Kate Middleton seemed to have gained the upperhand in her power struggle with Camilla Parker-Bowles as she takes pride in earning the prominent position for any female royal family member during the state banquet at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening. The event was in honor of Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan as part of their four-day state visit in the country.
Did Kate Middleton overpower the Duchess of Cornwall and other royals at the state banquet? Well, the 33-year-old Duchess of Cambridge looked stunning while wearing the Queen Mother's tiara when she and her husband Prince William attended the lavish white-tie dinner. As the wife of the second in line to throne, the Duchess takes William's status, outranking other blood princesses.
The palace state dinner that the royal couple attended marked the beginning of a four-day state visit of the president of China, Xi Jinping. According to Daily Mail, the visit aims to bolster the economic ties between Britain and China. During the event, 170 guests assembled in the Palace's extravagantly decorated grand ballroom, which was hosted by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
All the attention, however, were focused on Kate Middleton, who dazzled in her red Jenny Packham dress and Papyrus tiara aka Lotus Flower, which was once owned by the Queen Mother, People noted. As Prince William's wife, the Duchess took the seat on the top table, right beside the Chinese President, which is the most prominent position for a female royal family member after the Queen.
Queen Elizabeth II, on the other hand, sat at the President's left side, as in tradition. Other guests during the lavish white-tie dinner include Prime Minister David Cameron, Chancellor George Osborne, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and the governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney. While members of the royal family who attended included Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, Anne, the Princess Royal and Prince Edward and Sophie, the Earl and Countess of Wessex. But remarkably absent are Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall.
While the traditionally high-profile affair was Kate Middleton's first, she looked every bit the part and lived up to her title, impressing guests and royal watchers alike. So, is this Kate's preparation to be Britain's next Queen?
Meanwhile, aside from the state banquet, Kate Middleton will also be attending the premiere of the upcoming James Bond movie, "Spectre," at the Royal Albert Hall on Oct. 26, E! News reported.
In other news, the issue between Kate Middleton and Kim Kardashian has once again emerged. Celeb Dirty Laundry claimed that the Royal Family continues to snub the Wests, even after years of begging for friendly relations. The celeb gossip site also added that Kim is allegedly fed up with the Duchess' constant rejections.
