Victoria Beckham, along with the rest of the Spice Girls, first met then-Prince Charles way back in 1997. Her outfit of choice? A teensy black mini dress, naturally. Well, all these years later, it seems not much has changed when it concerns Victoria’s fashion choices.
On Tuesday evening, the singer-turned-designer reunited with the now King during a Qatari State Banquet at Buckingham Palace. Victoria, hand-in-hand with her husband David Beckham, stood out from the elaborately dressed guests in a second-skin number from her eponymous brand. Her dress featured ’80s-inspired power shoulders that flowed into an elegant draped detail at the center. While most attendees of the banquet were outfitted in bright reds, sequins, and all types of regal jewels and regalia, Victoria’s dark black dress and simple ponytail were unique in their minimalism —and, well, also for the fact the bodice of her dress was extremely body-con. David, for his part, opted for a traditional tuxedo.
Queen Camilla, meanwhile, paid homage to the Qatari flag by wearing a burgundy flare dress that she accessorized the Kokoshnik tiara and a diamond necklace, both of which previously belonged to her late mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II. King Charles opted for a traditional military suit to host the evening’s guests of honor: Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thanis and his wife Sheikha Jawaher. Earlier in the day, Charles welcomed the Qatari couple alongside Prince William and Princess Kate. The Prince attended the banquet solo as the Princess is still operating on a reduced schedule following the completion of her chemotherapy treatment this past fall.
The Beckhams, long-time friends of the Royal family, were invited to the banquet due to David’s involvement as an ambassador for the Qatar World Cup in 2022. The former soccer player previously described himself as a “huge royalist” in the past and even waited in line over 12 hours to walk past the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II upon her passing in 2022.
Victoria and David’s attendance at the State Banquet earlier this week not only served as an opportunity to mix and mingle among aristocracy. According to Tatler, an invitation denotes the “highest level of welcome and friendship the country can offer.”