Kate Middleton is cheerfully festive in intricately beaded crimson dress and Princess Margaret's Lotus Flower tiara

Kate Middleton looked cheerfully festive in an intricately beaded crimson dress and Princess Margaret's Lotus Flower tiara for a Buckingham Palace reception.  

• The Princess of Wales wowed with her stunning Jenny Packham gown at the first Diplomatic Corps Reception since King Charles’ reign began. 
• Kate Middleton’s red dress was paired with Princess Margaret’s tiara and it’s not the only time she’s worn this beautiful piece. 
• This royal news comes as Kate Middleton and Prince William were dubbed “couple goals” as they shared romantic Boston snaps on Instagram. 

As the countdown to Christmas continues, the Royal Family’s busy schedule has remained packed with magnificent events. On December 6, King Charles, Queen Consort Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales all attended the annual Diplomatic Corps Reception at Buckingham Palace. 

This was the first in His Majesty’s reign and celebrates the presence in London of one of the largest Diplomatic Corps globally. The last reception was held back in 2019 pre-pandemic and the royals pulled out all the stops this year, with the Princess of Wales exuding festive elegance with her intricately beaded scarlet outfit. 

Just like plenty of Kate Middleton’s dresses over the years  this crimson gown was designed by Jenny Packham. It featured delicate floral-style embellishments adding an extra touch of detail and sparkle to the floor-length gown and had a slight train. With long sleeves and the Royal Victorian Order sash over the top, Kate Middleton’s red dress couldn’t have been more spectacular and was perfectly complemented by Princess Margaret’s Lotus Flower tiara. 

This stand-out jewelry piece was thought to have also been counted amongst the late Queen Elizabeth’s tiaras and is understood to have originally belonged to the Queen Mother. She reportedly had it made from a necklace she was given by King George VI as a wedding gift. 

The Queen Mother wore it a lot and then also loaned it to Princess Margaret, who was pictured wearing the Lotus Flower Tiara over the years. The sweet family history behind the tiara didn’t end there, though, as it has also been seen on a member of the extended Royal Family. 

Princess Margaret apparently loaned the Lotus Flower Tiara to her daughter-in-law Serena Stanhope to wear when she married David Armstrong-Jones, now Earl of Snowden. Since then Kate Middleton has also worn the tiara several times - all for important receptions and events. 

And Kate Middleton’s red dress at the recent Diplomatic Reception wasn’t the only time she’s worn a scarlet gown with this particular piece.

The Princess of Wales wore the tiara with another red dress by Jenny Packham for a banquet in honor of the President of China’s visit in 2015 and she also wore the Lotus Flower Tiara to a Diplomatic Reception in 2013. It seems that this jewelry piece is a particular favorite of the Princess of Wales and Kate Middleton’s red dress is similarly a go-to shade for the senior royal. 

This marked the second time in recent weeks that the future Queen Consort has stepped out in a beautiful tiara. Alongside Kate Middleton's hidden tribute to the Queen in her dress for a State Banquet in honor of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, she also wore the Queen Mary Lover's Knot Tiara which was once a favorite of Princess Diana.