The Duchess of Cambridge dazzled in the Queen Mother's tiara as she took pride of place on the top table next to Chinese president Xi Jinping and the Queen at the state banquet held in his honour this evening.
The
Chinese national anthem played as the 170 guests assembled in
Buckingham Palace's lavishly decorated grand ballroom for the white-tie
dinner, hosted by the Queen and Prince Philip.
It
was the first time the Duchess has attended a palace state dinner,
which comes at the start of a four-day state visit by the Chinese leader
and seen as being key to cementing economic ties between the two
countries.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping smiles at
the Duchess of Cambridge as they sit at the top table with Queen
Elizabeth at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace this evening
The Chinese
national anthem played as the guests, assembled at Buckingham Palace's
lavishly decorated ballroom, rose for a toast to Xi Jinping and his
wife, pictured Kate and Mr Xi toast the visit
Kate, 33,
(left) wore the delicate Papyrus tiara, also known as the Lotus Flower,
which was once owned by the Queen Mother. The Queen, a white tulle
banquet dress embroidered with diamante sequins, poses for pictures with
Madame Peng (right)
All
eyes were on Kate, 33, who wore the delicate Papyrus tiara, also known
as the Lotus Flower, which was once owned by the Queen Mother and a
favourite of Princess Margaret for the first state banquet at Buckingham
Palace, as she toasted and dined beside Mr Xi.
The
priceless headpiece and matching diamond-drop earrings accessorised a
brocade high-necked bespoke Jenny Packham dress in a fitting shade of
red, the colour of China's flag.
It's
only the second time the Duchess has worn the diamond tiara - the first
time being when she got married in April 2011 wearing a Cartier Halo
tiara.
She
joined the Royal Procession into the ballroom alongside Wang Huning -
one of the Communist Party of China's top leaders, following behind
Prince William who walked with Caroline Welby - the wife of the
Archbishop of Canterbury.
She
was seated in the most prominent position for a female member of the
royal family after the Queen - on the President's right while the
monarch, as is custom, sat on Mr Xi's left.
As the
wife of the second in line to throne, Kate takes William's status when
she accompanies him, so outranks blood princesses such as the Princess
Royal, who was also present.
The
Queen gave a speech ahead of the sit down meal, where guests dined
on West Coast turbot and Balmoral venison, and hailed the visit by Mr Xi
and his wife Madame Peng Liyuan as 'milestone', declaring Anglo-Chinese
ties are being taken to 'ambitious' new heights.
She
told the guest of honour: 'We have much reason to celebrate the
dynamic, growing economic relationship between our countries.
'Your
visit to the United Kingdom marks a milestone in this unprecedented
year of co-operation and friendship between the United Kingdom and
China, as we celebrate the ties between our two countries and prepare to
take t hem to ambitious new heights.'
The Queen (right) makes a speech at the banquet, where she hailed the 'milestone' visit of China's president (centre) to Britain
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Queen
Elizabeth toast at the state banquet, where she gave a speech and told
her guest 'we have much reason to celebrate the dynamic, growing
economic relationship between our countries'
The guests and top table stand after
the guests of honour, along with the Royals enter the grand ballroom at
Buckingham Palace, ahead of the meal
A picture of the menu from the sit
down meal at Buckingham Palace reveals guests dined on Fillet of West
Coast turbot and Balmoral venison
She
went on to highlight the efforts of former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping
whose vision of 'one country two systems' had borne 'remarkable fruit'.
Speaking
about Deng's achievements the Queen added: 'Rapid economic growth and
development has transformed the lives of people across China and lifted
hundreds of millions out of poverty: a huge and historic achievement
with far reaching positive effects on people's lives.'
The
Queen had taken a personal interest in the preparations for the banquet
tonight, as she inspected details from the menu to the flowers and the
table.
The
white-tie dinner marked two memorable firsts - an attendance by the
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, a
major development in their role as members of the monarchy.
Prince
Harry also appeared to be attending the event in a black puffa jacket
and unshaven face, though his father the Prince of Wales and the Duchess
of Cornwall said they would not be attending.
