Sweden's Princess Madeleine Wears a Filipina Designer at the 2025 King's Nobel Prize Dinner

On December 11, the Royal Palace in Stockholm set the scene for one of the most formal nights on the Swedish calendar. Hosted by the King of Sweden, the annual dinner honoring the year’s Nobel Prize laureates brought together royalty, scholars, and cultural figures beneath the palace’s gilded ceilings.

Among the guests arriving in full gala dress was Princess Madeleine, drawing attention in a gown by renowned Filipina designer Monique Lhuillier.

For the black-tie dinner, Princess Madeleine chose the Noir Velvet and Gold Sequin gown. Part of Monique Lhuillier’s Fall 2025 ready-to-wear collection, the design reflects the line’s celebration of New York City glamour and Art Deco elegance, blending opulent metallics with sculpted velvet.

The gown is described as “a striking interplay of texture and shine,” featuring a noir velvet bodice with a deep V neckline and over-the-shoulder straps, paired with a gold sequin skirt. A seam at the natural waist shapes the silhouette, while a cascading black velvet train extends from the back, adding movement as she walked through the palace. According to the designer's website, the piece is priced at P347,400.

Princess Madeleine added a touch of history to her ensemble with the Napoleonic Cut-Steel Tiara, one of the few yellow gold pieces in the Swedish royal collection. As noted by The Court Jeweller, it once belonged to Queen of Holland Hortense de Beauharnais and was rediscovered in the Royal Palace in 1976 after years tucked away in storage. Madeleine first wore the tiara at last year’s King’s Dinner, and it returned to frame her look for the 2025 gala.

She paired the tiara with the Vasa Earrings, 18th-century diamonds with personal significance—she wore them on her wedding day in 2013, The Court Jeweller adds. A large gold cuff adorned her left wrist, while a diamond tennis bracelet stacked with a Cartier Love Bracelet finished the right.

The evening celebrated the achievements of the 2025 Nobel Prize laureates across disciplines. In Physics, John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis were recognized for their work in quantum mechanics in circuits. The Chemistry prize went to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi for advances in Metal-Organic Frameworks.

In Physiology or Medicine, Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi were honored for their discoveries related to regulatory T cells, often described as the immune system’s security guards. László Krasznahorkai received the Literature Prize for his compelling body of work, while the Peace Prize was awarded to Maria Corina Machado for her efforts in promoting democracy in Venezuela. The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences went to Philippe Aghion, Peter Howitt, and Joel Mokyr for their theories on economic growth and innovation.