Queen Camilla joined her husband King Charles, the Prince and Princess of Wales and more royals at Windsor Castle for the state banquet held in honour of the President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu.
The formal occasion offers endless sartorial opportunities for the royals, including bespoke gowns, historic tiaras, and breathtaking heirloom jewels. On Wednesday evening, Camilla took the opportunity to showcase her sentimental jewellery collection, inherited from her mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth.
Alongside her bridal white gown from Fiona Clare, she accessorised with a diamond serpent necklace, the Garter sash and star and the King's Royal Family Order. Completing her look, she wore the Belgian Sapphire Tiara, which Elizabeth had purchased in 1963 to complement her sapphire jewels, and a series of Cartier bracelets.
Cartier bracelet history
The latter originally belonged to the Queen Mother, who was gifted five individual bracelets by the then-Duke of York between 1923 and 1925. The Art Deco designs included diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires, and each was pictured on the royal's wrist for several years before being handed down to Queen Elizabeth.
She notably wore them for her final tiara appearance at the Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace in 2019.
© GettyWhile the late monarch briefly loaned the diamond bracelet to her son King Charles' first wife, Princess Diana, during her Australia tour in 1983, they now appear to be part of his second wife Camilla's jewellery collection.
© Getty ImagesShe wore the emerald version alongside her velvet green dress in 2024 and has stepped out with three of the five for her most recent outing.
© Getty ImagesCamilla owns several other pieces from the royals, including her baguette diamond engagement ring, thought to have been given to Queen Elizabeth II's mother in 1926 when Her Majesty was born.
State banquet
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesThe recent state banquet, which took place during Ramadan, saw an unprecedented change in proceedings, designed with guests in mind.
Before being seated at the 47.32m-long table, guests could make use of a prayer room and break their fast with canapés at the pre-dinner reception.
They then sat down for a three-course meal, which included a soft‑boiled quail egg tartlet, a main course of fillet of turbot, lobster mousse wrapped in spinach and Jersey Royal potatoes, finished with an iced blackcurrant soufflé with red fruit coulis.
