David and Victoria Beckham Crash the Ultimate Royal Gathering at Their First Buckingham Palace State Banquet

Posh and Becks brought some A-list glamour to the event as Kate Middleton stayed at home.

David and Victoria Beckham walking next to each other wearing a black gown and tuxedo
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Kate Middleton might have missed the glittering Buckingham Palace state banquet on Tuesday, Dec. 3, but one surprising couple on the guest list almost made up for her absence.

David and Victoria Beckham took part in the state banquet honoring the Amir of Qatar and his wife, Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani, on Tuesday night, joining King Charles, Queen Camilla and Prince William at the white-tie banquet. David served as an ambassador for the Qatar World Cup in 2022 and was invited because of his connections to the country.

The formal soccer star—who is a longtime monarchist—looked dapper in a black tuxedo with a white shirt, waistcoat and bow tie, while wife Victoria rocked a long-sleeved black dress with twisted detail at the waist.

The creation was, unsurprisingly, one of her own designs, with the $1,490 Victoria Beckham gown crafted from a shiny stretch jersey fabric. The Spice Girl wore her hair in a simple, slicked-back style for the event and carried a gold clutch.

Victoria Beckham wearing a black floor length gown walking next to David Beckham wearing a tuxedo on a red carpet at Buckingham Palace

The Beckhams held hands as they entered the banquet.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Victoria, who showed off a smokey eye at the banquet, finished off her look with black open-toed heels and dangling drop earrings.

The Beckhams' attendance at the event shouldn't come as too much of a shock, as the couple has participated in several royal events over the years. Both Victoria and David attended Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's nuptials.

The Inter Miami CF owner has also teamed up with Prince William for charity initiatives like a recent London Air Ambulance fundraising effort. Additionally, the former England captain took part in the 2022 Earthshot Prize ceremony in Boston with the prince and princess, as well as a 2020 video call for their Heads Up mental health campaign.

Queen Camilla wearing a tiara and red gown next to the Amir of Qatar and King Charles

Queen Camilla dazzled in a massive tiara as she posed with the Qatari royals and King Charles.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

David is such a fan of the Royal Family that he famously waited in line for more than 12 hours with members of the public (while wearing a suit, on top of it) to view Queen Elizabeth's coffin ahead of her funeral.

As for the royals, Queen Camilla made a sparkling statement in a red velvet gown and a diamond kokoshnik tiara that belonged to her late mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, while Duchess Sophie made a style statement in an off-the-shoulder black gown.

Although the Princess of Wales didn't attend the banquet, she did join The King and Prince William to officially welcome the Qatari royals to London earlier in the day. The princess wore a rich burgundy Alexander McQueen coat in the color of Qatar's flag, adding a matching hat, tall leather boots and Chanel bag.

Will Posh and Becks show up at Princess Kate's Christmas carol concert on Friday, too? Only time will tell.

Kristin Contino
Senior Royal and Celebrity Editor

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.