These Are All the Times Princess Kate Has Worn a Tiara Through the Years

Catherine, Princess of Wales, has worn her generous share of jewels during her time as a royal—but saved the tiara for only her most exclusive engagements.

Over the years, the senior royal has been seen wearing different meaningful tiaras at special royal occasions, namely at state banquets, annual diplomatic receptions, and on her wedding day. This weekend, she is expected to wear one to King Charles III's coronation.

Per royal etiquette, the tiara can only be worn on evenings after 5 p.m—barring on wedding days—and is loaned to a royal for a lifetime; that royal is granted exclusive access to one or several tiaras that the monarch of the moment decides on.

Thanks to the late Queen Elizabeth II, who owned a total of 20 tiaras, Kate currently has three tiaras on loan: the Cartier Scroll, the Cambridge Lover's Knot (also known as Queen Mary's Lover's Knot), and the Lotus Flower. She has worn these three bejeweled headpieces for her most formal royal engagements, pairing them with equally glamorous gowns.

Ahead, see Princess Kate's best tiara moments through the years.

April 29, 2011

Per royal custom, Princess Kate wore a tiara for the first time at her wedding to Prince William. She paired the Cartier Halo Tiara with her angelic Alexandra McQueen bridal gown for her ceremony, which was held at Westminster Abbey.

April 29, 2011

The occasion marked the first and only time the royal wore the headpiece.

October 20, 2015

For her first official state banquet at Buckingham Palace, Kate opted for the Lotus Flower tiara, paired with a red Jenny Packham dress. At the event, she welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Madame Peng Liyuan.

December 8, 2015

For the annual diplomatic reception, the largest annual reception held at Buckingham Palace, Kate opted for the Lover's Knot Tiara—a favorite of Princess Diana's. She paired the jewel with an icy-blue lace gown by Alexander McQueen.

Also known as the Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara, the piece was originally commissioned by Queen Mary in the early 20th century to replicate the design of the 200-year-old Gothic Revival, which was owned by the monarch's grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse.

December 8, 2016

For the annual diplomatic reception the following year, Kate also wore the Lover's Knot Tiara, this time paired with a red lace gown.

July 12, 2017

The princess was spotted wearing the Lover's Knot Tiara again while on her way back from a state banquet at Buckingham Palace amid the Spanish State Visit of King Felipe and Queen Letizia.

And later in December, she also wore the jewel for the year's diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace.

On both occasions, she wore the tiara with an elegant updo and paired it with a diamond necklace and the same pair of diamond-and-pearl drop earrings.

October 23, 2018

The royal paired Lover's Knot Tiara with a powder-blue dress for a state banquet at Buckingham Palace to honor King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands during their two-day stay in London.

December 4, 2018

In another engagement the following month, Princess Kate wore the Lover's Knot Tiara for an evening reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps at Buckingham Palace—this time pairing the jewel with a dazzling white gown embellished with sequins, and diamond-and-pearl drop earrings.

June 3, 2019

Kate opted for her go-to Lover's Knot Tiara once again for the U.S. State Banquet, where she wore the jewel alongside the Queen Mother's sapphire-and-diamond fringe earrings, and a pink-and-blue sash representing her new title as a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.

December 11, 2019

For a third consecutive year, the royal wore the Lover's Knot Tiara to the annual diplomatic reception, pairing the jewel with a black long-sleeve Alexander McQueen gown, a diamond necklace, and diamond chandelier earrings.

November 22, 2022

The royal paired the Lover's Knot Tiara with a white Jenny Packham cape dress and pearl drop earrings for King Charles III's first state banquet as monarch. The event also honored a visit from President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, and marked the first time Kate wore a tiara since earning her title as Princess of Wales, .

December 6, 2022

The princess reintroduced the Lotus Flower for the first time since 2015 during the Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace, pairing the jewel with a dazzling red Jenny Packham gown.

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