The secrets behind Kate Middleton's glowing' state banquet look

The secrets behind Kate Middleton's glowing' state banquet look
Source: Daily Mail Online

Kate Middleton was a vision of elegance as she attended a State Banquet at Windsor Castle on Wednesday night.

The lavish banquet marked the second state visit of US president Donald Trump, who was accompanied by the First Lady, Melania.

However, all eyes were on the Princess of Wales, 43, who sported a couture gold lace gown created by designer Phillipa Lepley, completing the look with the pearl-laden Lover's Knot Tiara and earrings that previously belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales.

Many fans took to social media to comment on her look, with multiple royal watchers describing William's wife as 'stunning'.

And her glowing appearance was also noted by Mr Trump in his speech at the banquet, during which he described the mother-of-three as 'so radiant and so healthy and so beautiful'.

She opted for a glowing make-up look that accentuated her natural beauty and smile, and wore her long, flowing locks loose and styled into signature bouncy curls - a surprising departure from her usually elaborate up-dos like the one she wore at the State Banquet for President Trump's first state visit in 2019.

Experts praised Kate's glowing make-up look, with celebrity make-up artist Collette Ruddy telling FEMAIL: 'This make-up look strikes the perfect harmony between natural radiance and red-carpet glamour.

'The flawless base gives her skin a healthy luminosity, while the soft contouring defines her features without looking heavy. I love the neutral tones used on the eyes; they subtly enhance her gaze and work beautifully with the warmth of her complexion.'

The Princess of Wales was a picture of elegance as she attended the State Banquet for US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, with the Prince of Wales by her side.

Kate Middleton's radiant make-up and long flowing bronde hair was a highlight of the evening.

'Paired with a soft nude lip and just the right touch of highlight, the overall effect is polished, sophisticated and incredibly flattering under the bright lights of state occasion.'

Iryna Khomyakova, make-up artist at BACKSTAGE, added that Kate’s make-up look consisted of a ‘lightweight foundation with a dewy finish’ to enhance her natural skin tone and a ‘touch of highlighter on her cheekbones, brow bones and nose’ to add luminosity.

She added that the princess avoided heavy contouring, opting instead for ‘a warm bronzer [that] subtly lifts and sculpts, giving her skin a sun-kissed glow’.

For her eye make-up, Kate wore a ‘softly blended eyeliner, tailored to her cool-neutral contrast and lifted subtly at the outer corners’ to contour her eyes.

‘Gentle washes of neutral shadow, enhanced with a hint of gold shimmer, created depth and light, while delicately fanned lashes opened and defined her eyes without ever looking overdone.’

To finish her look, Kate had a soft statement lip featuring rosy nude colours.

‘The shade was elegant enough for a state occasion yet soft enough to keep the overall effect light and balanced,’ Iryna said.

Iryna's tips for replicating Kate's make-up look included focusing on skin preparation and using a light-reflecting primer on the high points of the face, as well as a touch of translucent powder to keep the T-zone matte.

Kate's golden gown was created by designer Phillipa Lepley, featuring hand-embroidered Chantilly lace over a silk crepe dress.

‘Exfoliate the night before an event, follow with a hydrating mask or serum, and lock in moisture with nourishing cream. A primer with light-reflecting particles ensures make-up glides on smoothly and catches the light,’ she added.

She also suggested choosing a rose-toned nude to complement natural lip colour, as well as using matte taupe eyeshadow with a touch of gold shimmer in the centre of the lid, finishing with lengthening mascara.

Kate's bronde hair, which made headlines earlier this month when she debuted the new colour, framed her face in 'soft, polished waves' while still 'allowing the tiara to take centre stage', according to royal and celebrity hairstylist Adam Oygur.

He told FEMAIL: 'The hair here is a masterclass in timeless elegance.

'What's especially effective is the understated finish; smooth glossy texture with just the right amount of movement to keep it modern and effortless.
'This kind of styling is all about balance; refined enough for a regal occasion yet subtle enough to enhance rather than compete with ornate gown and jewellery.'

Debbie Postiglioni, a freelance stylist and bayalage artist, added that the decision for Kate to wear her hair down may help her look 'more youthful and more approachable' while maintaining her royal elegance and poise.

Debbie also suggested that as an alternative, Kate's hair could have been swept up or kept slightly shorter to complement the beautiful high neck detail on her gown.

President Trump even described the Princess as 'so radiant and so healthy and so beautiful' in his speech

Her lighter bronde hair is 'beautifully done and blended with baby lights, using a combination of root tint to cover any greys and baby lights to give subtle dainty lightness'.

Debbie said Kate’s stylist could be 'suggesting a lighter colour to blend in the grey better; as we age the pesky greys become a real nuisance'.

Any royal fans looking to recreate Kate’s hair colour at home should ask their stylist for baby lights, according to Debbie, as well as a root colour if grey coverage is needed, and a toner.

Meanwhile, top hairdresser Gustav Fouche, who owns a salon of the same name in west London, told FEMAIL that the royal ‘looks fantastic’.

He explained: ‘What stands out to me about Kate’s hair at the state banquet is that she’s definitely gone lighter, with warmer golden tones. This works beautifully with her makeup in this image while still complementing her eyebrows. Balance is key as the hair feels grounded because it ties in with her natural features.

‘Kate has a complexion that suits slightly deeper tones so the choice to keep the colour golden rather than very blonde is smart. This colour creates softness without washing her out and it’s likely helping to gently disguise regrowth while being kinder to the hair overall. As we age particularly after health challenges hair naturally becomes lighter or greyer. However this hair colour approach manages that elegantly.’

Gustav noted that if he were ‘working on Kate’s hair’ he would add slices of chocolate brown among the honey and caramel tones she has now which would ‘make the colour pop even more’.

‘But she already looks beautiful glowing and healthy,’ he added.

Experts praised Kate’s beauty look describing her make-up as ‘flawless’ and her hair as ‘modern and effortless’.

'The finish is also very well done; it is smooth silky and polished without looking over-styled. It doesn't look like a lot of heavy heat tools were used; instead it's likely a good blow-dry with minimal heat and a soft wave.
'That along with high-quality products and avoiding too much silicone keeps the hair in excellent condition. The result is soft natural and flowy; the perfect match for her complexion. She looks fantastic.'

Kate's full-length dress featured hand-embroidered Chantilly lace over a silk crepe gown, with hand-embroidered roses with couched gold cording and accented with French knots and satin-stitched blooms.

She also wore a sash that featured her royal orders, including the new Royal Family Order of King Charles III.

During President Trump's previous State visit, the Princess - then the Duchess of Cambridge - wore a white tiered Alexander McQueen dress with the Lover's Knot tiara.

The diamond and pearl tiara is one of Kate's favourites, as she has worn it on a number of occasions since.

More recently, she also wore it in July when King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted a soiree at Windsor Castle for France's President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron.

The tiara was originally made for Queen Mary in 1913 and was gifted by the late Queen Elizabeth II to the late Diana, Princess of Wales, upon her marriage to Charles in 1981.