bitchy | Princess Kate wore red Givenchy for the French state dinner at Windsor Castle

During last week’s Gossip With Celebitchy podcast, CB and I talked about how King Charles and Queen Camilla had seemingly banned the Princess of Wales from state banquets, diplomatic receptions and any white-tie/evening-dress event for more than a year and a half. It was getting pretty noticeable, how Kate wasn’t being allowed out at night and she was serving some kind of “shadow ban” on wearing tiaras. Well, someone on the king’s staff listens to our pod, because wouldn’t you know, Kate was allowed to attend the state banquet at Windsor Castle last night.

I even said yesterday that I would be shocked if William and Kate turned up at the state dinner for President Macron and Brigitte Macron. So, I admit it, I was wrong, and I was very surprised. Kate wore a Sarah-Burton-for-Givenchy silk crepe dress in a blood red. She got to borrow the Lover’s Knot Tiara, and for the first time ever, Kate wore the king’s family order portrait on her chest. Will and Kate’s attendance was confirmed at the very last minute. I have no idea why, but I imagine they’ll say something about delicate Kate not knowing if she would have the strength to attend a dinner.

Hilariously, Will and Kate were not invited to take portraits with the Macrons or King Charles and Queen Camilla. In QEII’s day, she often invited her heir (Charles) to stand alongside her and her guests for the dinner portraits. Charles is not so generous with his heir, which is probably why his heir posted a photo on his own separate social media. As for Camilla, she wore an ivory horse tarp by Fiona Clare and the Belgian Sapphire Tiara, with the matching sapphire suite. Honestly, while I appreciate that Camilla loves to dust off some really spectacular Royal Collection pieces, wearing the whole suite of enormous sapphires was really overkill. Brigitte Macron looked wonderful – imo, the best-dressed woman there.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Kensington Palace.