Guests
at tonight's Chinese state banquet, including Prime Minister David
Cameron and leader of the opposition Jeremy Corbyn, dined on fillet of
West Coast turbot and Balmoral venison at the sit down meal.
The
musical programme, played by the Countess of Wessex's String Orchestra,
includes a number of Chinese folk songs - which are likely to be
popular with Madame Peng - who is a famous folk singer in China.
Among
the pieces is a medley entitled Chinese Folk Fantasy and a folk song
called Xiao He Tang Shui. Other ensembles include the Beatles track
Eleanor Rigby and Nobody Does It Better - the theme music from the 1977
Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me.
The Duchess of Cambridge leaves
Kensington Palace wearing a bespoke Jenny Packham dress, the Queen
Mother's tiara and diamond chandelier earrings as she makes her way to
the state banquet at Buckingham Palace this evening
President of China Xi Jinping (right)
and his wife Peng Liyuan (second left) accompany the Queen (second
right) and Prince Philip (left) at the palace ahead of this evening's
banquet as they pose for an official photograph
Prince William joins his wife Kate in
the back of a Bentley as they make their way to the banquet, which marks
the arrival of the President of China and his wife in London today
Prince Harry appeared to have dressed
down for the occasion as he sported a black puffa jacket and beard as he
left Kensington Palace today
Queen
Elizabeth dressed in white and pearls (left) as she greeted the Chinese
president and his wife Madame Peng, dressed in navy (right)
Princess Anne arrives at the state
banquet with her husband Timothy Laurence, where they will dine on
Balmoral Venison and West Coast turbot
David Cameron is seen in a white tux
followed by George Osborne as they arrive at the state banquet at
Buckingham Palace this evening
Jeremy Corbyn arrives at the state
banquet at Buckingham Palace this evening, where he will join 170 guests
in honor of the Chinese president. His wife did not attend the event
John Bercow and his wife Sally
arriving at the state banquet this evening after the speaker took a
swipe at China earlier today, when he pointedly described Burma's Ms Suu
Kyi, as the 'champion of democracy' in the Parliament's Royal Gallery
The
Pipe programme includes the Sound of Sleat and the Caledonian Canal and
was led by Pipe Major Martin MacDonald and performed by the 4th
Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Army School of Bagpipe
Music and Highland Drumming.
Labour
leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is viewed as being uncomfortable with the
more formal aspects of his role, embraced the white tie and tails look
for a state banquet for his first sit-down Buckingham Palace dinner in
honour of a president.
During
the run up to the Labour leader elections, Mr Corbyn was spotted
dressed down in a polo shirt, long dark shorts, black socks and
trainers.
When
he met the Chinese president Xi Jinping earlier for face-to-face talks,
it was in a fawn jacket, white striped shirt and burgundy tie, but a
few hours later he was in full banquet wear.
Before
Mr Corbyn walked in to the Palace ballroom he would have met the Queen,
who greets guests on their way in. It was believed to be his first
meeting with the monarch - but no cameras are allowed to film the
receiving line.
He
has yet to be formally inducted into the Privy Council when he is
required to kneel and kiss the Queen's hand but is planning to attend
next month's meeting.
Mr
Corbyn was seated between Wang Yajun, director general of the policy
planning department of the Chinese foreign ministry, and the Lady
Mayoress of London, Gilly Yarrow, the wife of the Lord Mayor.
The
dress code, which is outlined on the invitations, is evening dress
(white tie), decorations, full ceremonial evening dress for serving
officers, or national dress.
It
is intended as guidance, so guests are aware of what others will be
wearing, and on occasion, some have worn black-tie instead. Mr Corbyn
could have opted for this instead of white tie and tails but it would
not have been the norm.
Following
the president's speech, the national anthem was played by the orchestra
and guests stood but, as is always tradition, did not sing.
Mr
Corbyn, who did not join in with singing the national anthem at the
Battle of Britain 75th anniversary commemorations, was spared having to
test his vocal chords this time.
