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By John Stillwell / AFP / Getty Images
When the Duchess of Cambridge stepped out draped in diamonds and pearls for last night at Buckingham Palace it was not just the Lover's knot tiara she was wearing that drew gasps. Kate has worn that stunning headpiece before, including for several years dinners last year.
It was, however, the first time Kate has been pictured wearing the Royal Family Order. The diamond-encrusted brooch, which features a small painting of the Queen on glass, is the greatest honor the monarch can give to a family member, and it's very personal to them for their commitment to the royal family.
A spokesman for Kensington Palace said, "I can confirm that Her Majesty awarded the Duchess of Cambridge with the Order in 2017." Kate first wore the brooch to the Diplomatic Reception last year, but photographs from the event were not distributed, making this first time the world has been able to see her wear the honor. The brooch, which is attached to a yellow ribbon, was proudly pinned to Kate's ruched blue Alexander McQueen King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, who are in the U.K. for a two-day state visit.
"Catherine is enormously proud to be given the brooch," according to a family friend. "She waited a long time for it, and I think she was very keen to be photographed in it. It's a badge of honor and it's absolutely thrilled. "
In the past, Kate has gone out banqueting with the Royal Family Order, prompting some royal-watchers to wonder why the Queen had not bequeathed her the order. Princess Diana was given the brooch after she married Prince Charles, while Camilla was given the honor two years after her wedding to Charles in 2005. Sophie, Countess of Wessex, was also given the brooch to wear at important events after her wedding to Prince Edward. So Kate was, for six years after her wedding to Prince William, the only senior female member of the family not to wear the brooch.
Meghan Markle will be the source of honor, but according to a source palace, she may have given the coveted brooch. "The Queen considers it a very special gift. It is her way of working for the female members of her family for their hard work. Kate has really had to prove herself, and Meghan will have to do the same, "says the source.
Kate is back at work following a six-month maternity leave after the birth of the couple's third child, Prince Louis. Kate is focusing her charitable efforts on mental health and young people, and will visit the sports charity Coach Core in Essex with William next week to meet new apprentices, hear from graduates, and learn how the scheme is engaging to various local communities with sport.
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