Prince William and Kate Middleton attend the Diplomatic Reception on Dec. 5, 2023.Photo:Chris Jackson/Getty

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 05: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) (L-R) Queen Camilla, King Charles III, Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales pose for a photograph ahead of The Diplomatic Reception in the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace on December 05, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Chris Jackson/Getty

Kate Middletonis squeezing another tiara moment into 2023!

The Princess of Wales, 41, joinedPrince William,King CharlesandQueen Camillaat Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening for the Diplomatic Reception, with the foursome posing for a portrait together in the 1844 Room. The annual event welcomes hundreds of members of the Diplomatic Corps to the royal residence.

For this year’s event, Princess Kate chose a special tiara: the Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara. It’s the royal headpiece that she’s worn the most during her royal life — she’s now sported the accessory 11 times dating back to 2015.

Kate Middleton attends Buckingham Palace reception on Dec. 5, 2023.Jonathan Brady / POOL / AFP

Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales attends a reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps at Buckingham Palace, in London, on December 6, 2023.

Jonathan Brady / POOL / AFP

Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales meets with guests during a reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps at Buckingham Palace, in London, on December 6, 2023.

For the palace event, Princess Kate wore the blue sash of the Royal Victorian Order as well as the Royal Family Order featuring Queen Elizabeth (one for King Charles has yet to make its debut).

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Queen Camilla also wore a tiarafor the reception. Just two months after making her debut in the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, an accessory closely associated with Queen Elizabeth, she sported the piece again.

Queen Camilla, King Charles, Prince William and Kate Middleton at the Diplomatic Reception on Dec. 5, 2023.Chris Jackson/Getty

Queen Camilla, King Charles III, Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales pose for a photograph ahead of The Diplomatic Reception in the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace on December 05, 2023 in London, England.

Princess Kate’s latest tiara wear came just two weeks ago when she helped host President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeo and First Lady Kim Keon Hee for a state banquet at Buckingham Palace. And her choice of headpiece was a complete surprise — one thathasn’t been worn in public since the 1930s.

Kate Middleton attends Buckingham Palace reception on Dec. 5, 2023.Jonathan Brady/Pool via AP

Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales attends an evening reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps at Buckingham Palace in London, Tuesday Dec. 5, 2023.

Jonathan Brady/Pool via AP

“Kate has always signaled that she’d like to emulate the Queen Mother’s royal role, and wearing her jewels is an important symbol of that continuity,” Lauren Kiehna, founder of The Court Jeweller, tells PEOPLE. “It’s fitting that Kate — likely with some assistance from King Charles — would choose to wear the tiara exactly a hundred years after the Queen Mother originally received it. The piece is an antique that wasn’t fashionable for many decades, but many jewels once considered fussy or unstylish have now been embraced again.”

“The tiara comes with two frames, allowing it to be worn either across the forehead or on top of the head. The Queen Mother used it both ways, and Kate chose the more traditional setting for the banquet,” adds Kiehna.

King Charles was famously close to his grandmother, who died in 2002, and Princess Kate bringing the tiara back into the public eye is likely a nod toher bond with the monarch. Just recently, the Kingreferred to Kate as “my beloved daughter-in-law.”

Kate Middleton wears the Strathmore Rose Tiara on Nov. 21, 2023.YUI MOK/POOL/AFP via Getty

Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales (L) and Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales arrive for a a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace in central London on November 21, 2023, for South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee on their first day of a three-day state visit to the UK. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon Hee began a three-day trip to the UK on Tuesday, with King Charles III’s hosting his first state visitors since his coronation.

YUI MOK/POOL/AFP via Getty

Last year the Diplomatic Reception, Princess Kate also reached for a surprise tiara — the Lotus Flower Tiara.

Although Kate previously wore the headpiece, last year’s event marked the first time she’s sported it since 2015. She had already donned the sparkler at the 2013 diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace as well as the 2015 state banquet for Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Catherine, Princess of Wales (wearing the Lotus Flower Tiara) and Prince William, Prince of Wales depart after attending the annual Reception for Members of the Diplomatic Corps at Buckingham Palace on December 6, 2022 in London, England.

The Queen Mother created the Lotus Flower Tiara out of a necklace that was a wedding gift from her husband, the future King George VI, according toThe Court Jeweller.Their daughter Princess Margaret later wore the piece — and Princess Margaret loaned the piece to Serena Stanhope when Serena married Margaret’s son in 1993.

Princess Kate has also worn theCartier Halo Tiara(just once, on her wedding day to Prince William in April 2011).

Kate Middleton and Prince William at the Diplomatic Reception on Dec. 5, 2023.Jonathan Brady - Pool / Getty

Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales at an evening reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps at Buckingham Palace on December 5, 2023 in London, England.

Jonathan Brady - Pool / Getty

source: people.com