He
earlier held face-to-face talks with President Xi where the Labour
leader raised China's human rights record and the impact of its exports
on the UK steel industry in direct talks with the country's president.
It
had been suggested that he would use the formal function to raise the
contentious issues if no private meeting could be arranged.
The
pair met in the 1844 Room where he entered via the adjoining Bow Room
and was announced loudly by a page as 'The Leader of the Opposition'.
Mr
Xi expressed his congratulations to Mr Corbyn on his election as Labour
leader and said 'We stand ready to work together with Britain' on
financial matters and on friendship.
A
Labour spokesman said the subjects discussed included 'the history of
links between the UK, the Labour Party and China, in particular the huge
contribution and sacrifice of the Chinese people in the struggle
against fascism during the Second World War and the Labour Party's
commitment to build constructively on that history'.
Earlier
today the Queen exchanged presents with the Chinese president Xi
Jinping, gifting him with a collection of Shakespeare's sonnets before
receiving two of his wife Madame Peng Liyuan's albums in return
The
gift swap, which is a customary part of any state visit, included a
pair of Royal Crown Derby candlesticks from the monarch to the Chinese
president, who is said to be a fan of the Bard.
The
Sonnets of Shakespeare was presented to Mr Xi in a specially
commissioned leather and gilt box, made by the Windsor Castle bindery.
The
Queen also gave the couple her traditional gift to world leaders - a
pair of silver framed photographs of herself and the Duke of Edinburgh.
The Queen was seen taking a personal
interest in the preparations for tonight's banquet as she inspected
details from the flowers to the menu
The Queen is seen pointing at flowers
on the top banquet table, where she later sat with President Xi and the
Duchess of Cambridge
Queen Elizabeth walks around the room ahead of the banquet, inspecting decorations from the table arrangements as she goes
Preparations are under way in the
Buckingam Palace ballroom for this evening's banquet, which is expected
to be a glittering white-tie event
Chinese President Xi Jinping, second
right, and his wife Peng Liyuan, right, with Queen Elizabeth II and her
husband Prince Philip, left, as they view a display of Chinese items
from the Royal Collection at Buckingham Palace in London
Chinese
President Xi Jinping and the Queen (left) exchanged gifts today,
including a collection of Shakespeare's sonnets and she received two of
Madame Peng's (right) albums in return
The Duke of Cambridge (left) talks
with the Chinese President Mr Xi Jinping (right) on the first day of the
President's state visit to the UK
Chinese president Mr Xi Jinping (left,
on right settee) and China's First Lady Peng Liyuan (right on right
settee), meet the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at
Clarence House for tea
Prince Charles and Camilla speak with
the Chinese president Mr Xi and his wife Madame Peng at Clarence House,
where they hosted tea today
China's First Lady Peng Liyuan (Second
right) shakes hands with Royal harpist Anne Denholm (right) during
their visit to Clarence House
The Prince of Wales (second left) and
Duchess of Cornwall (left) pose for pictures with the Chinese President
(second right) and his wife (right) during their state visit
The Prince
of Wales shakes hands with Mr Xi ahead of tea at Clarence House. Charles
will not be in attendance at tonight's royal banquet
Mr Xi in return gave the Queen a 1.18m-long work of embroidery, a large porcelain dish, a woodcarving and a stamp booklet.
Madame
Peng, the so-called 'Queen of China', stole the show today in a
tailored white dress suit and looked relaxed as she chatted with the
Duchess of Cornwall on her way to the event, where she and her husband
were introduced to David Cameron and Home Secretary Theresa May.
Mr
Xi and Madame Peng then joined the royals in a carriage procession
along the Mall, which was lined by pro-Beijing supporters as well as
rival groups from Amnesty International, before arriving at Buckingham
Palace.
David
Cameron has boasted that the four-day visit will unlock £30billion in
trade deals creating 3,900 jobs across Britain. But he has faced fierce
criticism for brushing concerns about human rights, cybersecurity and UK
job losses under the red carpet to woo the world's second largest
economy.
