Princess Kate Wears Diana's Tiara at Nigerian State Banquet

Princess Kate wearing a green gown and the Lover's Knot Tiara — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Princess Kate doesn’t often wear a tiara, so it’s always a special moment for royal fans when a state visit comes around. The Royal Family glittered in historic jewels on Wednesday, March 18 when they hosted Nigeria’s president and first lady for a state visit at Windsor Castle, and Kate went back to her favorite tiara after a show-stopping state banquet moment last December.

The Princess of Wales looked elegant in a high-necked forest green gown by Andrew Gn for the banquet, pairing it with the Queen Mother's Sapphire Fringe earrings. Gn closed up shop in 2023, but Kate's autumn/winter 2021 collection dress honored the green shade of the Nigerian flag, with the style featuring long, sheer balloon sleeves and a banded waist.

The last time the Princess of Wales wore a tiara, she dug into the royal archives for an extra-special piece to honor the German state visit in December 2025. Kate chose Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet, a diamond tiara that gave a nod to the late Queen’s German-born husband, Prince Albert.

Article continues below

Princess Kate and Prince William walking with Prince Edward at a state banquet at Windsor Castle — The Prince and Princess of Wales are joined by Prince Edward (second from left), Princess Anne (back right), and her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence.

Princess Kate and Prince William walking into a state banquet with Princess Anne and Sir Tim Laurence — The royals gathered together to honor their Nigerian guests on March 18.

But on Wednesday, Kate went back to her tried-and-true tiara routine, wearing Queen Mary's Lover's Knot, the diamond and pearl style worn on repeat by both the Princess of Wales and her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.

Princess Kate kept the green theme going with a pair of embellished Manolo Blahnik Hangisi pumps, the same shoe made famous by Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City. The Princess of Wales completed her state banquet outfit with a sparkling Jenny Packham clutch, wearing her hair down in long waves.

Earlier Wednesday, Kate showed off her penchant for sartorial diplomacy when she wore an 80s-inspired gray coat by British-Nigerian designer Tolu Coker. King Charles also appears to be a fan of the designer, as he sat in the front row of her London Fashion Week show earlier this year.

TOPICS

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.