King Charles hosts annual Diplomatic Reception

King Charles has hosted the annual Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace.

The King was joined by his wife, Queen Camilla, and his son, the Prince of Wales. The Princess of Wales, who concluded her preventative chemotherapy treatment a couple of months ago, did not attend.

The senior members of the Royal Family mingled with their 1,500 guests in the State Rooms to celebrate “the presence in London of one of the largest Diplomatic Corps in the world,” according to Buckingham Palace.

The white-tie reception means tiaras for the royal women, and Queen Camilla did not disappoint with a velvet Fiona Clare gown and aquamarine tiara that used to belong to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Queen Camilla is still recovering from a chest infection, and it is not thought she stayed through the entire evening, which traditionally includes a drink reception, buffet dinner and dancing.

In general, the Royal Family is known to leave before the dancing begins.

The Diplomatic Reception is held once a year for foreign diplomats based in the United Kingdom and their spouses and partners. Diplomatic staff members are also invited.

The reception is usually held on the first Tuesday of December, but it was moved up a few weeks so it would not clash with the State Visit of the Emir of Qatar to the United Kingdom