Kate Middleton Looked Regal in Her First Tiara as the Princess of Wales

They say heavy is the head that wears the crown, but Kate Middleton pulls off a tiara like it's nothing. On Tuesday night, the newly anointed Princess of Wales attended a special banquet at Buckingham Palace, which marked her first tiara moment in nearly three years.

Middleton, along with her husband Prince William, attended an event for the president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, who touched down in the U.K. earlier in the day. The Duchess of Cambridge opted for a striking white, A-line Jenny Packham gown with a built-in, bedazzled cape. But it was the piece that sat atop her head that garnered the most attention. She wore the Lover's Knot tiara, an intricately designed, diamond-encrusted crown affixed with teardrop pearls, which initially belonged to Queen Mary.

She also accessorized with a pair of Princess Diana's pearl drop earrings and a bracelet that belonged to Queen Elizabeth II. Middleton finished off the look with a few traditional royal pieces, including the Royal Family order and the Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order star and sash, according to People.

The tiara dates back quite a while; it was commissioned by Queen Mary in the early 1900s, according to The Court Jeweller. But the original inspiration is even older: Mary had it made as a replica of a tiara that belonged to her grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse (who also held the title of Duchess of Cambridge).

Middleton has sported the piece before, which was also a favorite of her late mother-in-law Princess Diana. The new Princess of Wales honored her predecessor earlier in the day, as well, by wearing Diana's pearl earrings (gifted to her before her 1981 wedding to King Charles III) and Feather Brooch, an engagement gift from Queen Elizabeth II.

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