Buckingham Palace’s halls were decked with diamonds last night, 21 November, as the Royal Family hosted a state banquet for the first night of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon Hee’s three-day visit to the UK.
The bar for extravagance was set by Catherine, Princess of Wales, who resurrected the “forgotten” Strathmore Rose Tiara, which had been a pre-marital gift to the Queen Mother by her father, Lord Strathmore, a century ago. In the 1920s it was worn low over the forehead, but in 2023 The Princess of Wales wore it atop her head with a cascading ivory Jenny Packham ‘Anemone’ gown (£2,940, farfetch.com), Anya Hindmarch ‘Maud’ Pearl-Embellished Satin Clutch Bag (£475, anyahindmarch.com) and the late Queen Elizabeth II’s diamond frame earrings.
So far, so much was expected. A strike of surprise glamour came with the arrival of Blackpink, the South Korean four-part girl band who boast millions of devoted fans and were named TIME’s Entertainer Of The Year in December 2022, and have songs with Dua Lipa and Lady Gaga.
Style influencers in their own right, the singers arrived in a flurry of global designers. Jisoo wore a black, puffed Dior gown from the recent Resort 2024 collection; Lisa, an embellished turquoise caped dress by Lebanese couturier Georges Hobeika; Rosé opted for a black strapless gown by Korean brand Pinkong; and Jennie in the ‘Allegro’ off-shoulder, white gown by Australian designer Toni MatiÄevski (£2,530, tonimaticevski.com).
The Princess of Wales had opted for a tomato red colour palette earlier that day, in a Catherine Walker coat, cape, and much reported flash of thigh; however it was Queen Camilla who took the zingy shade into the evening, wearing a red velvet gown by Fiona Clare Couture and Garrard's ruby Burmese Tiara.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh re-wore the white, Suzannah London gown she had made for King Charles’ coronation in May, 2023. At the time, designer Suzannah Crabb told The Standard it is a touching tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, “featur[ing] a beautiful hand embroidered train inspired by gowns and regalia from the Queen’s Coronation in 1953.”
And from politics, the fashion-forward wife of Prime Minster Rishi Sunak, Akshata Murty, wore the claret-red ‘Adele’ silk-satin dress from London founded label Saloni (£450, matchesfashion.com), while Victoria Starmer, wife of Keir Starmer, Leader of the Opposition, chose a ruched front and sleeve velvet floor-length gown.
Samantha Cameron, whose husband and former Prime Minister David Cameron made a surprise return to cabinet in Sunak’s reshuffle on November 13, championed her own fashion brand Cefinn on the occasion, wearing the green-metallic printed ‘Aurelie’ midi dress (£390, net-a-porter.com)
The best gowns at the state banquet for South Korea's President
Catherine, Princess of Wales and Choo Kyung-ho Deputy Prime Minister of South Korea
Rosé, Jisoo, Jennie and Lisa of Blackpink
Queen Camilla walks with the South Korean President's wife Kim Keon Hee
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and Cho Taeyong
Richard, Duke of Gloucester and Kim Eunhye
Sir Keir Starmer and wife Victoria Starmer
Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester walks with Ambassador Yoon Yeocheol
Lady Samantha Cameron (L)
Rishi Sunak and wife Akshata Murty
