Duchess Kate dazzles at first State Banquet
The Duchess of Cambridge attended her first State Banquet Tuesday night in honor of Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Madame Peng, and as expected, Kate looked every part a princess is a stunning gown and dazzling jewels.
Kate bespoke red Jenny Packham gown with the Lotus Flower Tiara on loan from Queen Elizabeth II along with diamond chandelier earrings and a diamond bracelet. The color red dress symbolizes luck, good fortune and joy in Chinese culture and the lotus flower has historical significance in China.
The Lotus Flower Tiara has been in the royal family since the 1920s, according to People Magazine. Kate has worn it once before, at a diplomatic reception at the palace in 2013. Tuesday's banquet was just the third time Kate has worn a tiara for an event since joining marrying Prince William in 2011.
President Xi sat between Kate and the queen at the 170-guest event. Music during the dinner included traditional Chinese folk songs along with more modern British classics, including "Eleanor Rigby" by the The Beatles and "Nobody Does it Better," from the 1977 James Bond film, "The Spy Who Loved Me."
The queen toasted President Xi during the banquet, saying "Your visit to the United Kingdom marks a milestone in this unprecedented year of cooperation and friendship between the United Kingdom and China, as we celebrate the ties between our two countries and prepare to take them to ambitious new heights."
Wednesday, Kate and Prince William attended a United Kingdom-China Creative Collaborations Summit at Lancaster House in London.
