THIS IS LONDON OCTOBER EDITION 2025 - Flipbook - Page 19
Princess Elizabeth’s Wedding Dress,
Norman Hartnell, 1947.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II: HER LIFE IN
STYLE
In 2026, to mark the centenary of
Queen Elizabeth II’s birth, The King’s
Gallery at Buckingham Palace will play
host to the largest and most
comprehensive exhibition of the late
Queen’s fashion ever mounted.
Through approximately 200 items,
around half on display for the first time,
the exhibition will chart the remarkable
story of Britain’s longest-reigning
monarch through clothing worn in all
ten decades of her life: from birth to
adulthood, from princess to queen, and
from off-duty style to diplomatic
dressing for the global stage.
Queen Elizabeth II’s fashion archive is
one of the largest and most important
surviving collections of 20th-century
British fashion and now forms part of the
Royal Collection. Alongside clothing,
jewellery, hats, shoes and accessories,
visitors will discover never-before-seen
design sketches, fabric samples and
handwritten correspondence that reveal
the behind-the-scenes process of
dressing the most famous woman in the
world and shed new light on the late
Queen’s close involvement in the
creation of her wardrobe.
From birth, Princess Elizabeth’s
clothing was a topic of national
fascination. On show for the first time
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will be one of the earliest surviving
pieces of couture from her childhood
wardrobe: the silver lamé and tulle
bridesmaid dress, designed by Edward
Molyneux, that she wore aged eight for
the 1934 wedding of her uncle, the Duke
of Kent, to Princess Marina of Greece.
As British couture rose to prominence
in the 1940s, Princess Elizabeth began
working with Norman Hartnell, who
became her most influential designer
over the next three decades. His position
as Britain’s leading couturier was
cemented when he was chosen to design
her wedding dress in 1947 and her
Coronation dress in 1953, both of which
will be on display.
Eveningwear was a vital component of
the Queen’s wardrobe, and visitors will
see stunning examples that reflect the
evolution of fashion trends throughout
her long reign – from the crinolineskirted gowns of the 1950s by Norman
Hartnell and Hardy Amies to fluid,
vibrantly printed dresses by Ian Thomas
that capture the relaxed glamour of the
1970s, on show for the first time.
The exhibition will explore the
Queen’s use of diplomatically significant
emblems and colours in her wardrobe
for overseas tours, as shown in an
ingenious white gown designed by
19
Queen Elizabeth II when Princess
Elizabeth of York, Elliott & Fry, 1934.
Norman Hartnell for a 1961 State
Banquet in Karachi, which incorporates
Pakistan’s national colours through a
dramatic emerald-green pleat cascading
down the back.
In her later years, Queen Elizabeth
became as recognisable for her off-duty
style and classic British tailoring as she
was for her couture gowns. From
impeccably cut riding jackets to tartan
skirts and silk headscarves, visitors will
see never-before-displayed examples of
her practical everyday style, which
continues to inspire contemporary
designers to this day.
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style is
at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham
Palace, from spring to autumn 2026.
For the first time, a Christmas pop-up
shop will open at the Royal Mews at
Buckingham Palace, transforming part of
the 200-year-old stables into a cosy
festive boutique. The Royal Mews
Christmas Shop, open from 14 November
to 5 January, will bring together the
festive ranges of official royal gifts, food
and drink from Royal Collection Trust.
With a selection of classic products and
future heirlooms, it includes ideas for
loved ones including children, collectors
of British chinaware, and party hosts.
Evening Gown, Norman Hartnell, 1961.
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