Tonight's banquet in honor of President Trump's state visit to the U.K. marks a first for the Duchess of Cambridge. Kate debuted a new piece of regalia at the dinner at Buckingham Palace—she wore a blue sash, which symbolizes her role as a member of the Royal Victorian Order.
Since she only received the honor earlier this spring, the event makes the first time she's been able to wear the sash publicly, and its vibrant color corresponds perfectly with her white dress and her soft yellow Royal Family Order, a separate honor, which made its debut in October of 2018. Given the dinner's formal dress code, she paired the entire look with her favorite lover's knot tiara. See her walk in to the dinner here:
In April, on William and Kate's eighth wedding anniversary, the British monarch made her granddaughter-in-law a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. A Dame Grand Cross is the highest rank in the Order and the equivalent of a Knight.
At the time, a statement was released from Royal communications announcing the news. It reads:
"The Queen has been pleased to make the following appointment to the Royal Victorian Order: To be a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO). HRH The Duchess of Cambridge."
According to the royal family's website, an appointment to the Royal Victorian Order is "the personal gift of the Sovereign, this honour is awarded to those who have served The Queen or the monarchy in a particular way." As the name might imply, the award was establish by Queen Victoria in 1896.
In addition to Kate, members of the royal family who have been appointed to the Royal Victorian Order include Prince Harry, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Duke of York, Princess Alexandra, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, and Prince Michael of Kent.
But being a member of the British royal family isn't a requirement. The list also includes British diplomats and others who have served the monarchy in some way, and there are even some honorary members, such as Emperor Akihito of Japan and King Harald V of Norway.
As the digital director for Town & Country, Caroline Hallemann covers culture, entertainment, and a range of other subjects
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