Princess Anne, Duchess Sophie given special honour at Qatari State Banquet

At the grand state banquet for the Emir of Qatar at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, Princess Anne and the Duchess of Edinburgh were among the distinguished royals in attendance.

While the evening's white-tie dress code called for evening gowns and tiaras, the two royal ladies made a notable fashion statement by showcasing a new accessory—the Royal Family Order of King Charles.

Both Princess Anne, 74, and Sophie, 59, wore this prestigious honour for the first time. The badge features a miniature of the monarch, surrounded by diamonds, and is suspended from a pale blue silk ribbon.

The Royal Family Order is traditionally bestowed on female members of the royal family and is typically worn pinned to the left shoulder of the recipient.

In addition, both royals sported Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Family Order, which is attached to a yellow silk ribbon. Queen Camilla first wore King Charles' Royal Family Order during the Japanese state banquet in June.

Although the Princess of Wales may also hold this new honour, she missed both the Japanese and Qatari state banquets, as well as this year’s diplomatic reception. Kate made history in 2017 as the first British royal to wear the order made of glass instead of traditional ivory. 

This change is thought to support Prince William’s conservation efforts and his dedication to ending the ivory trade.

Charles' Royal Family Order is crafted from oil on polymin, a synthetic substitute for the ivory traditionally used in earlier orders.

The late Princess Margaret frequently wore her three Royal Family Orders—those of King George V, King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth II.

It is anticipated that the Princess of Wales will eventually receive three of her own: the Royal Family Orders of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III, and, upon his ascension, that of her husband, Prince William.