Prince and Princess of Wales Kate and William, both 43, offered a rare public display of affection as they posted a behind-the-scenes moment from the Windsor Castle state banquet on Instagram. The image shows the couple holding hands as a photographer captures them from behind, in a snapshot that marked one of their few public affectionate gestures since their 2011 wedding. The post arrives as the United States president and first lady visit the United Kingdom on a formal state trip that has highlighted the royal family alongside King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
Trump and First Lady Melania arrived at Windsor Castle for the banquet, where royal hosts led the evening with a display of ceremonial precision. Kate wore a Phillipa Lepley silk crepe gown underneath a hand-embroidered gold Chantilly lace evening coat, paired with the late Queen Elizabeth II’s and the King's Royal Family Order and a blue sash denoting her Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. The Duchess also wore the famous Lover’s Knot tiara, a piece associated with Princess Diana, with her newly loosened bronde locks cascading beneath the tiara and drop earrings completing the look. William appeared in the Windsor Uniform—a dark navy blazer with a red collar and cuffs—along with a white shirt, black trousers, and the blue sash and star of the Order of the Garter, plus symbols indicating his roles as Knight of the Thistle and Great Master of the Bath. He wore four medals commemorating Elizabeth II’s jubilees and the king’s coronation.
Every element of the banquet was reportedly checked and approved by the King, including preparations for a bespoke cocktail created for the occasion. The Transatlantic Whisky Sour blended Johnnie Walker Black with marmalade citrus, topped with pecan foam and garnished with a star-shaped biscuit, a nod to a fireside s'more motif. President Trump, a teetotaler, was not expected to sample wines or cocktails beyond a ceremonial toast.
Six months of planning preceded the event, with royal staff typically taking about three days to lay the table for a state banquet. Guests were invited based on cultural, diplomatic, or economic links to the United States, and the menu—written in French for formality—was crafted by royal chefs using seasonal produce from royal estates. The final dishes included Hampshire watercress panna cotta, organic Norfolk chicken ballotine, and a vanilla ice bombe with Kentish raspberry sorbet.
The Windsor banquet is staged in the vast St George’s Hall, the castle’s largest room, where a 50-meter table stretches the length of the hall. Floral displays, handpicked from Windsor Castle gardens and Windsor Great Park, adorned the table in silver-gilt centrepieces. Afterward, the flowers are typically donated to Floral Angels, a charity Camilla supports, which distributes arrangements to hospices and care homes.
To ensure seamless service, the layout incorporates 19 service stations around the room, each staffed by a page, footman, under butler, and wine butler, coordinating courses with a traffic-light system. Detailed diagrams guide serving plans, and dietary requests are noted in a master instruction list. A special cushion was reportedly placed on the King’s seat to ease his back. There are even preferences for bread service, with olive oil favored over pats of butter by Charles.
The dress code for the evening remains tiaras and white tie, or national dress for others in the royal party, with sashes and royal orders signifying service. Speeches were expected around 8:30 p.m., followed by toasts and national anthems. The performers for the night included the Duchess of Edinburgh’s String Orchestra and The State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry. Members of the royal family were introduced to Mr. Trump and Mrs. Trump as guests entered, and the evening closed with the traditional pipers of the Scots Guards processing through the room.
Earlier in the day, William and Kate greeted the Trumps outside Victoria House to mark the trip’s launch, with Kate arriving in a maroon Emilia Wickstead dress and a Jane Taylor hat, complemented by a burgundy Chanel bag she has carried on multiple occasions. Her feather brooch, once belonging to Princess Diana, added a final touch of history to her ensemble. A Trump spokesperson had noted that Kate would be front and center during the state visit, expressing the couple’s importance to the visit’s aims. Kate is currently in remission from an undisclosed form of cancer as she continues her gradual return to public life after treatment.
The state visit for Donald and Melania Trump marks a notable moment for the royal family, coming after the late Queen Elizabeth II hosted a similar banquet in 2019. While the pageantry remains a staple of royal ceremonies, the evolving public display between Kate and William signals a renewed openness to public affection, a departure from earlier years and a sign of the couple’s comfort with their prominent public roles as they navigate ceremonial duties alongside a U.S. president on a high-profile diplomatic trip.