From greeting world leaders to commanding the room with her elegant presence, the Princess of Wales reigns as the star of state visits, outshining even the glittering jewels she wears.

“She has perfected what eluded many before her: combining majesty with approachability, tradition with modernity, duty with humanity. It’s a delicate balance that has defeated countless royals throughout history – too formal and you’re remote, too casual and you diminish the Crown. Kate inhabits that impossible middle ground as if born to it. She wasn’t. That makes it even more remarkable,” royal author Robert Jobson tells HELLO!. “She doesn’t just represent the monarchy; she embodies its evolution. She is the jewel in the Crown.”

Read more about the Princess’ role at state banquets this year here.

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