Kate Middleton in pictures: Duchess of Cambridge’s stunning state banquet jewellery

Kate Middleton attended a state banquet at Buckingham Palace last night with her husband Prince William while his brother Prince Harry and pregnant wife Meghan Markle are on a tour of Australia.

Queen Elizabeth II hosted the royal dinner in honour of Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands who are on a two-day state visit to the UK.

The Duchess of Cambridge arrived for the meal in a beautiful pale blue Alexander McQueen dress which featured a figure-hugging ruched body and a fishtail skirt.

The 36-year-old royal certainly looked the part for the opulent event, teaming her elegant gown with her favourite tiara.

Kate, who is mother to Prince George, five, Princess Charlotte, three, and Prince Louis, six months, donned Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara – a piece of jewellery worn regularly by her mother-in-law Princess Diana.

The Lover’s Knot Tiara, which is often confused with the similarly named Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara, was given to Prince William’s mother, by the Queen when she married Prince Charles in 1981.

Prince William’s wife also wore the Queen’s Royal Family Order at the state banquet for the very first time.

Worn on her left shoulder, the yellow silk bow featuring a picture of a young Queen Elizabeth II is an honour bestowed on female members of the royal family.

The insignia is often worn on formal occasions such as this.

The Duchess finished off her royal attire with a magnificent necklace featuring 8 pearls surrounded by diamonds from Queen Alexandria’s wedding parure.

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, often wore this fine piece of jewellery – she was pictured wearing it on the wedding day of her daughter Princess Margaret in 1960.