Kate Middleton’s sweet nod to Princess Diana as she wears favourite tiara

23 November 2022, 14:39 | Updated: 23 November 2022, 14:48

Kate Middleton wearing the same tiara as Princess Diana. Picture: Getty Images

By Naomi Bartram

The Princess of Wales wore a Jenny Packham cape dress and a tiara worn by the Queen and Princess Diana.

Kate Middleton attended her first state banquet as Princess of Wales this week, and made sure to honour Princess Diana and The Queen.

On Tuesday, Kate, who inherited Diana's former title in September, dined with the royal family and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at Buckingham Palace.

She wore a stunning cape dress by Jenny Packham as well as the Lover’s Knot Tiara, often shortened to Lover’s Knot.

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This is the ninth time Kate has worn it after it was previously worn by Princess Diana back in 1989 during a visit to Hong Kong.

Kate Middleton is honouring Princess Diana with her tiara. Picture: Getty Images

According to reports, the tiara was originally designed for Queen Mary in 1914 by the House of Garrard using pearls and diamonds already owned by her family.

It was then inherited by Queen Elizabeth in 1953, who wore it on a number of formal occasions throughout the 1950s.

The Queen is said to have loaned the tiara to Diana after she married Charles in 1981 and the piece was so heavy that she used to get headaches after wearing it.

After her divorce from King Charles, the tiara was returned to Queen Elizabeth.

Queen Elizabeth wearing Lover's Knot tiara in 1972. Picture: Getty Images

In December 2015, Kate wore it for the first time at the Diplomatic Reception, and since then it has been one of her favourite pieces.

At the state banquet, Kate was also wearing a four-strand pearl bracelet belonging to the late Queen Elizabeth II and earrings that belonged to Diana.

Kate also proudly donned the Royal Victorian Order, which is a badge worn by the royals at formal events.

Princess Diana wearing the Lover's Knot in 1989. Picture: Getty Images

The state banquet marked the first of its kind since the sad death of Queen Elizabeth on September 8.

And Kate wasn't the only royal to pay tribute to the late monarch as Camilla, Queen Consort, wore the Belgian Sapphire Tiara, which also belonged to Queen Elizabeth.