There were many spectacular Royal and Noble Jewels on display as King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted a glittering State Banquet for Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan at Buckingham Palace last night, on the first evening of their State Visit to the Untied Kingdom.
Empress Masako wore Imperial Chrysanthemum Tiara for the first time with two Diamond Rivières, a pair of Diamond Earrings, Diamond Bracelets and the Order of the Precious Crown.
Made over a century, the Imperial Chrysanthemum Tiara features the Chrysanthemum, a symbol of the Japanese Monarchy, and has been worn by four consecutive Japanese Empresses.
Queen Camilla wore the Burmese Ruby Tiara and King George VI Festoon Necklace, with the Order of the Garter, the Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II, and the new Royal Family Order of King Charles III.
The Burmese Ruby Tiara was created for the late Queen in the 1970s from a set of 96 Rubies, given as a wedding gift from the people of Burma to protect from 96 diseases (a prophetic gift since she passed away at the age of 96). The Tiara had been debuted by the Queen on her first State Visit to Japan in 1975.
Queen Camilla wore the King George VI Festoon Necklace for the first time, which was a lifelong favourite of the late Queen, and most recently worn by the Princess of Wales at the Coronation.
The long-awaited Royal Family Order of King Charles III is painted in oil on polymin, ringed by 10.41 carats of ‘loose’ diamonds from the Royal Collection and suspended from a pale blue silk bow created by Philip Treacy.
King Charles III appointed the Emperor to the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and and highest Honour in the United Kingdom, while the King received the Collar of the Order of the Chrysanthemum, the highest Japanese Order.
The Duchess of Edinburgh was wearing the Lotus Flower Tiara for the first time with the late Queen’s King Fahd Diamond Necklace and Earrings. The Duchess’ Orders were the Sash of the Royal Victorian Order and the Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Lotus Flower Tiara was a splendid redesign of the Queen Mother’s wedding gift, which has been worn by generations of Royal Women (and a Footman), most recently the Princess of Wales.
The Duchess of Gloucester wore her magnificent Cartier India Tiara with Diamond Earrings, two Diamond Rivières with a Pendant from Queen Alexandra, and Diamond Daisies down the front of her gown all paired with her new insignia of the Order of the Garter and the Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Cartier India Tiara was the spectacular Heirloom of Queen Victoria’s granddaughter, Princess Marie Louise ‘of nowhere’, which is now worn by the Duchess of Gloucester. For much of the past year, the Tiara was on display at the Louvre in Abu Dhabi, where we saw it in March.
The Duchess of Norfolk, wife of the Earl Marshal, wore the family’s heirloom Sapphire and Diamond Necklace.
Among the bejewelled ladies, Lady Susan Hussey wore the Waldegrave Tiara with the Sash and Star of the Royal Victorian Order.
Other ladies in Tiaras were also spotted but have been harder to identify.
The Prince of Wales greeted Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako on behalf of the King at their Hotel in London on the morning of June 25th, before traveling with them to Horse Guards Parade. King Charles III and Queen Camilla (wearing the late Queen’s Williamson Pink Diamond Brooch) formally welcomed the Emperor and Empress at the Royal Pavilion on Horse Guards Parade, while the Guard of Honour played a Royal Salute and the Japanese National Anthem was played as part of the Ceremonial Welcome.
The King accompanied the Emperor to inspect the Guard of Honour, formed by 1st Battalion Welsh Guards with the Band of the Welsh Guards, before joining the Queen, Empress, and Prince of Wales, for a carriage procession in the along The Mall to Buckingham Palace, where they were met by a second Guard of Honour found by 1st Battalion Welsh Guards.
The Royal Family joined the King and Queen Camilla to show items from the Royal Collection to Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan in the Picture Gallery of Buckingham Palace!
🔗https://t.co/WpSGZOa0ovpic.twitter.com/PtbXAIPnSg
— The Royal Watcher (@saadsalman719) June 25, 2024
The Royal Family joined the King and Queen Camilla to show items from the Royal Collection to Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan in the Picture Gallery of Buckingham Palace!