But
today the focus is on the pomp and ceremony of the state visit, with
president Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, being greeted by Prince Charles
and the Duchess of Cornwall at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in
Knightsbridge this morning.
The
royal couple then accompanied the visitors on the short drive to Horse
Guards Parade. The Queen and Prince Philip turned to face them as they
arrived and were on hand to greet them as they stepped out of their
cars.
The
muffled sound of a 41-gun royal salute rang out as the King's Troop
Royal Horse Artillery in nearby Green Park, fired the volleys.
The Queen was
joined by Mr Xi in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach as they made the
journey along crowd-lined Mall towards the palace
The Queen was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh as she officially welcomed Chinese president Xi Jinping at the Horse Guards Parade
The president's wife, former rock star Peng Liyuan, wore a crisp ivory skirt suit, which she accessorised with an elegant brooch
The Queen
chose a pastel purple coat for the event, left, while the president's
wife, Peng Liyuan, opted for a tailored suit with black heels
The Duchess of Cornwall was seen
talking with president Xi's wife, Deng Liyuan, as they left the Mandarin
Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge
The royal party were escorted by more than a thousand soldiers as they travelled down the Mall towards Buckingham Palace
President Xi was
introduced by John Bercow, left, before addressing both Houses of
Parliament in the Royal Gallery this afternoon
David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn were seated next to each other as they prepared for Mr Xi's address to the Houses of Parliament
Pictured from left, Prince Philip, Madame Peng Liyuan, the Queen and President Xi at the grand entrance to Buckingham Palace
The
Queen introduced the president to leading figures from her Government
and national life including Mr Cameron, Home Secretary Theresa May, Alan
Yarrow, the Lord Mayor of the City of London and Metropolitan Police
Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe.
Hundreds
of flag-waving supporters lined the Mall as the party departed for
Buckingham Palace. Chinese flags and banners could be seen high above
the heads of well-wishers as they cheered the Chinese president as he
passed in the carriage.
Meanwhile,
traditional Chinese dragon dance troupes added a touch of drama as they
paraded alongside parts of the Mall to music.
More
than one thousand soldiers accompanied the royal party as they made
their way to the palace, where they were greeted by more screaming
crowds.
This
afternoon, President Xi addressed MPs and peers in the Royal Gallery
of Parliament, a rare honour granted in recent years to Nobel peace
prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, US President Barack Obama and the Pope.
The Duke of
Cambridge paid a personal call to the Chinese president ahead of the
state banquet, which will take place this evening
President
Xi held face-to-face talks with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who raised
concerns about human rights in China and the impact of cheap steel being
dumped on the global market on British workers
China's First Lady Peng Liyuan
(right) listens as her husband address MPs and peers in Parliament's
Royal Gallery as part of their visit today
The visiting dignitaries were treated to a state carriage procession along the Mall before arriving at Buckingham Palace
Supporters waving pro-Beijing banners could be seen above the crowds as the Kings Troop arrived at Buckingham Palace
The procession made its way to
Buckingham Palace, where the Queen will honour the president with a
glittering white-tie dinner tonight
After being greeted at the Horse
Guards Parade, Mr Xi and his wife joined the Queen and Prince Philip for
the procession to the palace
The president and his wife were
greeted by thousands of cheering spectators as they made their way along
the Mall towards the palace
President Xi was escorted by the Duke of Edinburgh as he passed members of the Household Cavalry at Horse Guards Parade
Pictured from left, the Queen,
president Xi, his wife, Peng Liyuan, and the Duke of Edinburgh at the
event at Horse Guards Parade
The Queen was joined by President Xi in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach for the journey from Horse Guards Parade to the palace
More than a thousand soldiers and 230 horses joined members of the Royal Family to welcome the Chinese president
Earlier,
the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, Mr Xi and Madame Peng viewed an
exhibition of items from the Royal Collection in the Picture Gallery.
Prince Philip gestured to an aquatint portrait of Emperor Qianlong from 1795 and told Mr Xi: 'There's one of your predecessors'.
