The Princess of Wales never looks more elegant than when attending a state banquet, as she is set to prove once again on 3 November when she makes an appearance at St George's Hall at Windsor Castle to mark the German state visit to the UK from 3 to 5 December 2025.
Unusually, Kate's appearance this week will mark her third state banquet this year, despite the event often being a once-a-year occasion, if that. Having attended state banquets at Windsor Castle for both President Trump of the US and President Macron of France in 2025, the royal has proved she is a pro at dressing for this type of engagement.
© POOL/AFP via Getty Images"At state banquets, Kate always gravitates toward silhouettes that feel regal without ever being overdone, think structured bodices, sweeping skirts, and refined necklines that sit just on the elegant side of classic," Oriona Robb, a luxury stylist with over 20 years of experience in the fashion industry, says. "She understands the visual language of royal eveningwear: symmetry, poise, and a sense of continuity with the monarchy's long history of formal dressing.
"What makes Kate's state-banquet style so consistently successful is her ability to balance tradition with a modern sensibility," Oriona adds. "She'll choose rich fabrics, meticulous tailoring, and jewel-tone palettes that read appropriately ceremonial, but she keeps the styling clean. Using minimal jewellery, polished hair, and a focus on one standout piece of jewellery. It's a formula that photographs beautifully, respects protocol, and reinforces her image as a future Queen who understands how to look both iconic and approachable."
Having reported on Kate's fashion for over two years at HELLO!, including her banquet looks, I know that this is when she pulls out the stops. Join me in diving into the archives as we take a look back at every gown the princess has worn to a state banquet.
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© Getty ImagesSeptember 2025
On 17 September 2025, Kate joined Prince William, King Charles, and Queen Camilla in welcoming President Trump and his wife, Melania, to the UK for a state visit. Kate swapped her bold colours for a glorious gold number by Phillipa Lepley with a lace overlay. It was paired with the Cambridge Lover's Knot from the royal jewellery archives. The heirloom piece was created for Queen Mary in 1914 by the House of Garrard.
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© Getty ImagesJuly 2025
On 8 July 2025, Kate made an appearance at the state banquet hosted in honour of President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, who made the first state visit by a French president in 17 years. The royal wore a crimson gown by Sarah Burton for Givenchy. It featured caped shoulders and was styled with the glorious Queen Mary’s Lover's Knot Tiara, which was commissioned by Queen Mary in 1913 from Garrard & Co.
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© GettyNovember 2023
On 21 November 2023, Kate headed to Buckingham Palace as King Charles hosted Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee. The princess dazzled in a custom Jenny Packham gown featuring floaty short sleeves adorned with flowers made from tiny gold beads. She also debuted the Strathmore Rose Tiara, a piece which dates back to 1923 when it was given as a wedding gift to the Queen Mother by her parents, the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne. William's wife has never worn it again.
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© GettyNovember 2022
On 22 November 2022, Kate was seen at the state banquet at Buckingham Palace. It was a special occasion as the evening marked the first state visit hosted by the UK with King Charles as monarch, and the first state visit to the UK by a South African leader since 2010. Kate dressed to impress in a cascading white Jenny Packham gown featuring dramatic embellished shoulders and the Lover's Knot tiara once again.
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© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesJune 2019
On 3 June 2019, Kate once again wore white in the form of a ruffled Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen gown – the same designer who made her iconic wedding dress for her nuptials to Prince William in April 2011. The textured gown was elevated to the next level with the Lover's Knot tiara. The banquet welcomed Donald and Melania Trump to the UK during his first term in office.
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© GettyOctober 2018
On 23 October 2018, Kate made a case for a blue look as she arrived at Buckingham Palace in a ruched Alexander McQueen gown featuring a corsage detail on the bodice. She also wore the Lover's Knot tiara as the royals hosted King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands.
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© Kensington PalaceJuly 2017
On 12 July 2017, Kate switched it up in a blush pink lace gown by American label Marchesa for the state banquet for King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain. The Lover's Knot tiara was once again her headpiece of choice.
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© GettyOctober 2015
Kate's first state banquet came in October 2015 when the late Queen hosted the then-Chinese President Xi Jinping at Buckingham Palace. She picked a vibrant scarlet Jenny Packham gown for the outing and paired it with the Lotus Flower Tiara, which she debuted two years earlier at the annual Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace, which sees the monarch host over 1,000 ambassadors, foreign diplomats, and high commissioners.
