A landmark exhibition celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s enduring influence on British fashion will open at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace in London on 10 April 2026.
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style is set to be the most extensive display of the late monarch’s wardrobe ever staged, featuring around 200 items—half of them making their public debut. Tickets go on sale on Tuesday, 4 November via the Royal Collection Trust website.
 |
| Queen Elizabeth II on Princess Margaret’s Wedding Day, Cecil Beaton, 1960. © Cecil Beaton / Victoria and Albert Museum, London. .jpg) |
Three leading British designers—Erdem Moralioglu, Richard Quinn and Christopher Kane—will each contribute a piece inspired by the late Queen’s distinctive style. Their works, drawn from previous collections, will be shown alongside related garments from the Queen’s archive. All three designers will also provide reflections for the exhibition’s official publication, Queen Elizabeth II: Fashion and Style, which includes a tribute by Dame Anna Wintour and an essay by Professor Amy de la Haye of the London College of Fashion.
Exhibition curator Caroline de Guitaut said the retrospective would demonstrate the “symbolism, tailoring and British craftsmanship” that defined the Queen’s wardrobe. “We are thrilled to include works by three contemporary designers who have so successfully reinterpreted her style for the present day,” she added.
The exhibition will chart Queen Elizabeth II’s attire across all ten decades of her life, from couture evening gowns to the tailored countrywear that became synonymous with her off-duty style. Many of the garments—now part of the Royal Collection—will be accompanied by original sketches, fabric samples and annotated design drawings, some bearing notes penned by the late Queen herself.
 |
| Ensemble worn for the wedding of Princess Margaret, Norman Hartnell, 1960 |
Highlights include an apple-green Norman Hartnell gown worn at a 1957 state banquet for US President Eisenhower, and the blue crinoline-skirted gown and bolero chosen for Princess Margaret’s wedding in 1960. Items from her private wardrobe will also feature, such as a 1950s Harris tweed jacket and Balmoral tartan skirt, as well as the green coat designed by Angela Kelly and worn in her later years.
.jpg) |
| Transparent rain coat, worn over a patterned silk day dress and coat, both by Hardy Amies, 1970s.© Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust. Photographer: Jon Stokes |
One of the more unexpected pieces on display is a clear plastic raincoat created by Hardy Amies in the 1960s, considered a precursor to the Queen’s later transparent umbrellas edged in colour to match her outfits. Amies would go on to produce futuristic designs for Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.
.jpg) |
| Evening gown by Norman Hartnell, 1957. Worn for a state banquet given for President Eisenhower at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. Here displayed in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle. Credit: © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust. Photographer: Paul Bulley |
The silver lamé beaded shift dress is shown in photo below.
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style is at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, from 10 April to 18 October 2026.
Royal Collection Trust will offer £1 tickets to visitors receiving Universal Credit and other named benefits, alongside concessions for young people aged 18 to 24, as part of its commitment to widening access to the Collection.
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style is at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, from 10 April to 18 October 2026.
No comments:
Post a Comment