Elton's party brings out the gems

At £1,000 a ticket, it was the biggest party in town - and it brought some of the world's most glamorous women to the doors of Sir Elton John's Windsor home.

Liz Hurley shrugged off the Steve Bing controversy and arrived at the singer's White Tie and Tiara Ball last night in a revealing green dress and £1 million worth of jewels.

Not to be outdone, the host, who was with his partner David Furnish, was wearing a £7million oval ring.

Other celebrities at the party included Kylie Minogue, David and Victoria Beckham, Elle Macpherson, Jemima Khan, Natalie Imbruglia, Yasmin LeBon, Emma Thompson and pop star Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

Also at the fundraiser, held to celebrate and raise money for the Sir Elton John Aids Foundation, were George Michael, Craig David, Sting, Westlife, Ronan Keating, Chelsea Clinton, Lulu, Joanna Lumley, Jerry Hall, Jade Jagger, comedienne Joan Rivers and actor Ben Chaplin Last year's event raised £1 million.

The 500 guests arrived at Sir Elton's 37-acre Berkshire estate to see it transformed into a recreation of the Edwardian style of the Oscar-winning film Gosford Park.

They were greeted in the gardens by waiters in period dress offering a sumptuous array of champagne cocktails and when they left in the early hours, they were handed extensive goodie bags to round off the evening.

The party showed that Ms Hurley has lost none of her capacity for being the centre of attention following the confirmation last week that Steve Bing is the father of her son Damian.

She arrived wearing those jewels and a dress revealing large expanse of thigh.