The display will commemorate what would have been the late Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday
‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ opens at the King’s Gallery this spring(Image: Getty Images)
The largest and most comprehensive exhibition of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s wardrobe featuring over 200 of her most iconic fashion pieces is coming to Buckingham Palace this spring.
‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ will open at the King’s Gallery on April 10 for six months until October 18, with tickets priced at £22 per adult, £11 for children aged five to 17, £11 for disabled people, and free for under-fives. Offers of £1 tickets are available for those on Universal Credit and other benefits.
The exhibition will celebrate the late Queen’s evolution in style from princess to monarch, with highlights including her bridesmaid dress, wedding dress, Coronation dress and the ensemble worn for the wedding of Princess Margaret.
Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation dress from 1953, designed by Sir Norman Hartnell (Image: Nicky J Sims/Getty Images)
Visitors can marvel as a dazzling display of the Queen’s famous jewel-toned long coat and hat ensembles, as well as shoes, jewellery and accessories, in addition to never-before-seen design sketches, fabric samples and letters that reveal what happened behind-the-scenes when dressing the world’s most famous woman.
Exhibition curator Caroline de Guitaut said: “Over the course of Queen Elizabeth II’s remarkably long reign, her distinctive style became instantly recognisable around the world, bolstering the British fashion industry and influencing generations of designers and couturiers.
“Only now, as the late Queen’s fashion archive comes under the care of Royal Collection Trust, can we tell the story of a lifetime of thoughtful style choices – from her hands-on role and understanding of the soft power behind her clothing, to the exceptional craftsmanship behind each garment.
“In the year that she would have turned 100 years old, this exhibition will be a celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s uniquely British style and her enduring fashion legacy.”
On show for the first time will be one of the earliest surviving pieces of couture from the Queen’s childhood wardrobe: the silver lamé 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 – designing both her 1947 wedding dress, and the coronation gown she wore in 1953 – both of which will be on display.
The Queen ’s eye-popping eveningwear will also be showcased, showing the fashion trends of her long reign – from the 1950s crinoline-skirted gowns of Norman Hartnell and Hardy Amies to the floaty, floral gowns of the 1970s designed by Ian Thomas – on show for the first time.
‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ will open at the King’s Gallery from April 10 to October 18.
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