Princess of Wales dazzles in Diana’s tiara as she sits beside King Charles and Sultan of Oman at State Banquet

The Prince of Wales accompanied Ms Dina Macki, while the Princess of Wales, who wore a pale yellow Elie Saab gown and the Lover’s Knot tiara, entered alongside His Excellency Sayyid Khalid Hilal Al Busaidy.

Other senior members of the Royal Family in attendance included the Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and the Rt Hon Dame Emily Thornberry.

Seating arrangements placed the guest of honour, Sultan Haitham, at the centre of the top table, seated directly between King Charles and the Princess of Wales.

Guests were served a structured three-course menu featuring a starter of Scottish langoustine and Cornish crab croute with avocado, tomato consommé, and celery.

The main course consisted of pot-roasted Windsor pheasant with spiced quince, stuffed cabbage, braised fondant potatoes, and a Dijon mustard sauce.

This was followed by an individual baked Alaska with Balmoral plum and Windsor Estate honey ice cream for dessert.

While fine wines, including a 1979 Château Margaux Premier Grand Cru Classé and 1998 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, were poured throughout the meal, the Sultan drank soft drinks in accordance with Islamic tradition.

Rather than a special cocktail, post-banquet drinks drew inspiration from the Omani ritual of Kahwa – a traditional spiced coffee shared as a gesture of hospitality and friendship.

Royal chefs adapted the concept through a distinctly British lens, blending the aromatic cardamom, rose, dates, and spices of Kahwa with British teas and Windsor honey.

Guests chose from an Iced Earl Grey & Date, an Iced Mint & Rose, or a Warm Cardamom-Spiced Blend.

The table decorations featured handpicked seasonal flowers sourced directly from the gardens of Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and the Savill Garden in Windsor Great Park.

Pomegranate branches sourced from a tree originally planted by the late Prince Philip were also integrated into the floral arrangements across the banquet hall.

Musical accompaniment throughout the evening was delivered by The Duchess of Edinburgh’s String Orchestra, conducted by Captain Alexandra Nixon, alongside Pipe Major James Bell of the 1st Battalion The Scots Guards.

The performance featured classical pieces alongside contemporary arrangements, including Coldplay’s Clocks, Handel’s Water Music Suite, and A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman.