All eyes were on Kate Middleton at the state banquet — and rightfully so.
The Princess of Wales, 43, embraced her role at the September 17 event honoring President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump during their state visit to the U.K., according to royal author Ingrid Seward, who praised Kate for delivering with grace and glamour.
“She lightened the whole evening,” Seward told People on Monday, September 22. “She lit up the table with a megawatt smile. There was a lot of pressure on her.”
Kate’s regal appearance was one for the times. She opted for a couture floor-length silk gown by British designer Phillipa Lepley and a hand-embroidered gold Chantilly lace evening coat paired with the famed Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara as well as a ceremonial sash.
The Majesty magazine editor in chief noted that Kate was “very aware” of the spotlight on her. “She never looked as good as she did the other night. She looked magnificent. She looked golden, and it’s definitely the best I’ve ever seen her look at a state banquet.”
“She is definitely showing traits of being a remarkable future queen,” Seward added.
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Trump was seated between King Charles and Kate at the event, and according to the royal expert, Kate “amused” the president very much. “She is just a doyenne of perfect manners.”
Princess Kate has certainly come a long way after her health battle. The mother of three — who shares Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, with husband Prince William — revealed her cancer diagnosis in March 2024 and later shared that she had finished chemotherapy in September 2024.
This past January, Kate revealed she was in remission.
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“Kate’s outlook has changed, and her priorities have shifted,” a source told Us Weekly in August as she returns to the royal fold. “[She’s] emphasizing her family and her well-being.”
Prince William, 43, and Kate have both established boundaries on what they will and will not do to protect their mental health and home life, a second source echoed, explaining, “While they take their responsibilities very seriously, they are not afraid to say no when necessary.”
