Hats! Jewels! Dresses! Tiaras!
State visits are as much about what everyone is wearing as they are about what they’re saying and doing.
It is an exercise in fashion diplomacy – and there has been plenty of it on display as US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania visit the UK.
From the First Lady’s hat and striking yellow banquet dress, to the Princess of Wales’s golden gown and historic tiara, here are some of the most eye-catching looks.
A striking yellow dress
At Wednesday night’s formal state banquet, Melania went bold.
Yellow. And a baby pink belt.
The strapless floor length, long-sleeved dress by Carolina Herrera is nothing short of a statement.
Gone was the hat, so for the first time on Wednesday, we saw her full face. She wore her hair down, and completed the look with sparkling, dangly earrings.
For the state banquet, Donald Trump wore white tie, while Melania Trump opted for a yellow dress with a pink belt [Phil Noble/Reuters]
For Marian Kwei, a celebrity stylist and Vogue contributor, Melania’s gown was “not the expected colour to see at a high state banquet”.
“Although it perhaps is in keeping with state dress protocol, the strapless gown is a little on the daring side,” she said.
It is not the first time we have seen Melania wear a strapless crepe gown for evening dress, however. She donned a similar design for her first dance following President Trump’s inauguration in January.
Camilla, the King, and Donald and Melania Trump showed off their banquet attire [Reuters]
The Queen, 78, attended the evening banquet wearing a royal blue, silk, marocain embroidered dress by Fiona Clare, a sapphire and diamond tiara, and the King’s Family Order.
King Charles’s regalia was in keeping with the high pomp and pageantry that we would expect of a state banquet.
He wore a formal tuxedo, looking “every inch the monarch”, noted Kwei.
The King, 76, completed his look with a royal blue sash – a colour that matched Camilla’s dress.
Meanwhile President Trump, 79, dressed the part for the evening’s event in white tie.
Timeless suit – and a statement hat
The first lady’s wide-brimmed purple hat covered much of her face [Andrew Matthews/Reuters]
Melania, 55, is no stranger to impressive headwear – her white and navy wide-brimmed hat was a talking point at her husband’s inauguration earlier this year.
There was even an awkward moment when Trump tried to kiss her and the brim of her hat made it a tricky task. Cue the internet blowing up.
The first lady went for a similarly dramatic flourish during the first official events on Wednesday. She arrived at Windsor Castle wearing a wide-brimmed purple hat that seemed to obscure her eyes, which she paired with a timeless, dark grey suit by Dior.
The Princess of Wales and Queen Camilla chatted to First Lady Melania Trump as she arrived at Windsor Castle [PA Media]
“Melania’s hat is not by chance,” said Kwei.
“The hat with the wide brim that hides her face is pointing to a stance where she wants all eyes on her husband and his agenda while here,” she added.
Melania’s hat stayed on inside, unlike the Queen who removed hers [Reuters]
Kwei noted that Melania’s hat matched the exact colour of Trump’s tie, in “a nod to her support for her husband’s agenda during this state visit”.
Dior is a favourite fashion house for Melania, and, for Kwei, her decision to wear it is a nod to America’s support for Europe.
Catherine’s golden gown
The Princess of Wales wore a couture gown by British designer Phillipa Lepley with a Lover’s Knot tiara [Phil Noble/Reuters]
For the state banquet on Wednesday evening, the Princess of Wales wore a couture gown by British designer Phillipa Lepley with a full-length, hand-embroidered, gold Chantilly lace evening coat over a silk crepe gown.
The coat featured hand-embroidered roses with couched gold cording, accented with French knots and satin-stitched blooms.
The 43-year-old completed her look with the Lover’s Knot Tiara.
“Formal state banquets are one of the rare occasions when royals wear tiaras,” said Kwei.
“Kate is wearing her favourite tiara, which is no surprise. It was a favourite of Princess Diana, and originally belonged to Queen Mary.”
“This is a really show-stopping dress and for me it really fits with the theme of this State Visit being extra,” royal expert Victoria Murphy added.
She noted that gold isn’t a colour we see Catherine wear a lot.
“But when she has worn it in the past, for example for [film] premieres, it has always been a real red-carpet moment,” Murphy added.
The dress code for the state banquet is white tie, and the Prince of Wales, 43, did not disappoint.
He was decked out in formal regalia and his orders, and wore an elegant Windsor tail coat.
“This is William at his most formal,” said Murphy.
She noted that on day-to-day engagements, the younger royals, in particular, can often be quite informal – but for an occasion like this, they pull out all the stops.
“The formality is all part of honouring the visiting guest,” she said.
A British classic
On Tuesday night, Melania stepped onto UK soil wearing the most British of fashion items: a Burberry trench coat.
She wore the honey-coloured, floor-length coat with the collar turned up, while flashes of its signature lining were visible underneath.
Melania completed the look with black sunglasses and boots.
Trump and Melania held hands when they landed at London Stansted Airport [Reuters]
Vanessa Friedman, chief fashion critic at The New York Times, said that wearing a British-made coat could be an example of engaging in sartorial diplomacy, which is something many first ladies have done.
For the Trumps’ last state visit in 2019, Melania – a former model – also dressed in her British best, opting for brands such as Burberry, although she added a mix of European fashion houses too (think Celine and Dolce & Gabbana), as well as American designers including Michael Kors.
It will be interesting to see how the choice of a British brand on this trip will be perceived back at home, says Kwei, given that Trump’s message is about serving the interests of the United States before those of any other country.
Matching in blue
The King and Queen at the formal ceremonial welcome [Getty Images]
The Queen was seen during the day in a vibrant, sapphire blue dress, a matching coat by Fiona Clare and hat by Philip Treacy.
She completed the look with a sapphire and diamond brooch.
The Queen was matching with her husband, King Charles, who wore a blue suit and pale blue tie at the daytime events.
A diplomatic message
The Princess of Wales smiled as she greeted the US guests [Getty Images]
The Princess of Wales wore a burgundy Emilia Wickstead dress and a matching hat by Jane Taylor to greet the US president and first lady on Wednesday.
From both the Queen and the Princess, it’s a strong showing for British designers.
Catherine completed her look with a feather brooch.
Kwei noted it was interesting that, like the Trumps, the princess also chose to match her outfit to her husband William, who wore a burgundy tie.
“As with Melania, this is to show support and that she’s at one with her spouse and home country’s agenda,” she said.
“Blue and red!,” royal expert Murphy said of the outfit choices by the Queen and Catherine.
“This seems a clear example of coordinated diplomatic dressing to me, to reflect the US flag.
“It’s an example of how the outfits can send a powerful diplomatic message.”
More on Trump’s state visit