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King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the new fashion exhibition, Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, hosted at The King’s Gallery inside Buckingham Palace on Monday. During the visit, the King and Queen were also joined by Princess Margaret’s daughter and Queen Elizabeth’s niece, Lady Sarah Chatto, for the tour.
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Charles and Camilla during the exhibit.
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The only daughter of Princess Margaret, Lady Sarah rarely makes public appearances.
The royals met with contemporary fashion designers who contributed pieces to the show, including Erdem Moralioglu, who lent an ensemble from a past collection inspired by Queen Elizabeth. They also met students from the King’s Foundation’s Chanel and Le 19M Métiers d’Art programs in embroidery, millinery, and atelier studies, who have been visiting the Royal Collection this year and drawing on the exhibition for their graduation portfolios.
Open since April 10, the special exhibition is the most comprehensive display of the late Queen’s wardrobe ever mounted, bringing together more than 300 pieces from her personal fashion archive, all of which are now part of the Royal Collection. The exhibit, which will be open to the public through October 18, spans her entire life. Among the items on display include her wedding and Coronation dresses, both designed by longtime royal designer Norman Hartwell, along with accompanying tiaras and jewels, as well as iconic outfits she wore on world tours over years and the ensembles she chose to mark her Silver, Golden, Diamond, and Platinum Jubilees.
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The King and Queen view of a display dedicated to the Queen’s color-blocked day wear at the exhibition.
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King Charles looks on at a display of hats, shoes, handbags, and other accessories worn by Queen Elizabeth during her reign.
The fashion exhibition has already opened to rave reviews. “Her signature block colors, her repeated use of fashion as a diplomatic tool through color and motif, and her trademark off-duty tweeds and riding clothes all feature. There is a small range of jewelry, specifically chosen for being personal to her,” T&C contributing editor Victoria Murphy wrote after touring the exhibit. “At the center of it all is a striking display of glittering evening gowns that remind us just how much the late Queen Elizabeth really was the star of the show.”
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King Charles and Queen Camilla listen to Caroline de Guitaut, the exhibit’s curator, while viewing the Queen’s wedding dress displayed with Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara.
The British royals are expected to be out and about frequently over the next few days at events celebrating the centenary of Queen Elizabeth’s birthday, which was April 21. On Tuesday, King Charles and Queen Camilla will be visiting the British Museum to view the final design for the national memorial to Queen Elizabeth. They will also be hosting a reception at Buckingham Palace with other members of the royal family for representatives from many of the late Queen’s patronages, including the British Red Cross, the Royal Kennel Club, and Cancer Research UK.
Princess Anne is also expected to open the Queen Elizabeth II Garden at Regent’s Park. The two-acre dedicated space will encompass a flower garden with Queen Elizabeth’s favorite plants, a circular pond, and a viewing platform offering panoramic views of Regent’s Park.
Rachel King (she/her) is a news writer at Town & Country. Before joining T&C, she spent nearly a decade as an editor at Fortune. Her work covering travel and lifestyle has appeared in Forbes, Observer, Robb Report, Cruise Critic, and Cool Hunting, among others. Originally from San Francisco, she lives in New York with her wife, their daughter, and a precocious labradoodle. Follow her on Instagram at @rk.passport.