Catherine wears her first tiara as Princess of Wales which was originally a gift to Diana and owned by the late Queen

Wearing her favourite tiara, the Cambridge Lover’s Knot, which was a wedding gift to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, Catherine looked suitably regal at the lavish State Banquet last night. The occasion was of marked importance as it was the first of its kind in three years.

The banquet, which took place at Buckingham Palace, was part of a State Visit by the president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, and was the first state one of King Charles’s reign.

As well as honouring Princess Diana by wearing the Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara, she also wore a pair of diamond and pearl drop earrings that also once belonged to her. Although all eyes were drawn to Catherine’s Jenny Packham white gown embellished with gems, it is her tiara that was undoubtedly the star attraction.

The Lover’s Knot Tiara is the shortened name for the Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara. It was commissioned in 1913 for Queen Mary from the House of Garrard and features diamonds and 19 hanging pearls, set in silver and gold. After being handed down to the late Queen, it was then passed to her then daughter-in-law, the late Princess Diana.

Princess Diana famously wore the Lover’s Knot tiara while visiting Hong Kong with the then Prince of Wales. She wore a memorable Catherine Walker pearl encrusted dress for the occasion. When Diana divorced Charles, the tiara was returned to the late Queen.

Although Catherine, Princess of Wales, wore a tiara on her wedding day, it was not the Lover’s Knot, but instead the Cartier Halo Tiara. It wasn’t until December 2015 that Catherine wore the Lover’s Knot Tiara for that year’s Diplomatic Reception.

Catherine has since worn the Lover’s Knot Tiara for a number of key events including the State Banquet for the King and Queen of Spain in 2017. Previous to the State Banquet for the South African President, Catherine had last worn the Tiara for the Diplomatic Reception in 2019.

Catherine made sure she not only honoured her late mother in law at the State Banquet last night, but also the late Queen. She wore one of her pearl bracelets that she had last worn for her late Majesty’s funeral in September.

Camilla, the Queen Consort, also paid tribute to her late mother in law by wearing the George V1 Sapphire Tiara, which used to belong to her.