Queen Elizabeth II was known for her 70 years of steadfast service to the UK and Commonwealth – but she will also forever be remembered for her royal sense of style.
The late monarch, who died on September 8, 2022 at the age of 96, was as much a fashion icon in her younger years as Princess Diana or Kate Middleton, inspiring trends and embracing the latest designers of the 1950s, 1960s and beyond.
An expert in “diplomatic attire,” the Queen often wove symbolic elements and colors into her outfits, inspiring younger royals like the new Princess of Wales and Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, to incorporate similar touches into their own wardrobes.
In addition, many of Her Majesty’s jewels and tiaras – and even one particularly memorable dress – have been shared with other members of the monarchy to ensure these precious pieces can live on.
In the latest episode of Royal Roundtable (and beyond), we explore the lasting impact of some of the Queen’s most iconic outfits.
Wedding Dress (1947)
Princess Elizabeth’s wedding dress was inspired by the famous Botticelli painting “Primavera”. Popper photo via Getty Images
When Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip on November 20, 1947, she walked down the aisle wearing a stunning Norman Hartnell wedding gown, covered in 10,000 seed pearls and intricately embroidered.
Women in the UK were so enthusiastic about the wedding that they even sent the princess their own post-WWII ration stamps to use on the expensive design. While she had to return them, the touching gesture showed how much people cared for the future queen.
Coronation Gown (1953)
The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place on June 2, 1953.Getty Images
Queen Elizabeth II made sure her coronation dress reflected her new role not just in Britain but across the Commonwealth. Her short-sleeved, heavily embroidered Norman Hartnell dress featured national symbols such as English roses, Scottish thistles, Irish shamrocks and Australian acacia.
More than six decades later, Meghan Markle took a similar approach with her wedding veil, which she had hand-embroidered with plants from every Commonwealth country — along with wintersweet, which grows in the grounds of Kensington Palace, and the California poppy, a nod to their birth condition.
Lawrence of Arabia Premiere Look (1962)
Her Majesty wore the dress that her granddaughter, Princess Beatrice, would later remake as the wedding dress for the 1962 premiere of Lawrence of Arabia.
PA Images via Getty Images
Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi on their wedding day.
Benjamin Wheeler via Getty Image
Up Next Close
30 years ago, the ‘Chrisley Knows Best’ stars…
The Queen attended the glamorous premiere of Lawrence of Arabia in 1962 wearing another design by Norman Hartnell, and the sleeveless ivory taffeta dress with diamond accents later found new life at a royal wedding.
In 2020, Princess Beatrice made her grandmother’s dress her “something borrowed” and “something old” when she exchanged vows to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi at a secret wedding attended by Her Majesty and Prince Philip. Another touching detail was her tiara: the same one the Queen wore at her own wedding in 1947.
Home in Balmoral (1967)
The Queen took a walk in the grounds of Balmoral Castle in 1967. Getty Images
Over the years, Her Majesty has liked to dress uniformly for public engagements, typically wearing a brightly colored coat with a matching dress (often floral) underneath and, of course, a light colored hat.
But she also kept to a uniform off duty, wearing Scottish tartans and English tweeds, cardigans (she favored House of Bruar styles), Hunter wellies, patterned headscarves and Barbour coats.
A chic kilt was a favorite of the late monarch, and she sometimes wore the special Balmoral tartan designed by Prince Albert, her great-great-grandfather.
Visit to Ireland (2011)
The Queen wore Irish green on her historic visit in 2011. Getty Images
Diplomatic dressing became even more important when Her Majesty paid a visit to Ireland in 2011, becoming the first British monarch to visit the country in 100 years (her grandfather King George V went there in 1911).
Wearing a green coat by Stewart Parvin, along with a matching floral dress and hat by Rachel Trevor-Morgan, the Queen sent a message of unity with her outfit – and stunned the crowd by delivering a speech that began by her opening Irish spoke.
During international tours in the years since, both Middleton and Markle have honored host countries by wearing their colors in the same way.
Trooping the Color (2016)
The Queen joined members of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in her lime green ensemble. Getty Images
The Queen was meme’d! Her Majesty once said she has to be seen to be believed, and she often wore startlingly bright colors so her subjects could always spot her in a crowd – like the neon green coat and hat Stewart Parvin bought for her 90th birthday Birthday chose celebrations in 2016.
The lime outfit immediately went viral on social media – as did the hashtag #neonat90 – with many sharing “green screen” memes. Surely Her Majesty, who was known for her sense of humor, got a kick out of it all.