In a fitting tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles and Queen Camilla made a regal appearance at a fashion exhibition that celebrates the late monarch’s profound influence on style. The event, titled “Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life In Style,” is held at The King’s Gallery within Buckingham Palace, courtesy of the Royal Collection Trust. This exhibition serves as a fascinating homage, showcasing more than 300 of Queen Elizabeth’s iconic fashion pieces, many of which are being unveiled for the very first time.

Among the treasured garments on display are the Queen’s christening robe, her bridesmaid dress, and the wedding gown that marked a significant chapter in her life. Moreover, attendees can marvel at her Coronation dress, the attire she donned for Princess Margaret’s wedding, and even the outfit she humorously wore to simulate a dramatic helicopter jump during the 2012 Olympics. This comprehensive exhibition paints a vivid portrait of the evolving styles embraced by Britain’s longest-reigning monarch across her ten-decade life.

Curator Caroline de Guitaut reflects on the significance of the exhibition, stating, “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.” Running from April 10 to October 18, the exhibition offers fresh insights into the Queen’s personal role in crafting her wardrobe, highlighting some exceptionally intimate pieces.

The first few weeks of the exhibition ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life In Style’ have been a sell-out. The late monarch, de Guitaut concedes, was not a woman obsessed with fashion, but after finding herself hailed a style icon became determined to make it work as a tool of her trade. ‘Queen Elizabeth took a deep and thoughtful interest in every aspect of her wardrobe, using fashion as diplomacy while consistently championing the UK’s fashion industry,’ she said. Among the exhibits are Elizabeth’s breathtaking wedding and coronations gowns, including, for the first time, the fan she used in 1953.

Her wedding gown is reunited, for the first time in more than 20 years, with the glittering Queen Mary’s Diamond Fringe tiara (although the arms of the dress have since been replaced as the material had sadly deteriorated). There are eye-catching items, too, such as the Queen’s ‘poodle skirt’ worn for a square dance in Canada, an extraordinary embroidered coat and matching slippers which she wore in Malaysia in 1989 and a purple dress that actually conceals, extraordinarily, a pair of culottes. A maternity evening dress made by Hartnell, dating from around 1948, is a rare example of its type. De Guitant says she was ‘very excited’ to have found it and that the tailoring is so clever that from the front you wouldn’t even have known she was pregnant. ‘It’s quite a rare survival,’ she says.

The display of evening gowns and day dresses for State Visits and banquets is almost overwhelming, many featuring specific colours or national symbols in honour of the countries she was visiting, as well as accessories from her many tours over the years including binoculars, sunglasses and suitcases. The Queen was apparently very much involved in the process of creating her outfits, examining sketches submitted to her and commenting back on the silhouette, or sleeve or skirt length. ‘The Queen would want to see the fabric samples too, she was absolutely insistent on having at her fingertips every single piece of information about how this finished garment might look,’ de Guitaut explained. ‘She became an active master at dressing in a very appropriate way, paying compliments to the host country, honouring the craftsmanship of the place she was visiting.

‘The wearing of this wonderful couture on the global stage was really the greatest possible advert for British production, design and manufacture. ‘She took diplomatic dressing to a whole other level of sophistication which no other monarch had really done to the same degree. She was a trailblazer.’ King Charles will address the nation tomorrow to mark his mother’s birthday. Charles has reportedly penned personal reflections on what he considers his mother’s greatest achievements. This will be accompanied by a touching video montage of poignant moments from her life played on screen. That is expected to include footage from her service during WW2 in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, memories from royal tours around the world and duties at home, and moments from her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022. Charles is said to have invested considerable time curating the list of invitees to the reception, prioritising representatives from organisations and charities with which his mother formed deep connections.