Kensington Palace confirmed in advance that Princess Kate would not attend the State Banquet with the Qatari royals despite welcoming Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani earlier on Tuesday morning alongside Prince William.
The Prince and Princess of Wales accompanied the couple to Horse Guards Parade, where The Amir and Sheikha Jawaher received a Ceremonial Welcome and were formally greeted by The King and Queen for the start of their state visit.
While Kate had been at the daytime events, she did not attend the state banquet as she is only returning to royal duties gradually following the end of her chemotherapy treatment in September.
Because of this, Kate has missed out on debuting a new honour from King Charles, which marks her important role within the monarchy.
Kate has been awarded the Royal Family Order of King Charles, a prestigious distinction given to female members of the Royal Family in recognition of their service and worn at formal evening occasions.
This latest honour reflects King Charles’s trust in Princess Kate’s enduring commitment to her royal responsibilities and her role in supporting the monarchy. Kate will no doubt be seen wearing the new Royal Family Order during the next State Banquet.
Princess Anne and the Duchess of Edinburgh proudly wore their Royal Family Orders at the banquet, showcasing their miniatures of King Charles’s portrait alongside those of Queen Elizabeth II.
The diamond-encased portraits, set on coloured silk bows, are steeped in tradition. The bow for King Charle’s order is pale blue, while Queen Elizabeth II’s is yellow, and they are customarily worn on the left shoulder during formal royal occasions.
Kate could end up wearing three of her own in future including Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles, and when he ascends the throne, that of her husband, Prince William.
George IV started the tradition of presenting Family Orders – miniature portraits of the sovereign set in diamonds suspended from a ribbon – to female members of the family more than 200 years ago.
Charles’s Family Order debut comes nearly two years after the monarch acceded to the throne following the death of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth.
Charles’s badge features a diamond-encased miniature portrait of the monarch topped with a tiny gold and enamel Tudor crown.
Queen Camilla debuted the new accessory and wore the King Charles Family Order for the first time at the Japanese State Banquet on June 25, 2024.
