Princess of Wales Kate shines at Windsor gala

Catherine Middleton dazzles at Windsor Castle during German president’s state visit

Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, stole the spotlight at the lavish gala at Windsor Castle, held to celebrate the first state visit to the United Kingdom in 27 years by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. He and his wife, Elke Budenbender, were warmly welcomed by King Charles and Queen Camilla to an evening of splendour and tradition.

Inside St George’s Hall, 158 candles lit up a six-metre-high Christmas tree, while the table was set with 152 place settings, 329 knives, 320 spoons, and 760 glasses. The Grand Service silver-gilt centrepieces were adorned with hand-picked flowers from the gardens of Windsor, Buckingham Palace, and the Savill Garden.

Princess of Wales Kate, captured all eyes in an elegant pale blue gown by Jenny Packham, complemented by the rare Oriental Circlet tiara of Queen Victoria. The jewel, created by Prince Albert and set with 2,600 diamonds and lotus flowers within eleven Mughal arches, had rarely been seen in public until this gala.

Beside her, Prince William looked dashing in a Windsor tailcoat with a white tie and the Garter Order sash. Queen Camilla wore a green Fiona Clare gown with the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara, accompanied by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal, Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

The dinner menu featured delicacies such as hot-smoked trout with crayfish and quail eggs, Windsor partridge en croûte, winter vegetables, and a spectacular baked Alaska for dessert. Guests toasted the occasion with Breaky Bottom Cuvee Reynolds Stone 2010 sparkling wine, while the red wine, Château La Fleur-Petrus Pomerol 1995, was chosen to commemorate the year the president and his wife married.

Among the evening’s curiosities, Prime Minister Keir Starmer was seated next to supermodel Claudia Schiffer, deliberately placed away from Prince William, who had confessed in his youth to having a crush on her. The event combined opulence, history, and glamour, with Princess of Wales Kate at the centre of all attention.

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(Photo: © AndKronos)