The Diamond Duchess: Kate wears glittering tiara for white tie ball at Buckingham Palace

  • The Duchess of Cambridge pictured arriving at the Diplomatic Reception
  • She was seen arriving at Buckingham Palace in chauffeur-driven Bentley
  • The Duchess appeared to be wearing matching earrings and a white dress
  • It is the first time she has been seen with a tiara since the Royal wedding
  • She had her hair in a half up, half down style to show off the diamonds

By Rebecca English

PUBLISHED: 16:25 EST, 3 December 2013 | UPDATED: 07:23 EST, 4 December 2013


It is the largest - and one of the most glittering - annual receptions the monarch holds at Buckingham Palace.

Little wonder, then, that the Duchess of Cambridge was determined to shine.

Arriving at tonight’s Diplomatic Reception in a chauffeur-driven Bentley, Kate sported in public for the first time since her wedding a dazzling tiara, believed to have been loaned to her by the Queen.

Regal: The Duchess of Cambridge arrives for a diplomatic reception this evening at Buckingham Palace wearing a tiara

Regal: The Duchess of Cambridge arrives for a diplomatic reception this evening at Buckingham Palace wearing a tiara

All dressed up: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are seen leaving Kensington Palace earlier tonight

All dressed up: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are seen leaving Kensington Palace earlier tonight

With her long, dark locks swept back in a half-up half-down hairstyle to show off the delicate diamonds to their best advantage, the Duchess, 31, looked more regal than ever.

The Duchess was wearing a bespoke evening gown by Alexander McQueen.

 

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Kensington Palace confirmed tonight that the tiara had belonged to Princess Margaret.

It is a particularly delicate diamond tiara of fanned motifs crowned by floating diamond arches and studded with two pearls at the base and a central top pearl.







Glittering: The stunning tiara is thought to have belonged to the Queen Mother

Glittering: The stunning tiara is thought to have belonged to the Queen Mother

Big occasion: It is thought to be the first time the Duchess has been seen wearing a tiara since the Royal wedding in 2011

Big occasion: It is thought to be the first time the Duchess has been seen wearing a tiara since the Royal wedding in 2011

It was made from one of her wedding gifts, a necklace of a Greek key pattern with pendant diamonds and pearls given by her husband, the future George VI. Jewellers Garrard dismantled it and created a tiara instead.

The Queen Mother often wore it as a young woman before handing it down to her youngest daughter, Princess Margaret, who also loaned it to Serena Stanhope for her wedding to Margaret’s son Viscount Linley.

Although Prince William and his wife have studiously avoided attending any state banquets since their wedding (when a tiara is obligatory), claiming they are left to senior working royals, tonight’s reception was something of a three-line whip.

There are 172 Foreign Missions currently accredited to the Court of St James’s in London, because St. James’s Palace is still the senior palace and official residence of the Sovereign.

Each year the Queen throws a lavish reception in their honour, where members of the royal family make a point of meeting and greeting each one.

A piece of history: The beautiful tiara was owned by the Queen Mother and handed down to Princess Margaret. Kensington Palace confirmed that the Queen loaned it to the Duchess for tonight

A piece of history: The beautiful tiara was owned by the Queen Mother and handed down to Princess Margaret. Kensington Palace confirmed that the Queen loaned it to the Duchess for tonight

The Queen Mother pictured wearing the tiara. The image is thought to have been taken around 1930
Princess Margaret pictured wearing the tiara

Family heirloom: The Queen Mother is pictured wearing the tiara in a picture from 1930, left, while Princess Margaret is seen wearing it to a state dinner, right

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She looks like a pugilist...

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Now I know why she has that flat face with no lips.

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Gosh! She has had cosmetic surgery to shorten her chin. Has anyone else noticed this?

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Princess Margaret looks so pretty in that last picture.

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Classy lady. Unfortunately, we have wannabes, i.e., the Kardashians, Beyonce, Cyrus, Lohan.

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Not forgetting the vain and vacuous Beckhams!!!

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Blood diamonds!

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and you know this because?

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So we have got a little historian here, have we?

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Catherine has never laid claim to be the most beautiful woman in the world...everyone else has had that debate so why all of the negative comments about her appearance? Give her a break. She's doing the best she can & I believe she's done a fantastic job thus far. The old & tiresome comments about her being 'nekkid' - she was on holiday with HER NEW HUSBAND in what they believed to be a private location. It's very normal for newlyweds to get 'nekkid' That only proves that after more than a decade of being a couple, there is still spice in their life.

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Thats very true, and all the things of making her the new goddesses of Fashion, and icon I don't really see her proclaiming the title. She wears what she like's (what girl doesn't love a beautiful gown) and since the birth of her son the upkeep of perfect hair the blow-out with the curled ends has now become a mom focusing on her family. And then putting something on, most likely with assistance from her stylist which is a friend of hers or custom dresses, as Burton knows what dresses she likes. Her favorite brands Alexander McQueen, Jenny Packham, Temperley London and so forth. Pippa also doesn't really seem to be seeking the spotlight.

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She's a learner and got a long way to go.

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sorry but she is not royal enough even the tiara dosnt cut the mustard for me

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why are no comments being allowed on the plus sized model robin story. yes I know it is unrelated to this one

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Also on the nigella story ... strange!

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Does anyone know what happened to the Strathmore Rose tiara that was given to the Queen Mother by her parents? I would love to see Kate wear this pretty, delicate tiara. It hasn't been seen for many years. I was hoping it would come out for the Royal Wedding.

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It passed to The Queen on the death of her mother. It's not worn now because it's of a larger circumference, being designed to sit low on the forehead, a style not in vogue since the 1920s.

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