Prince and Princess of Wales make glamorous entry at Windsor Castle banquet
Updated . First published
The Prince and Princess of Wales have accompanied King Charles and Queen Camilla to a glittering banquet at Windsor Castle as the royal family hosted the Sultan of Oman during his state visit to the UK.
Prince William and Catherine were among the 160 guests in St George’s Hall for the lavish affair which came at the end of a busy day filled with formality and tradition.
The Princess of Wales wore her longtime favourite Lover’s Knot tiara to the state banquet on Tuesday evening at Windsor Castle. Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images
Catherine wore the Lover’s Knot tiara, which has become her firm favourite, and a new yellow gown by Lebanese designer Elie Saab.
Originally owned and made for Queen Mary, the tiara has since become Catherine’s most worn piece. It was also regularly seen on her late mother-in-law Diana, Princess of Wales.
The tiara is frequently called the Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara, but that tiara is a separate piece which Queen Mary’s tiara was based off.
Catherine also wore the late Queen Elizabeth II’s diamond earrings, known as the Greville chandelier earrings.
Queen Camilla was dressed in blue and wore a large necklace with amethysts and small pearls. On her head was the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara, a piece long associated with Elizabeth II.
The sultan, Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, was seated with King Charles on his left and Catherine on his right.
The banquet marked the most formal occasion hosted by the royal family since the return to the UK by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in late August.
Eight working members of the royal family were there but Prince Harry and Meghan, who are private citizens, were not invited.
The Prince and Princess of Wales arrive for the state banquet as the British royals host the Sultan of Oman at Windsor Castle. Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images
As the king and queen welcomed the Omani guests to Windsor on Tuesday, an interview with Prince Harry was released in which he once again called for reconciliation with his estranged family.
A spokesperson for the Sussexes said Prince Harry and Meghan had no control over the timing of the interview, which was recorded during the duke’s brief return to the US in September.
The state banquet menuwas a blend of British and Omani traditions and in place of an after dinner cocktail a selection of teas and coffee were offered instead.
The sultan, who is Muslim and does not drink alcohol, had a soft drink during the king’s toast.
King Charles and Queen Camilla welcomed the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tarik al Said, to Windsor Castle on Tuesday. Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images
In his speech, King Charles praised the sultan for his “constructive neutrality” in the Middle East, pointing to Oman’s “noble efforts” to keep the Strait of Hormuz open during the recent conflict in the region.
“I would especially like to recognise, at a time when conflict has returned so painfully to the region, Oman’s enduring commitment as a trusted interlocutor to all parties,” King Charles said.
He described the 81-year-old sultan, and the rest of the Omani delegation, as being “dear and old friends”, whom he had come to know over “many visits”.
The Princess of Wales was seated next to the sultan during the state banquet inside St George’s Hall at Windsor Castle. Jordan Pettitt/Pool Photo via AP
The princess wore the Lover’s Knot tiara and the Greville diamond chandelier earrings. Isabel Infantes - WPA Pool/Getty Images
The sultan was one of the guests at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 and before then, he hosted Charles and Camilla to Oman on a state visit in 2016.
The state visit to the UK is the first there by an Omani sultan in 44 years. The last was in 1983 when Elizabeth II hosted the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said, the cousin of the present Omani ruler, at Buckingham Palace.
Tuesday evening’s gala was held at Windsor Castle as the palace undergoes major restorations.
Princess Anne arrived with Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, followed by Sir Tim Laurence and the Duchess of Gloucester. Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images
The state banquet was held at Windsor Castle on the first state of the Omani visit. Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images
The other royals in attendance at the banquet included Princess Anne and her husband Sir Tim Laurence. The Princess Royal was also dressed in pale yellow and wore the Meander Tiara.
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were present too. The duchess wore the impressive Queen Mary’s Honeysuckle tiara which features a large pink topaz at its centre.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Catherine, shared this behind the scenes moment at Windsor Castle before the start of the Omani state banquet. Greg Williams Photography
Hours before the banquet Catherine and the sultan viewed items from the Royal Collection in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle. Jonathan Brady/PA via AP, Pool
On the menu was a croute of Scottish langoustine and Cornish crab with avocado, tomato consomme and celery, followed by a main course of pot roasted Winsor pheasant with spiced quince, stuffed cabbage, braised fondant potatoes in a Dijon mustard sauce and seasonal vegetables.
Dessert included baked Alaska with Balmoral plum and Windsor estate honey ice cream.
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