King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince of Wales stepped out on Tuesday evening to attend the annual Diplomatic Corps reception at Windsor Castle. The Queen turned heads in a dazzling emerald tiara also worn by Princess Eugenie on her 2018 wedding day, and here at HELLO! HQ, it made us think of how rare royal tiara moments are.
The Princess of Wales, who usually attends the diplomatic reception, was notably absent. She had spent the day in London attending a summit and championing a cause close to her heart - the Early Years. But in her previous appearances at the Diplomatic Corps event, she has worn the Lover's Knot tiara as well as the Lotus Flower tiara.
As custom with women marrying into the royal family, Kate's first tiara moment was on her wedding day to Prince William in 2011. She made her debut in the Cartier Halo tiara and since then, we've seen her wow in four different tiaras from the late Queen Elizabeth's vast collection. Apart from the three aforementioned, she has also worn the Strathmore Rose tiara.
See all of the Princess's dazzling tiara moments in the gallery below…
© GettyWedding day, 2011
The first time Kate donned a tiara was upon her marriage to Prince William on 29 April 2011. The royal bride was loaned the Cartier Halo tiara from Queen Elizabeth II, which dates back to 1936. It was given by the late Queen's father, then the Duke of York, to the Duchess of York before they became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
© GettyChina state banquet, 2015
Kate's next tiara moment came two years later she she debuted the Lotus Flower tiara at the annual Diplomatic reception in 2013.
The floral-themed diamond tiara was made from a necklace given as a wedding gift to the Queen Mother.
The then-Duchess of Cambridge sported the jewels again at the China state banquet (pictured above) with a red Jenny Packham gown in a nod to the country's flag.
© GettyDiplomatic reception, 2015
The Lover's Knot tiara is Kate's most worn royal headpiece. It was synonymous with her late mother-in-law, Diana, who was gifted the tiara as a wedding present from Queen Elizabeth II in 1981.
She first wore it in December 2015 for the Diplomatic Reception with the late Queen's diamond chandelier earrings and an ice blue lace gown.
© GettyDiplomatic reception, 2016
Kate rewore her red Jenny Packham gown with the Lover's Knot tiara as she and William joined Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla at the Buckingham Palace reception.
© GettySpanish state visit, 2017
The royal wowed in a blush pink lace Marchesa gown with the Lover's Knot tiara as the British royals hosted King Felipe and Queen Letizia during a state visit in 2017.
Kate also debuted Diana's Collingwood pearl and diamond earrings and the late Queen's Ruby and Diamond Floral Bandeau Necklace.
© GettyDiplomatic reception, 2017
Once again, Kate opted for her favourite tiara, the Lover's Knot, and wore it with a white embellished gown and a diamond collet necklace.
© GettyThe Dutch state banquet, 2018
Kate wowed in an icy blue satin Alexander McQueen gown with the Lover's Knot tiara and Queen Alexandra’s Wedding Necklace, as the royals hosted King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands.
© GettyDiplomatic reception, 2018
Kate looked beautiful in a bridal-esque look for the annual Diplomatic reception. She sported a white embellished Jenny Packham gown with the Lover's Knot tiara and Diana’s Collingwood diamond and pearl drop earrings.
© GettyUS state banquet, 2019
The Princess donned a white ruffled Alexander McQueen gown with the Lover's Knot tiara, when the late Queen hosted US President Donald Trump for a state visit. And for the first time, Kate wore her new insignia as a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victoria Order (GCVO).
© GettyDiplomatic reception, 2019
The Lover's Knot made another appearance as Kate attended the Diplomatic reception in 2019. She teamed the tiara with the Nizam of Hyderabad necklace and diamond chandelier earrings. The Princess looked elegant in a floor-length navy velvet gown by her go-to designer McQueen.
South Africa state visit, 2022
Kate had her first tiara moment after the pandemic at the South Africa state visit in November 2022, just two months after Queen Elizabeth's death.
She chose to wear the Lover's Knot tiara with an embellished caped gown by Jenny Packham.
© GettyDiplomatic reception, 2022
The Lotus Flower tiara made a reappearance as King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted their first-ever Diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace. Kate styled her hair down with the jewels, which she teamed with a red sequin and embellished Jenny Packham evening dress.
© Royal Hashemite CourtJordan Royal Wedding, 2023
The Princess surprised us when she had a glittering tiara moment at Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa's royal wedding in Jordan in June 2023.
Kate wowed in a shimmering pink Jenny Packham gown with the Lover's Knot tiara and the late Queen's Greville Chandelier earrings.
© GettyCoronation, 2023
While it was widely reported before the coronation that the Princess may wear a tiara for King Charles' coronation, she stunned us with this beautiful floral-themed headpiece.
The glittering accessory by Jess Collett x Alexander McQueen was made of silver bullion and crystal with three-dimensional leaf embroidery.
© GettySouth Korean state visit, 2023
Kate delighted royal watchers as she debuted the Strathmore Rose Tiara at the South Korea state banquet.
The then Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later the Queen Mother) was given the floral headpiece as a wedding gift from her father, the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne in 1923.
The tiara was left to her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, after the Queen Mother's death in 2002, but it hadn't been seen on another member of the royal family for decades.
© AlamyDiplomatic reception, 2023
The Princess repeated her look from the Jordan royal wedding for the Diplomatic reception in December 2023. Kate brought back her pink Jenny Packham dress with the Lover's Knot tiara and the late Queen's Greville Chandelier earrings.
© Getty ImagesFrench state visit, 2025
Wearing a tiara for the first time in two years, Kate stepped out during the French state visit in July 2025 in her favourite headpiece - the Lover's Knot tiara.
The Princess was attending the state banquet at Windsor Castle on day one of the visit and in a nod to French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte, she chose a red silk creponne gown by her wedding dress designer, Sarah Burton, who is now the creative director of French fashion house Givenchy.
© GettyUS state visit, 2025
As she attended the state banquet at Windsor Castle two months later in September 2025, to welcome President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania to the UK, Kate once again turned to the Lover's Knot tiara.
She paired it with a hand-embroidered gold Chantilly gown by designer Phillipa Lepley, which featured hand-embroidered roses, couched gold cording accented with French knots and satin-stitched blooms.
