Queen Camilla wore the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik tiara at the diplomatic reception

For the second year in a row, the Princess of Wales did not attend the annual Diplomatic Corps reception. The reception was held at Windsor Castle this year (and last) but it’s usually hosted at Buckingham Palace. The multi-year renovation of BP means that they have to host all of the large gatherings – state banquets and major receptions – at Windsor Castle. Meaning, Kate was just a few miles away at Forest Lodge, too lazy to attend this reception. Or maybe she was too tired from her big Business Taskforce on Early Childhood yesterday. Or maybe King Charles, Queen Camilla and Prince William didn’t want Kate’s diplomatic jazz hands and Whitehall Wiglet to steal their thunder. Another possibility? Kate and William will attend the Royal Variety show tonight, and Keen simply did not want to go out two nights in a row.

As I said, Charles, Cam and William were all there at the castle last night. The same thing happened last year – Kate stayed home and William went stag to the reception. My guess is William probably would have preferred to skip too, but someone has gently told the rageaholic that his political and diplomatic education is grossly incomplete. God knows, they can’t count on William to read briefing memos. Sidenote: After refusing to wear the red-collared “Windsor dress coat” to a state banquet earlier this year, William got chewed out by the protocol police and he wore it to the Trump state dinner and now this reception.

Camilla made some news because she wore a tiara she’s never worn before, but one which has been seen in the past decade. She wore the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara, which is the same one worn by Princess Eugenie at her 2018 wedding in Windsor. This is, in my opinion, the tiara Angela Kelly used to smear the Duchess of Sussex. Kelly was a major source for several reporters in 2018 – she claimed that Meghan “demanded” a particular tiara and that QEII “refused” to give it to her. Months later, when Eugenie wore this piece, sources claimed that this was the one Meghan wanted but was refused. Personally, I don’t think any of that happened, and Prince Harry described all of the tiara stuff in Spare, and I believe his version of events. Anyway, it’s interesting to see Camilla pull this particular piece out of the vault. It… does not suit her, but I rarely think Camilla looks good in a tiara or crown. She doesn’t have the face for it, to put it mildly. Meanwhile, is that a new haircut, a new hairstyle or a new wig?

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.