We reflect on the significance behind the sartorial choices of our late monarch, Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II and her carefully chosen outfits – notable for their abundance of colour – are as much a part of what stands out in our memory as her calm and collected decorum throughout her reign. In the years following her coronation, aged 24, all eyes were on the apparel she chose to wear when she stepped out in public – and she was as much a trendsetter as any celebrity in the spotlight at the time.
She favoured the bright and the bold within a kaleidoscopic palette. She was loyal to her favoured designers, including London milliner Rachel Trevor-Morgan, who designed hats for Her Majesty’s royal engagements from 2006 – notably the sunshine yellow hat she wore to open the completed Elizabeth line earlier in the year. Launer London handbags became her lifelong accessory, along with her comfy, Anello & Davide patent shoes.
Queen Elizabeth II’s motive for wearing bright and brilliant ensembles was primarily so she could be spotted from as far away as possible – as explained by the Countess of Wessex on documentary, The Queen at 90, which featured interviews with several members of the The Royal Family.
Our Rainbow Queen, written by journalist and author Sali Hughes, is an homage to Queen Elizabeth’s approach to style, taking readers through nine decades of her distinctive wardrobe alongside insight into her sartorial selections. We learn how The Queen used colour in a discrete but meaningful way – for instance, wearing the colours of the European flag to a post-Brexit meeting or donning a pin given to her by The Obamas to attend a meeting with former US president Donald Trump. Our multi-coloured monarch was a true fashion icon, with light-up-a-room statement dressing that will be missed the world over.