🔗https://t.co/WpSGZOa0ovpic.twitter.com/PtbXAIPnSg
Following a private lunch at Buckingham Palace, the King invited Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako to view an exhibition in the Picture Gallery of items from the Royal Collection relating to Japan, joined by other members of the Royal Family, including the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Later, the Emperor and Empress paid a visit to Westminster Abbey, where the Emperor laid a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior.
In the evening, King Charles III and Queen Camilla hosted a State Banquet in honour of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan at Buckingham Palace.
Both the King and the Emperor gave speeches highlighting the links between the United Kingdom and South Korea.
For over four hundred years, our nations have inspired each other, learning from each other’s experience and enriching our industries, cuisines and cultures with elements borrowed and shared.’
A few days later, Emperor Hirohito and Empress Nagako were welcomed by the Queen and members of the British Royal Family on their State Visit to Britain, during their Tour of Europe to reestablish relations in their first visit after the Second World War.
The Queen (wearing the Vladimir Tiara), Duke of Edinburgh and Queen Mother (wearing the Greville Tiara) hosted a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace in honour of the Emperor Hirohito and Empress Nagako (wearing the Meiji Scroll Tiara). The Prince of Wales, Princess Anne (wearing the Cartier Halo Tiara), Princess Margaret (wearing the Poltimore Tiara) and the Earl of Snowdon, the Duke and Duchess of Kent (wearing the Cambridge Sapphire Parure), Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester (wearing her Honeysuckle Tiara) and Prince Richard of Gloucester, and Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone (warring her Diamond Palmette Tiara) were also present.
Emperor Hirohito and Empress Nagako hosted a Return Banquet at the Japanese Embassy in London for the British Royal Family, including the Queen (wearing the Belgian Sapphire Tiara and George VI Sapphire Parure), Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen Mother (in the Oriental Circlet Tiara), Princess Anne (wearing Princess Andrew’s Meander Tiara), Princess Margaret (in the Lotus Flower Tiara), and Lord Snowdon.
Four years later, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh were hosted by Emperor Hirohito and Empress Nagako on their first and only State Visit to Japan in 1975, with a Banquet hosted by the Emperor and Empress (in the Meiji Scroll Tiara) in honour of the Queen (wearing the Burmese Ruby Tiara) and Duke at the Imperial Palace.
Other events included a procession through Tokyo, a Dinner hosted by the Prime Minister, a traditional Japanese Dinner in Kyoto, and a Return Dinner hosted by the Queen (wearing the Vladimir Tiara) and Duke in honour of the Emperor and Empress at the British Embassy.
There have been various visits between members of the British Royal Family and the Japanese Imperial Family over the past few decades, with a frequent visitor being Princess Chichibu.
The then Prince Naruhito studied at the University of Oxford between 1983 and 1985 and met the Queen and members of the Imperial Family on several occasions, including an appearance on the Balcony of Buckingham Palace.
He has been fly fishing with the young Prince Charles, driven through Balmoral by Prince Philip and had a barbecue with Queen Elizabeth II.
The Japanese Imperial Family hosted the Prince and Princess of Wales on their Official Visit to Japan in 1986, with a splendid Banquet in honour of the Prince and Princess (wearing her Saudi Sapphire Choker as a Headband) at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
In 1990, the Prince and Princess of Wales represented the United Kingdom at the Enthronement of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.
The Queen (wearing the Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik Tiara) and Duke of Edinburgh hosted a State Banquet for Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan (in the Imperial Chrysanthemum Tiara) on their State Visit to the United Kingdom in 1998.
The Emperor and Empress attended a Banquet at the Guildhall and also hosted a Return Banquet for the Queen (wearing the Vladimir Tiara) and members of the British Royal Family.
At around 35 minutes, during the Emperor of Japan’s speech, we can see the back of the Duchess of Gloucester. She is wearing two diamond clips on her back.