The Prince and Princess of Wales captivated royal watchers on Tuesday (8 July) with the release of a new official portrait ahead of the state banquet held in honour of French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron during their visit to the UK.

Dressed in full white-tie regalia, Prince William and Princess Catherine posed in a formal setting at Windsor Castle. The photo, shared to the couple’s official Instagram account, was captioned simply: “Ready for what promises to be a wonderful State Banquet this evening in Windsor.”

Kate, as always, turned heads in a dark red silk creponne evening gown, complete with a gathered bodice and dramatic cape-back silhouette, designed by Sarah Burton of Givenchy. Her look was elevated by a stunning array of honours, including the GCVO sash, the Royal Family Orders of both King Charles III and the late Queen Elizabeth II, and the Grand Officier of the National Order of Merit of France.

Royal style enthusiasts were quick to spot that her dazzling earrings once belonged to Queen Elizabeth II, while her tiara had formerly been worn by the late Princess Diana—adding even deeper royal significance to the ensemble.

Public reaction: ‘This is our future King and Queen’

Within hours of posting, the royal portrait had amassed over 800,000 likes and prompted thousands of comments across platforms like Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). Many fans saw the portrait not just as a glamorous moment—but as a symbolic glimpse into the future of the monarchy.