Kate Middleton Really, Really Loves Princess Diana's Tiara

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 24 October 2018

In case you didn't know, Kate Middleton doesn't wear a tiara every single day. It's nice to think about her just sitting around, chillin', drinking a cold brew and wearing Princess Anne's tiara on a Wednesday afternoon, but that's rarely the case. That's because they're typically saved for the big main event, such as weddings. The first time we saw Princess Kate in a tiara was at her wedding to Prince William in 2011, a gift from King George VI to his wife in 1936, and then passed down to Queen Elizabeth as an 18th birthday gift in 1944. Typically, a royal bride would wear a tiara from her family's collection on her wedding down before adjusting to the wearing pieces from her husband's family's collection going forward. Clearly Kate didn't follow this tip, but she does love the royal family jewels as much as her late mother-in-law did.

We have officially seen Kate in her seventh appearance in a royal tiara today, at a state banquet welcoming Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands to the U.K. Kate wore the Queen Mary's Lover's Knot tiara paired with an icy blue Alexander McQueen gown. The tiara was a gift from the Queen to Princess Diana on her wedding day. Not only that, this is Kate's fourth time wearing the tiara, so it's safe to say she's got, to quote Tyra Banks, a "signature look."

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We first saw her in the Lover's Knot tiara in December 2016 at the annual Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace.

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The next time we spotted her in Lover's Knot was at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace for a state visit of the King and Queen of Spain in July 2017.

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The third time time she was spotted in the tiara was a year later in December 2017 at another diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace, when she paired the tiara with matching diamond and pearl drop earrings and a diamond necklace.

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Here's a photo of Princess Diana in the tiara, for reference:

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I love an outfit repeater, and I love the fact that Kate repeats her outfits all the way down to her tiara.

Amanda Mitchell is a writer and podcaster with bylines at Marie Claire, OprahMag, Allure, Byrdie, Stylecaster, Bon Appetit, and more. Her work exists at the apex of beauty, pop culture, and absurdity. A human Funfetti cake, she watches too much television, and her favorite season is awards season. You can read more of her work at amandaelizabethmitchell.com or follow her on Instagram and Twitter @lochnessmanda.