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<\/p>\nQueen Elizabeth II was “intimately involved” in her fashion, an exhibition curator has exclusively told GB News while debunking a commonly-believed myth.<\/p>\n
For decades, the public perception of Queen Elizabeth II\u2019s wardrobe was that it was a product of her dressers and designers, with the late monarch herself serving as a passive participant.<\/p>\n
However, new research for the centenary exhibition, Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, has debunked this myth.<\/p>\n
Curator Caroline de Guitaut has revealed to GB News that archival evidence, including handwritten notes and fabric samples, proves the Queen was an “intimately involved” client.<\/p>\n
According to the curator, Elizabeth II oversaw the details of her clothing throughout her entire 70-year reign.<\/p>\n
In an exclusive interview at the press viewing for the exhibition, Ms De Guitaut explained that this hands-on approach was not a later development in the Queen’s life, but a lifelong commitment.<\/p>\n
Referring to the era of Angela Kelly, which took place in the last three decades of Elizabeth II’s life, Ms De Guitaut said: “A lot of people, obviously younger people, remember the last few decades, probably.<\/p>\n
“But hopefully you’ll get a sense as you go around the exhibition that, even in the earlier multiple decades of the Queen’s life, she was absolutely intimately involved in that.”<\/p>\n
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Queen Elizabeth II | Source: GETTY<\/p>\n
The curator emphasised that the Queen worked closely with designers and embroiderers, acting as a decisive client in the “selecting of the different materials” and the “cutting of the fabric”.<\/p>\n
This level of involvement was driven by the Queen’s understanding of how her appearance impacted her work.<\/p>\n
Ms De Guitaut noted: “I think for Queen Elizabeth II, she spent a lot of time really carefully considering how her clothing could help her fulfil her role.”<\/p>\n
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Angela Kelly | Source: GETTY<\/p>\n
She described the process of uncovering this history as a revelation, adding: “I think that’s one of the big things that I’ve learned from the great privilege of working on this material.”<\/p>\n
Having opened at Buckingham Palace on Friday, April 10, the exhibition features 300 items, ranging from childhood pieces to sophisticated later-year ensembles.<\/p>\n
By displaying never-before-seen design sketches and correspondence, the gallery provides a “behind-the-scenes” look at the Queen\u2019s collaboration with icons like Norman Hartnell and Hardy Amies.<\/p>\n
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Queen Elizabeth coats and hats | Source: DOROTHY REDDIN<\/p>\n
GB News’ Deputy Royal Editor, Dorothy Reddin, gained an exclusive sneak peek into the exhibition on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Queen Elizabeth II was a huge champion of British fashion; in her nearly-100 years on this earth, she saw the demise of the court dressmaker, the rise of British couture, and the establishment of iconic British fashion houses.<\/p>\n
This legacy carried through to the 21st-century generation of royals, when Catherine Middleton, later the Princess of Wales, chose to wear an Alexander McQueen dress to marry Prince William.<\/p>\n