It's one of the most talked about State Visits in years and it got even more headlines last night as it became the one where Kate made her great State debut.
The Duchess of Cambridge walks into dinner at Buckingham Palace
October 20th 2015
The Duchess of Cambridge took her seat at the top table for the first time as the Queen held a State Banquet for the President of China, Xi Jinping, and his wife at Buckingham Palace on the first full day of their visit to Britain. And while all the talk beforehand had been about which tiara Kate would wear, once she had arrived there was plenty more to talk about.
Owing to the absence of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Camebridges found themselves in pride of place with Kate on one side of President Xi and her grandmother-in-law on the other.
And another absence also caught the eye. It had been widely reported earlier this year that the Duchess of Cambridge had been given the Royal Family Order, a gift of the Queen, following the birth of Princess Charlotte. The only way to know for sure that someone is a recipient is to see them wearing it but there was no sign of the honour at the State Banquet indicating that the gift hasn't yet happened.
Kate chose red, a nod to the guests of honour, and relied on one of her favourite designers, Jenny Packham, to make sure she hit all the right notes on her big State debut. The dress had cap sleeves, a flowing skirt and quite a lot of little sparkles all over the top.
But it was the big sparkle on the top of her head that had really got people talking. It was just the third time Kate has been seen in public wearing a tiara and for this diamond moment she picked a cracking set of diamonds - the Lotus Flower Tiara, also known as the Papyrus, and made up of gems given to the Queen Mother by her husband, George VI, before they ever thought they would be king and consort.
William came too, no one really noticed, but his Duchess showed that she has royal life down pat now. Kate looked great but there was no outshining either the Queen or the guest of honour, Madame Peng Liyuan, who both dazzled at the dinner.
And so another royal first is achieved for the duchess who one day will sit at the very centre of the table as a queen. Kate's great State debut is done.
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