Two royal women, two dazzling tiaras and one remarkable story connecting generations of the British royal family. At the state banquet honoring the Sultan of Oman, Kate Middleton and Queen Camilla captivated guests with jewels whose shared history dates back to the early 1900s.
The British royal family hosted a formal state banquet at Windsor Castle on October 20, 2026, in honor of Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman during his official state visit to the United Kingdom.
The evening brought together members of the royal family, government officials and distinguished guests for a celebration of British-Omani relations. As expected, the occasion also delivered a spectacular display of royal fashion, featuring elegant evening gowns, diamonds and historic heirloom jewelry.
Yet two particular pieces stood out: the tiaras worn by the Princess of Wales and the Queen. Their histories are closely intertwined, revealing a fascinating connection between the royal women who have worn them over more than a century.
Kate Middleton Wears Princess Diana’s Beloved Tiara
The Princess of Wales arrived in a pale yellow evening gown by Lebanese designer Elie Saab. The elegant ensemble featured a pleated skirt and a flowing cape, creating a graceful silhouette for the formal occasion.
Her most striking accessory was the Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara, one of the most recognizable pieces in the British royal jewelry collection.
The diamond-and-pearl tiara was commissioned in 1913 by Queen Mary and made by the renowned jewelry house Garrard. Its design was inspired by the earlier Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara, which Queen Mary greatly admired.
The piece later became closely associated with Princess Diana, who frequently wore it after receiving it on loan from Queen Elizabeth II following her marriage to Prince Charles in 1981.
Diana’s elegant appearance in the tiara helped make it one of the most recognizable royal accessories of her generation.
Since 2015, Kate has worn the heirloom at numerous formal occasions, continuing its place in the royal family’s public life.
For the Oman state banquet, the Princess of Wales paired the tiara with diamond earrings, a bracelet from Queen Elizabeth II’s collection and her Royal Victorian Order insignia.
Queen Camilla Chooses Queen Elizabeth II’s Favorite Tiara
Queen Camilla complemented the evening’s royal splendor in a royal blue gown and the historic Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara.
The tiara was purchased from Garrard in 1893 by a committee organized by Lady Eve Greville and presented to the future Queen Mary as a wedding gift from the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland.
Its intricate diamond design has made it one of the most recognizable pieces in the British royal collection.
In 1947, Queen Mary gave the tiara to her granddaughter, the future Queen Elizabeth II, as a wedding present following her marriage to Prince Philip.
Elizabeth wore the piece throughout her reign, including in official portraits and at major state occasions. It became so closely associated with her that it was affectionately known as “Granny’s Tiara.”
Camilla’s choice for the state banquet continued that legacy, bringing another of Queen Elizabeth’s treasured jewels into the spotlight.
The Secret Connecting the Two Tiaras
The most fascinating detail lies in a jewelry alteration made more than a century ago.
When Queen Mary first received the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, its upper section was decorated with large pearls set above the diamond framework.
In 1914, Mary had the tiara redesigned. The pearls were removed and replaced with diamonds, while the original pearls were incorporated into her Lover’s Knot Tiara.
That means the two tiaras worn by Kate and Camilla at the same state banquet share a direct historical connection through the very pearls that once adorned the same piece of jewelry.
The Lover’s Knot Tiara was itself created in 1913, and its original design included upright pearls along the top. Those pearls were later removed, leaving the diamond-topped design seen today.
Over time, both tiaras were altered to achieve the appearances they have now, but their shared history remains part of their enduring appeal.
It is a remarkable example of how royal jewelry evolves across generations, with individual pieces being redesigned, inherited and worn in new ways while retaining their historical significance.
Royal Jewelry as a Living Record of History
British royal tiaras are admired not only for their diamonds, craftsmanship and precious materials, but also for the personal stories attached to them.
Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, Queen Camilla and Catherine, Princess of Wales, are connected through these heirlooms, which have passed between generations and appeared at some of the royal family’s most significant occasions.
Each wearer has brought a different style and personality to the pieces, while preserving their place in royal tradition.
The state banquet at Windsor Castle offered another reminder that these jewels are more than decorative accessories. They are historical objects that carry memories of weddings, royal milestones and family connections spanning more than a century.
Behind their diamond brilliance are stories of inheritance, craftsmanship and continuity—making the tiaras worn by Kate and Camilla far more than a glamorous highlight of the evening.
