Daily Times

The Duchess of Cambridge wore Princess Diana’s signature tiara for the second time at a glittering diplomatic reception.

The 34-year-old royal looked stunning in the Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara which was given to Diana by the Queen as a wedding present in 1981.

Kate teamed it with a red Jenny Packham gown and a pair of sparkling diamond earrings for the annual event honouring Britain’s diplomatic community at Buckingham Palace.

Despite having been married into the Royal Family for more than five years, this is only the fifth time Kate has worn a tiara.

The first was on her wedding day when she selected the understated Cartier Halo headpiece. In 2013 she attended the diplomatic reception wearing the Lotus Flower Tiara which she also wore for the banquet during the Chinese State Visit in 2015. She attended the diplomatic dinner last year wearing the Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara.

Usually there are no images released from inside the annual reception, however Buckingham Palace this year agreed for an image to be taken of the senior royals before the dinner.

The six most senior royals posed for an image dressed in their finery.

The 90-year-old Queen looked serene in a sapphire and diamond tiara, and bracelet; sapphire necklace and earrings dress by Angela Kelly dress and Garter sash. Husband Prince Philip wore white tie and, as a Knight of the Garter, The Order of the Garter, with Garter sash and knee breeches.

Prince Charles wore the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the Most Honourable Order of the Bath and his diplomatic medals. His wife Camilla looked striking in a white beaded, Bruce Oldfield gown, with a Boucheron tiara, pearl choker and diamond earrings.

And Prince William was dressed in White Tie, and as a Knight of the Garter was wearing The Order of the Garter, with Garter sash and knee breeches.

She also wore a red dress by designer Jenny Packham dress. The Duchess of Cambridge has only worn a tiara on four occasions, since becoming part of the royal family in 2011, most notably the Cartier Halo she wore on her wedding day.

While Kate has previously worn some stunning jewels from her royal relatives’ jewellery boxes, such as the Queen’s diamond encrusted maple leaf brooch for both tours of Canada, we always get excited about seeing her wearing a tiara.

We look back on previous occasions.

Made in 1936 for the Queen Mother by Cartier, from diamonds and platinum, it was passed to the Queen on her 18th birthday in 1944. Her Majesty has not worn this piece very often, which used to be known as the Scroll tiara, but she did loan it to her sister Princess Margaret on several occasions.

It was made famous again in 2011, when Kate wore it for her wedding to Prince William. Although it’s not the grandest of crowns from the royal jewellery vaults, it’s become iconic because of Kate.

Kate has worn this tiara on two occasions – for a Diplomatic reception in 2013 and again for a state dinner with the Chinese President in 2015.

It was owned by the Queen Mother, who wore it in her early days, before her husband Prince George VI became King. Made of diamonds and pearls, it was actually a necklace given to her as a wedding present, before it was dismantled to be made into a tiara.

She passed it onto her daughter Margaret in 1959 – and it became one of her favourite headpieces.

This is one of the most famous tiaras in the royal collection and was made by Garrard commissioned by Queen Mary, in 1914. After she died in 1953, the tiara was passed to the Queen, who wore it regularly after coronation.

Of course, its most famous wearer is Princess Diana, who was given the headpiece as a wedding present from Her Majesty in 1981.

It had not been seen in public until 2015, when Kate wore it for the Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace. Prince William gave Kate his late mother’s engagement ring, when he proposed to her and the loaning of her favourite crown to the Duchess of Cambridge was seen as another touching tribute.