Overview
- King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted a white‑tie state banquet at Windsor Castle on Dec. 3 for President Frank‑Walter Steinmeier and Elke Büdenbender.
- Kensington Palace released an official portrait of the Prince and Princess of Wales by Alex Bramall ahead of the dinner with the message, “Looking forward to a special banquet tonight in Windsor.”
- Catherine wore a Berlin‑blue sequined Jenny Packham gown with Queen Elizabeth II’s diamond earrings and her Royal Family Order and Royal Victorian Order insignia.
- The Princess of Wales wore Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet tiara for the first time, a Garrard piece redesigned with rubies and commissioned under Prince Albert in the early 1850s.
- Prince William and Princess Kate greeted the president and first lady at Heathrow and joined the carriage procession and ceremonial welcome, with the visit concluding in Windsor before Kate’s annual Westminster Abbey carol service on Friday.