The
Queen was shown a replica terracotta statue of a kneeling archer, based
on excavations she saw during her tour to China in 1986. As the Queen
spotted a photo of herself taken on the trip, she remarked: 'That's me'.
The
Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall, also joined
the large collection of guests in the Gallery. Prince Charles listened
intently as he toured the exhibition with Chinese Ambassador to the UK
Liu Xiaoming.
Hundreds of spectators, supporters and protestors lined the route as president Xi headed towards Buckingham Palace in a carriage
The Duke of Edinburgh accompanied Mr
Xi as he inspected a Guard of Honour during the ceremonial welcome of
his four-day state visit
President Xi was joined by Prince Philip as he inspected the troops at Horse Guards Parade, left. Right, his wife, Peng Liyuan
The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall accompanied the Queen, Prince Philip, Mr Xi and his wife on the journey to Buckingham Palace
The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall were on hand to greet the Chinese dignitaries, left, as Mr Cameron knelt to tie his shoes
The
pair chatted throughout, with the Prince pointing out various items
along the way. Also present was the Earl of Wessex and the Duke of
Gloucester.
Prince
Charles and the Duchess later sat down for talks with Mr Xi at their
London home, Clarence House, for a 15-minute chat over tea where the
Chinese leader praised the prince for his efforts preserving Chinese
culture.
Charles
has had an uneasy relationship with China in the past but in recent
years has met leaders from the Far East nation and some of his charities
are working in the country.
He
will miss the glittering sit-down dinner at Buckingham Palace tonight
with royal sources insisting he was focusing on the one-to-one talks
with Mr Xi instead.
Before
the talks began the prince and the president, and the Duchess of
Cornwall and Madame Peng Liyuan, toured a exhibition of work by students
from the Prince's School of Traditional Arts.
The
arts institution has reached an agreement with the Dunhuang Culture
Promotion Foundation to work together on a three-year traditional art
research and education programme in Dunhuang, China, one of the world's
most famous heritage sites along the Silk Road.
Students,
based in the UK, from the institution have travelled to China to study
and a number of Chinese are undertaking postgraduate studies at the
school.
When
the talks began Charles sat down with his wife on a sofa and nearby
were his guests, and the two men spoke through interpreters.
The
president told the prince: 'Your royal highness, you've done a lot to
preserve culture including the preservation of Chinese culture, and we
would like to express our appreciation.'
In
response Charles said: 'I rather hope that by having this exchange of
students it will also help to encourage greater co-operation in this
field and also the craft sector as well.'
Tonight
the Queen and Prince Philip will host 170 guests at the lavish
white-tie dinner in the grand ballroom of Buckingham Palace. Members of
the Royal Family including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will
attend. It will be the first time the duchess has attended a state
dinner at the palace.
But
Prince Charles, who is a supporter of the Dalai Lama and who has had a
difficult relationship with China's leadership in the past, will not
attend. No official reason has been given for his absence.
Critics
have warned that Britain will 'rue the day' it forged deeper ties with
China and accused the Government of acting like a 'panting puppy' in its
relations with the country.
But
Philip Hammond insisted the move was in the national interest and that
Britain is going into talks with its 'eyes wide open'.
He
told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I don't think we are naive. It's
very much in our national interest to engage with China but we do so
with our eyes wide open.
Mr Hammond said the United States remained Britain's closest ally but that did not stop the UK from working with China.
'I
think we are developing a mature relationship with the Chinese,' he
said. 'They know that we are looking not just to China but to many other
countries for infrastructure investment in the UK.'
The Queen appeared in good spirits as she was met by politicians including Home Secretary Theresa May (pictured in a red hat)
The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall,
left, joined the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh for the event to mark
the start of the state visit
The Queen and Prince Philip, pictured, arrived at Horse Guards Parade ahead of the ceremonial welcome of president Xi Jinping
The royal couple,
who will host president Xi at a banquet this evening, were greeted by
the Prime Minister and Theresa May, right
The issue of steel-dumping is among those expected to be discussed during the four-day visit, Mr Hammond said.
