Kate Middleton wears rare 100-year-old tiara last worn by Queen Mother in 1930s

After Queen Mother, the Princess of Wales is the second person ever to wear Strathmore Rose Tiara publically

Prince William and Kate Middleton attended a state banquet at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, November 21. The event was held in honour of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is currently on a 3-day trip to the UK along with First Lady Kim Keon Hee. The Prince and Princess of Wales were joined by King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and other members of the royal family. Almost 170 guests were also present at the royal banquet.

Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales and Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, attend the State Banquet during the state visit of the President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee, at Buckingham Palace in London, Britain November 21, 2023. Yui Mok/Pool via REUTERS(via REUTERS)

Kate looked as elegant as ever, wearing a dazzling white gown with gold embellishments by one of her favourite designers, Jenny Packham. However, the most striking element of her ensemble was the rare 100-year-old tiara Strathmore Rose Tiara. It once belonged to the Queen Mother. Although the late Queen Elizabeth II inherited it, she never once wore it publically throughout her lifetime. It was long speculated to adorn the head of a royal bride but it never reappeared until Kate decided to wear it last night.

The floral, diamond-encrusted diadem's worth is estimated to be about half a million pounds, according to Express. Kate's ensemble also included a pair of white opera gloves and diamond drop earrings, which belonged to Queen Elizabeth, and her honours- the Royal Family Order and her Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order sash and star. According to People, Kate and Prince William greeted the president and the first lady at their hotel on behalf of King Charles on Tuesday morning before travelling to Horse Guards Parade for a ceremonial welcome.

During the state banquet, the K-pop girl group BLACKPINK were invited as special guests. King Charles praised them saying, “It is especially inspiring to see Korea’s younger generation embrace the cause. I applaud Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa and Rosé, better known collectively as BLACKPINK, for their role in bringing the message of environmental sustainability to a global audience as Ambassadors for the U.K.’s Presidency of COP 26, and later as advocates for the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.”