The Prince and Princess of Wales joined King Charles and Queen Camilla in hosting U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for a state banquet at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, September 17. While the evening featured a dazzling menu and grand procession, it was Kate Middleton’s surprising pairing that drew the most attention online.
A Dazzling Banquet
The 155-foot banquet table, set with 139 candles and more than 1,400 pieces of cutlery, hosted around 160 guests. They dined on Hampshire watercress panna cotta with quail egg salad, followed by organic Norfolk chicken ballotine wrapped in courgettes, and finished with vanilla ice cream bombe paired with Kentish raspberry sorbet and poached Victoria plums.
King Charles led the procession with President Trump, followed by Queen Camilla and Melania. Prince William walked with Paula Reynolds, chair of National Grid, while Kate Middleton entered alongside Michael Boulos — the husband of Tiffany Trump. Tiffany, meanwhile, was escorted further back in the line by Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Why Kate Was Paired With Michael Boulos
Observers online immediately speculated about the seating and procession order. Some assumed Tiffany had been “snubbed,” while others noted that such arrangements are typically determined by royal protocol and diplomatic precedence.
As Michael Boulos, a senior executive and member of the Trump family through marriage, held a recognized position, he was paired with Princess Kate. Tiffany, present as the U.S. president’s daughter, was given a place further down the order.
Boulos, who proposed to Tiffany at the White House in 2021, married her in 2022, and the couple welcomed their first son, Alexander Trump Boulos, in May this year.
Princess Kate’s Return in Style
Xem bài viết này trên Instagram
The Princess of Wales, continuing her gradual return to public duties after cancer treatment, wore the Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara — a favorite once worn by Princess Diana. She paired it with a couture gown by British designer Phillipa Lepley and earrings that had belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Royal fans were quick to flood social media with praise. “So perfect, so classy, so beautiful,” one wrote. Another commented simply: “Our future queen.”
The tiara itself, created in 1914 for Queen Mary, has become one of the most iconic pieces in the royal jewelry collection, often chosen by Kate for high-profile state events.
As one guest summed it up online: “Who cares about the pairings? Kate stole the show.”
