The story behind the tiaras, gowns and medals worn by the Royal Family at Buckingham Palace reception
Each piece of jewellery and regalia was carefully chosen as they dined with diplomats at the lavish event
THE Royal Family was adorned with heirlooms and items of significance at a diplomatic ball at Buckingham Palace.
Each piece of jewellery and regalia was carefully chosen as they dined with diplomats at the lavish event.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall
1. The late Queen Mother's Boucheron tiara. Also known as the Greville tiara - so named because of the socialite who left it to her in 1942
2. The Royal Family Order, which is a diamond encrusted miniature of the Queen. She is also wearing a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victoria, gifted by the Queen
3. A Bruce Oldfield dress with a pearl choker and diamond earrings.
Charles, Prince of Wales
4. He wears the Order of the Garter sash - the oldest Order of British chivalry
5. Medals including the Queen's Service Order and the Queen's Coronation medal
6. Knee breeches with the garter of the Order of the Garter insignia
7. On the left side of his jacket is the insignia of the Most Noble Order of the Garter and the Most Honourable Order of the Bath
The Queen
8. A tiara adorned with sapphires and diamonds
9. Items from the George VI sapphire collection including diamond and sapphire bracelet, necklace and earrings
10. The Queen wore Royal Family Orders with portraits of herself and her father, King George VI, as well as the Garter Star
11. An Angela Kelly dress, the Queen's personal assistant and senior dresser
Philip, Prince of Edinburgh
12. As a Knight of the Order, Philip wears an Order of the Garter star
13. He wears a total of 17 medals which include service medals from the Second World War and Jubilee and Coronation medals
William, Duke of Cambridge
14. He wears the Queen's Jubilee Medal and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal - which was awarded to all military personnel serving at the time of the jubilees
15. On the left of his jacket is an Order of the Garter insignia
16. He wears a garter on his breeches and a Garter Sash
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge
17. She wears the same tiara she wore last year, a favourite of Princess Diana - a diamond and pearl Cambridge Lover's Knot tiara, paired with chandelier diamond earrings
18. A red Jenny Packham dress first worn at the Chinese state banquet
19. A diamond bracelet, thought to be a wedding present from Charles
The Duchess of Cambridge wears Princess Diana's favourite tiara to a glittering ball last night
The Duchess of Cambridge wore Princess Diana's favourite tiara as she stepped out last night for a glittering diplomatic ball.
Kate, 34, posed for a family picture, something which has never been done before, in the Cambridge Lover's Knot piece, with the Queen, Prince Philip, Charles, Camilla and husband Wills.
She wore a scarlet Jenny Packham ball gown at the lavish white-tie and tiara dinner at Buckingham Palace, which she previously donned during the state visit of Chinese president Xi Jinping.
The Queen wore a sapphire and diamond tiara and Angela Kelly dress while the Duchess of Cornwall dazzled in a Boucheron piece and Bruce Oldfield gown.
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The glittering bash for 1,500 diplomats is held every year, but Camilla missed last year's event due to neck and shoulder pain.
The diamond and pearl Cambridge Lover's Knot tiara was previously owned by Diana and Kate has worn it once before - at last year's do.
The Queen gave the tiara to Diana as a wedding present in 1981.
The Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge all wore the Order of the Garter with the Garter sash and knee breeches.
Prince William was sporting a slightly stubbly look as he was photographed arriving with his wife.
A photograph of the Royals, all draped in expensive diamonds, was taken ahead of the Diplomatic reception earlier this evening.
The Queen stands proudly in the middle with the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall on her right, her husband Prince Philip on her left and beside him the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
The Diplomatic Reception is the main diplomatic social event of the year in London and reflects The Queen’s importance in the country’s diplomatic relations.
It is the largest reception held at Buckingham Palace and takes place annually in early December.
Over 1,500 people are invited from around 130 countries, including members of the British government, past Prime Ministers, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and other public figures.
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