The Swedish state visit to Finland continued yesterday, starting with another pair of serviceable suits...
...and rolling on with a white tie return banquet. (Click here for some photos, here for a video.) White tie return dinners (and the tiaras that come with them) are something we don't see so often these days, as things grow ever more informal, so this was a nice touch.
Queen Silvia took care of the crowding caused by her sparkly neckline at the previous dinner by moving all her extra glitter to the sleeve area on her dark velvet gown. She topped that with the Nine Prong Tiara, a.k.a. The Pronger, a.k.a. Sil's Party Antlers, a.k.a. Fireworks, But For Your Head. I'm not in love with this appearance either, but I am impressed that Silvia brought her #2 and #3 tiaras for the occasion (the Braganza Tiara being #1). Whether she's making a statement about the importance of the trip or just trying to make up for the lack of a tiara occasion on their last state visit, it doesn't matter. Just more big tiaras. (Even if they are the Pronger.)
Over in Britain, the state visit from Mexico continued with the traditional banquet at the Guildhall, given by the Lord Mayor and the City of London Corporation. And as usual, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were on hand to contribute to the tiara power. (Just the Duchess with the tiara contribution, though. Not the Duke. Though that would be a sight to see.)
And it looks like the Duchess brought out her turquoise set, the Teck Turquoise Tiara and its accompanying jewels, which is a fantastic change from her regular Gloucester Honeysuckle Tiara. I do adore this tiara, and I love that she's taken the opportunity to pin the two brooches on the front of her dress, stomacher-style. (By the way, the Duke is wearing the sash of Mexico's Order of the Aztec Eagle, while the President is again wearing the Order of the Bath.)
Credit where credit is due, the banquet has tiara power with or without the Duchess, courtesy of the Lord Mayor's wife, Gilly Yarrow (seen above, far left). Her tiara, a nice diamond scrolling number, is one she's worn previously. So that's a triple tiara watch for the day, I guess. Not too shabby.
And finally, a non-tiara note:
And finally, a non-tiara note:
Meanwhile, Mexico's First Lady was joined by the Countess of Wessex on location @DowntonAbbey #MexStateVisit pic.twitter.com/lOeIWseLan
— BritishMonarchy (@BritishMonarchy) March 4, 2015
A state visit that includes a trip to Downton Abbey (for first lady Angélica Rivera and the Countess of Wessex) is my kind of state visit.
Now, is somebody going to do us a kindness and wear a tiara out tonight so we can keep this streak rolling, or what?Photos: Vesa Moilanen/AFP via Getty Images / IS TV video / Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images / @BritishMonarchy