the 19th century, as women at the royal court generally did not have the commemorative medals that men do.
The Princess of Wales wears the Order of the Royal Family at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace last night.
The brooch features a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and is fastened with a yellow ribbon.
Camilla, Queen Consort, was also seen wearing the Order of the Royal Family at the reception last night.
Sophie, Countess of Wessex also wore the brooch at the state banquet last night.
The Queen herself received Orders of the Royal Family from her grandfather, King George V, and her father, King George VI.
Previous recipients of Queen Elizabeth II’s Order of the Royal Family include the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales.
There are seven living recipients: The Princess of Wales, the Queen Consort, the Countess of Wessex, the Princess Royal, the Duchess of Kent, the Duchess of Gloucester and the Honorable Lady Ogilvy.
There have been suggestions that King Charles will create his own order to replace his mother’s, although those who were part of Queen Elizabeth will still be able to wear the brooches if a new one is introduced.
The brooch was part of a striking outfit worn by the Princess of Wales last night, when she took center stage at King Charles’ first state banquet as monarch.
When members of the Royal Family arrived at the Palace last night, all eyes turned to the Princess of Wales, who stunned onlookers in her dazzling outfit topped off with Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara.
The sparkling number once belonged to Princess Diana and is now perhaps Kate’s favorite piece of royal jewelry.
The tiara was made by the royal jeweler Garrard in 1914 to Queen Mary’s personal design, using pearls and diamonds already in her family’s possession.
It was a copy owned by his grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse, who married the 1st Duke of Cambridge, seventh son of King George III, in 1818.
In her will, Queen Mary left the tiara to the Queen, who wore it frequently, including to an evening event in 1955.
The Princess of Wales toasts Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, during last night’s state banquet at Buckingham Palace.
The Princess of Wales accompanies a member of the South African delegation at the state banquet at Buckingham Palace.
Kate was seen last night wearing the Lover’s Knot tiara (right), which was also a favorite of Diana, Princess of Wales (left)
In 1981 he gave it as a wedding present to Prince William’s mother, Diana, who first wore it at the State Opening of Parliament in November. Diana also wore the tiara in 1985 on an official visit to Washington with Prince Charles.
And since her death, the Princess of Wales has worn the shimmering headdress; In October 2018, Kate wore the tiara to a state banquet paired with a silvery-blue taffeta gown by one of her favorite designers, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen.
She paired it with Princess Diana’s Collingwood pearl earrings and Queen Alexandra of Denmark’s wedding gift necklace, which was a favorite of the Queen Mother.
The Queen Mother wore the diamond and pearl sparkler on her 85th birthday in 1985 and during a formal appearance in 1964.
Camilla, the queen consort, was seen wearing George VI’s sapphire tiara, which belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
