I don't get much surprise when it comes to British royal tiaras. Princess Kate, like her late mother-in-law Princess Diana, tends to prefer a sweetheart knot tiara, and Queen Camilla often chooses her favorite Greville tiara at events like state banquets. But on Tuesday, 12 May. 3, Royal Watchers were treated to a tiara debut for the Queen - and it's certainly a wapper.

Queen Camilla stepped out in a gorgeous red velvet gown by Fiona Claire at a state banquet held to commemorate her visit to the Country of Qatar, but it was her glittering tiara that really stole the show. She wore the Kokoshnik tiara of Queen Alexandra, the last seen work in Queen Elizabeth almost 10 years ago.

The huge diamond tiara dates back to 1888 and was given to Queen Alexandra on the occasion of her silver wedding anniversary, according to court jewelers. The fringe-style tiara functions after a row of diamonds (more than 400 stones in total) and, according to the Royal Jewelry blog, "has a shape like Kokoshnik, a halo-shaped headdress worn by Russian women."

Queen Alexandra handed the tiara to her daughter-in-law, Queen Mary, who in turn gave it to her granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II.

The late Queen wore the piece many times during her 70-year reign, the last being a state banquet held in honor of the then President of Mexico, Enrique Pena Nieto in 2015. The tiara has not been seen since then, so Tuesday's banquet will be an even more exciting moment for royal jewelry fans.

It is the 1st time in recent memory that Camilla has debuted one of Queen Elizabeth's tiaras.2 At the annual Diplomatic Corps reception, the Queen wore an aquamarine and diamond tiara that Queen Elizabeth wore only once in the 1970s — a piece that has been played over and over by Princess Kate's "royal sister" Duchess Sophie.

During a state visit on Tuesday, Queen Camilla revealed that she was recovering from the lingering effects of pneumonia and was forced to miss earlier events of the state visit. Princess Kate and Prince William joined the king for an official welcome ceremony to greet Amir and his wife in Qatar, while Camilla joined the party late in the afternoon.

The Princess of Wales missed the state banquet (and Camilla's tiara moment), but the 2 surprise guests added a glamorous element. It was a great experience. David and Victoria Beckham are guests of the event, and the former England football star was invited for his connection to Qatar and its World Cup Unfortunately, Posh Spice did not wear a tiara, but you can always dream.