Sofia's gala debut

Every princess needs a chance to show off her best frock and sparkliest jewels and a princess in waiting can always do with a bit of practice before it's all part of their day job. Sofia Hellqvist, now just eleven days away from becoming a royal, got into the swing of that most royal of events last night as she attended her first State Visit dinner. Cue long frocks, big earrings and lots of royal sparkle.

And the bride wore black - Sofia Hellqvist attends her first State Visit banquet less than two weeks before she becomes a princess

The future Duchess of Varmland joined her fiancee, his parents and her future sister and brother in law at a banquet in honour of the President of India, Shir Pranag Mukherjee, who is on an official visit to the country. After King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia had dealt with the official welcomes, Sofia along with Prince Carl Philip and Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel joined the group for photos. But while she may have been at the end of the line, all eyes were on Sofia.

Another group photo from the dinner

(pic @RashtrapatiBhvn Twitter)

She had clearly picked up tips from her soon to be royal relations as the ladies of the reigning house chose to honour their guest by wearing green, one of the colours on India's flag. And Sofia also gave a nod to the shade wearing dramatic emerald earrings as part of her outfit. But while Queen Silvia chose gold, white and green - honouring every colour on the flag - and Victoria went for solid green, Sofia chose a black dress with sequinned top and tiered skirt. Who cares if it wasn't the greatest frock we've ever seen - Sofia is at that part of her royal career where no one really cares what she looks like, it's all about seeing her making debuts.

A close up of Sofia and Carl Philip during the dinner

While they ate in the Karl XI gallery Swedish TV was broadcasting an interview with the couple ahead of their wedding in which Sofia spoke about getting support to prepare for the big change in her life that being a princess will bring. She said she had spoken to 'people who have been through a similar process' and that she felt she had definitely been prepared. And they added the perfect romantic touch to the whole thing by telling of how the day they met was 'love at first sight' and dropped enough of a hint to keep everyone hanging when they said children would be lovely but ti was 'one step at a time'. There will be many more firsts on Sofia's path to fully fledged princess but as she prepares to become the first woman to marry a Swedish prince in almost forty years, Sofia has another first under her sparkly belt. That's State Dinners sorted.