Queen Camilla wore King Charles III’s new ‘Family Order’ for the first time at tonight’s glittering state banquet.
Each sovereign commissions a special badge to be worn by female members of the Royal Family, which is personally bestowed by the King or Queen.
The tradition dates back to King George IV in the 19th Century, more than two hundred years ago.
The order normally features a portrait of the monarch surrounded by diamonds and suspended from a silk bow. It is worn from the left shoulder on state evening occasions.
Although he acceded the throne more than 18 months ago, the King has not issued his order, until now.
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King Charles III, (R), Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and Queen Camilla (L), pose for a group photo ahead of the State Banquet
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The order normally features a portrait of the monarch surrounded by diamonds and suspended from a silk bow
And, as expected, he has eschewed the now controversial tradition of using ivory in favour of having his portrait painted on a synthetic material called polymin – a translucent treated plastic sheet similar in texture to ivorine, a synthetic ivory.
His tiny oil portrait was painted by talented miniaturist Elizabeth Meek MBE.
It is based on a 2023 portrait taken by photographer Hugo Burnand, showing him in the uniform of Admiral of the Fleet with the shape of the Royal Victoria Order, Garter Star, Thistle Star, Garter Collar and Neck Orders of the Order of the Bath and the Royal Victoria Order.
It has been stunningly mounted in a diamond-set white and yellow gold frame, with the King’s crowned cypher on the yellow gold rear.
The mount is suspended from a gold and enamel Tudor crown, which was decorated in enamel by goldsmith and jeweller Fiona Rae who established her business in 1990 with a loan from Charles’ charity, The Princes Trust.
Crown Jeweller Mark Appleby designed and constructed the Family Order, with the pale blue silk bow created by Camilla’s favourite milliner, Philip Treacy.
The colour of the ribbon was personally selected by The King and is based on the ribbon used by his great-grandfather, King George V.
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Camilla wore her new Family Order, along with the one she was given by the late Queen Elizabeth
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The colour of the ribbon was personally selected by The King and is based on the ribbon used by his great-grandfather, King George V
The brilliant-cut diamonds used have been taken from the existing collection of ‘loose stones’ in the royal collection and weigh 10.41 carats. The gold used also comes from existing stores.
Camilla wore her new Family Order, along with the one she was given by the late Queen Elizabeth, on a cream silk crepe embroidered dress by Fiona Clare, along with the Burmese ruby and diamond tiara, a diamond necklace, ruby and diamond earrings and a matching bracelet.
The second most senior female royal present, the Duchess of Edinburgh, had been lent the Lotus Flower Tiara and diamond necklace by Queen Camilla with a dress by Suzannah.
Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer are expected to take a break from the campaign trail to attend the state banquet at Buckingham Palace, just over a week before the General Election.
A Japanese Foreign Ministry official said the emperor and empress’s visit would not be a political one and it was hoped it would forge ‘friendly relations across generations’ between Japan’s imperial family and the British royal family.
The dinner, in the ballroom of the Palace, will see Mr Sunak and Sir Keir dress in white tie, process in and take their seats around the horseshoe-shaped table to hear speeches and toasts by Charles and the emperor.
A prime minister usually sits near the head of the table, with the leader of the opposition positioned further down.
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Queen Camilla and Empress Masako are pictured walking along Buckingham Palace, followed by Prince William
Missing from the event will be Princess Anne, who is currently recuperating after suffering minor injuries to her head and a concussion when she was reportedly kicked by a horse on her Gatcombe Park estate.
The Duchess of Edinburgh had been ‘promoted’ to the top table, featuring the King, Queen, Prince of Wales and the Emperor and Empress of Japan.
Other notables included artist Samuel Chatto, 27, the grandson of the late Princess Margaret, for the first time, Britain’s first female ‘sushi master’, Miho Sato, composer Lord Lloyd Webber , YouTuber Chris Broad, who specialises on travel in Japan, and a Japanese astronaut.
The emperor and empress, who arrived in the UK on Saturday, will spend seven days in the UK after arriving at Stansted Airport in Essex on Saturday to carry out private engagements before the official state visit.
On Thursday, they will bid farewell to the King and Queen and privately visit St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle to lay a wreath on the tomb of the late Queen, before having a private visit to Oxford on Friday.
The key event in the royal calendar is Charles’s first incoming state visit since his cancer diagnosis.
The visit previously had to be postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
