Kate Middleton Has a Dazzling Princess Moment in Her First Tiara Appearance of 2026
Kate Middleton Has a Dazzling Princess Moment in Her First Tiara Appearance of 2026
Stephanie PetitWed, March 18, 2026 at 8:56 PM UTC
0
Kate Middleton at the Nigerian state banquet on March 18, 2026Credit: Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty -
Kate Middleton sported her first tiara of 2026 for the Nigerian state banquet
For the glamorous occasion, Princess Kate wore a sparkling royal headpiece
The Princess of Wales has worn five tiaras, starting with her wedding day to Prince William in April 2011
After having three tiara moments in 2025, Kate Middleton is debuting her first royal headpiece of the year for the Nigerian state visit.
The Princess of Wales joined Prince William in helping King Charles and Queen Camilla host Nigeria's president and first lady for their state visit to the U.K. with a glittering banquet at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, March 18.
For the occasion, Princess Kate, 44, reached for her go-to royal headpiece: Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara. Of the five tiaras that she has worn during her royal life, the accessory also worn by Princess Diana is her most popular option. Kate also wore the tiara twice in 2025, for the state banquets honoring the U.S. and French presidents' visits.
The Princess of Wales also wore a dress by Andrew Gn, with the green hue likely an intentional nod to Nigeria's flag, and earrings from the late Queen Elizabeth's collection. Her accessories also included King Charles' Royal Family Order (a badge featuring the monarch's portrait) and the Royal Victorian Order sash and star.
The Princess of Wales has worn five different tiaras for occasions such as state banquets, diplomatic receptions and royal weddings since joining the royal family, with her first-ever tiara moment on her wedding day to Prince William in April 2011.
At the last state banquet in December, when the German president came for a visit, Princess Kate wore her biggest tiara to date: Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara. It also diplomatically made a tribute to the German guests: it was crafted in 1853 for Queen Victoria under the direction of her husband, Prince Albert, who hailed from Germany.
Advertisement
Queen Camilla, King Charles, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and first lady Oluremi Tinubu on March 18, 2026Credit: Henry Nicholls / POOL / AFP via Getty
State visits, which are coordinated between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the government and the Royal Household to strengthen ties between countries, usually feature a state banquet on the first night of the trip.
The Nigerian state banquet is being held at Windsor Castle, as have many of the recent state visits to the U.K. Although Buckingham Palace in London is the traditional setting for such visits, it is currently undergoing renovations.
The state banquet table — set up in St. George's Hall, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding guests gathered for a reception after their May 2018 nuptials — seated 160 people.
The palace staff began setting up the table on Sunday, with the magnificent flower arrangements using blooms from the gardens at Windsor and Buckingham Palace among the last items to be added.
Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!
The Prince and Princess of Wales have started to take on more responsibilities at state visits since King Charles' accession to the throne, which made William heir. They were integral parts of all three state visits in 2025, during which the royals welcomed leaders from France, Germany and the United States.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
