The Queen wore a white Fiona Clare gown whilst Brigitte opted for blue

Princess Kate joined Queen Camilla and French First Lady Brigitte Macron at tonight’s State Banquet in a striking display of sartorial diplomacy.

Queen Camilla wore a white Fiona Clare gown whilst Brigitte Macron opted for blue.

Together with Kate’s red ensemble, the trio’s coordinated colours represented both the Union Jack and the French tricolour.

The symbolic colour palette provided a fitting visual representation of the diplomatic ties between Britain and France during President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit.

Brigitte Macron, Princess Kate and Queen Camilla display powerful imagery at glitzy gala.

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The Princess of Wales chose a caped red silk gown designed by Sarah Burton for Givenchy for the evening’s festivities.

She paired the dramatic ensemble with the Lover’s Knot Tiara, a piece with significant royal heritage.

The tiara was created for Queen Mary in 1914 by the House of Garrard from pearls and diamonds already owned by her family.

It was subsequently passed down to Queen Elizabeth II and became one of Princess Diana’s favourite pieces.

William and Kate receive rare public tribute from King as he hails their Windsor home life.Reuters

The Lover’s Knot has become Kate’s most frequently worn tiara during her royal engagements.

Tonight’s State Banquet marked Kate’s return to wearing a tiara, her first such appearance since announcing her cancer diagnosis.

The Princess of Wales had not worn a tiara since December 2023, when she also donned the Lover’s Knot Tiara for the annual Diplomatic Reception.

The red Givenchy gown and historic tiara combination represented a significant moment in Kate’s gradual return to full royal duties.

The King, Queen and Macrons posed together in Windsor Castle.Getty

Princess Kate sends message of resilience in Princess Diana’s tiara as she arrives at Windsor Castle.

Instagram / Prince and Princess of WalesAt the previous state visit hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla, Kate only attended the ceremonial welcome and skipped the state banquet entirely.

Just months after her last tiara appearance, Kate revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer and stepped back from royal duties for the majority of 2024. Last week, Kate spoke candidly about the challenges of post-treatment recovery.

“You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism, through treatment. Treatment’s done and it’s like, I can crack on, get back to normal again,” she shared. Kate added that post-treatment life is “really, really difficult” because “you’re not able to function normally at home as you were perhaps once used to.”

Tonight’s banquet represents a significant milestone in her gradual return to public engagements