He
told Sky News: 'China is a very big producer of steel, as you would
expect. But there's a global over-capacity in the steel industry and
that's caused prices to fall very precipitately over the last 12 months
or so, and that's causing a problem around the world.
'The
EU has imposed tariffs on Chinese steel to ensure that the price of
Chinese steel reaching consumers here is fair, but there is a problem in
this industry.'
Last night, President Xi touched down in the UK alongside his wife, former rock star and fashion icon Peng Liyuan.
The
so-called 'Queen of China', the president's second wife, is a national
icon in China thanks to her career singing fiercely patriotic anthems.
The 52-year-old is hailed as a fashion icon across the country, with her distinct look inspiring copycats across China.
Yesterday,
Prince William used a prime-time slot live on Chinese TV to plead for
an end to traditional medicines made from endangered animals - for the
sake of his children George and Charlotte.
In
a speech live on China's most watched TV station, he delivered an
impassioned plea for an end to illegal wildlife poaching and claimed
China could 'lead the world' saving animals from extinction.
Speaking
directly to ordinary Chinese families, the Prince said demand for 'art,
for trinkets, for medicine' was driving the demand for body parts and
needed to stop.
In a highly-personal intervention he admitted that the Royal family had, until recently, hunted wild animals for trophies.
But
he said: 'My rejection of ivory is not a judgement of past generations.
It is an acceptance of the world as I find it today and the world I
want my children, George and Charlotte, to inherit.' It is the third
time William has spoken on the subject in the past year.
William,
who has worked at forging a relationship with China, raised the issue
of illegal poaching with Mr Xi when they met in Beijing earlier this
year.
China
imposed a one-year ban on the import of ivory in February, amid
criticism that demand among Chinese consumers is fuelling poaching in
Africa
Members of the Household Cavalry stood to attention on Horse Guards Parade ahead of the official welcome of president Xi Jinping
This morning, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cambridge met Mr Xi, pictured, and his wife at their hotel in central London
After the formalities of today's events, tomorrow sees a more business-like agenda.
Mr
Cameron will host the Chinese President for a working lunch in Downing
Street, followed by talks in the Cabinet room with Chancellor George
Osborne, Home Secretary Theresa May, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond,
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, International Development Secretary
Justine Greening and Energy Secretary Amber Rudd.
This will be followed by a press conference, although only Mr Cameron is expected to face questions from journalists.
Tomorrow
afternoon, a UK-China business summit at the Mansion House is expected
to be dominated by significant agreements on Chinese investment in UK
infrastructure as well as opportunities for British companies to seek
business in the growing Chinese market.
Among
the business deals set to be sealed is an accord that could see the
Chinese take a key role in constructing nuclear plants at Hinkley Point
in Somerset, Sizewell in Suffolk and Bradwell in Essex.
Thursday will be more relaxed, after President Xi requested fish and chips for lunch during his visit.
Protesters wave Chinese flags as others demonstrate in support of Tibet outside Buckingham Palace, central London, this evening
One banner held by protesters read 'Xi
Jinping: Freedom & Human Rights for Tibet' as they marched in front
of Buckingham Palace today
Stand-off: Flag-waving pro-China
supporters parade past Amnesty International protesters with a
traditional dragon (head pictured)
Mr
Cameron taking the Chinese party to a pub near his Chequers country
retreat, before hosting a private dinner with wife Samantha at the
stately home in the evening.
Talks in the afternoon are expected to cover global security and human rights.
On
Friday the delegation will escape London for a visit to Manchester,
including a trip to Manchester City's Etihad stadium to see Chinese
player Sun Jihai inducted into the National Football Museum.
There
are expected to be announcements bolstering the Northern Powerhouse –
Mr Osborne's pet project to increase economic growth in the north.
Mr Cameron said: 'This is going to be a very important moment for British-Chinese relations.
'Trade and investment between our two nations is growing and our people-to-people links are strong.
'This
visit will be an opportunity to review all of these things but also
talk about how the UK and China can work together on global issues such
as climate change and tackling poverty. It's a real opportunity to
deepen our relationship.'
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