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Kate Middleton has stepped out for a state banquet hosted by her grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, wearing a red gown by Jenny Packham and chandelier earrings. The sparkly collection of diamonds resting on the royal's perfectly coiffed hair, is called the Lotus Flower tiara (or the Papyrus tiara), and it hails from the Queen's collection of jewels. The incredibly elaborate event is honoring President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng's four-day visit to the United Kingdom, which officially began today.
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It is the Duchess's first state banquet, where roughly 170 guests sit at a horseshoe-shaped table at Buckingham Palace and schmooze. While this sounds like an utter delight, there is a dress code to keep in mind. According to USA Today, the tiara atop Kate's head is simply a part of royal protocol, as well as an evening gown, family jewels, and gloves. This is the third time Kate has worn a tiara, the first being at her wedding in 2011 and the second at a reception in 2013. Although the Duchess is rarely ever short of impeccable appropriateness, IB Times mentions that she, "is likely to have spent weeks preparing for engagement with military-like precision." Hello Magazine notes that the table setting includes six cups per person, so some training is probably necessary.
The Duchess of Cambridge in red Jenny Packham tonight #ChinaStateVisit pic.twitter.com/gsagO05V04
— British Royals (@britishroyals) October 20, 2015
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