Revealed: the poignant meaning behind Queen Mary of Denmark's tiara as she and King Frederik attend a lavish royal banquet in Sweden

The first Monday in May is known as the jewel in the crown of the world's fashion elite. But while culture's most influential figures descended upon New York's Met Museum, the Royal Palace in Stockholm witnessed its own gala. It was an evening of unsurpassed luxury, diplomacy, and powerful symbolic import as the Swedish royal family welcomed King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark for a state banquet.

The visit - Frederik's first since his accession to the throne following the shock abdication of his mother, Queen Margrethe in January - was always going to be a lavish affair. But the welcome banquet, hosted by King Carl XVI Gustav and Queen Silvia, was brimming with the kind of tradition, elegance, and ceremony that can be conjured only by royalty.

First and foremost, the event was a celebration of the deep historical ties between the two families, all of whom are related through King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden. In a speech to the gathered royals, the Prime Minister, and the speaker of the Swedish Riksdag, King Frederik spoke warmly of the profound links between the Danish and Swedish monarchies.