Princess of Wales's Gown Caught Under Chair at Windsor State Banquet
The Princess of Wales's yellow gown became trapped under her chair during the state banquet for the Sultan of Oman at Windsor Castle on Tuesday evening, 20 October, Hello! magazine reported.
A state banquet is a formal dinner hosted by the monarch for a visiting head of state. The Sultan, Haitham bin Tarik, was the guest of honour, and the Princess was seated next to him. King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted 160 guests, and Prime Minister Andy Burnham attended.
According to Hello!, the cape of the Princess's gown was lodged under the leg of her chair while the King gave his speech. The fabric was at risk of tearing. She appeared not to notice.
Hello! also said that the Princess was later seen standing and chatting with guests, and that her gown appeared undamaged. The gown was by Elie Saab, worn with the Lover's Knot tiara. People magazine had earlier reported that she wore a tiara as she helped the royal family host the visit.
The evening was the closing formal event of a visit that had already included several public moments. For the arrival ceremony, the Princess wore a dark green coat by Sarah Burton with a matching hat by Juliette Botterill, Town & Country reported. Hello! also described her curtsy as the royal family welcomed the Sultan.
The visit had been planned for some weeks. Buckingham Palace announced the state visit on its website on 3 September 2026. The King had already welcomed the Sultan to Windsor Castle for tea and a private meeting on 4 July 2025, during a private visit to the UK.
Royal.uk says Windsor Castle hosts two state visits a year, and that the visiting head of state is welcomed with a banquet on the first evening in St George's Hall.
Most of the coverage has focused on the dress and the moment at the table. The palace's own account of the visit describes the banquet as part of the formal programme rather than a personal appearance.
