Conservation & Heritage Issue 52 Summer/Autumn 2026 - Flipbook - Page 46
Other personal pieces include the bracelet designed by Prince
Philip for their fifth wedding anniversary, and the Queen
Elizabeth II Aquamarine Tiara and the Burmese Ruby Tiara,
commissioned by the Queen and reflecting her own tastes,
with the latter on show for the first time.
In later life, Queen Elizabeth became instantly recognisable
for her trusted formula of colour-blocked coats and dresses,
and a rainbow display of daywear proves there was scarcely
a colour she did not embrace. A similarly vibrant display
of more than 50 hats – from the turbans and berets of the
1960s and 70s to the sculptural ‘flying saucers’ of the 1980s
and 90s – illustrates her surprisingly experimental approach
to millinery.
Accessories that completed her signature look are also shown
for the first time, from her trusted Launer London handbags
and silk headscarves to her shoes, gloves, and the clear,
colour-trimmed umbrellas that allowed her outfits to remain
visible in all weather. Personal items such as sunglasses,
binoculars, and monogrammed vanity cases and travelling
trunks from the 1940s and 50s offer intimate insights into
the practicalities of royal life at home and on tour.
Queen Elizabeth II on Princess Margaret’s Wedding Day, Cecil Beaton, 1960.
For the first time, a dedicated section of the exhibition
explores the Queen’s off-duty wardrobe, featuring neverbefore-displayed examples of her practical everyday style
and exceptional British tailoring – from impeccably cut
riding clothes and tweed suits to weatherproof clothing by
Burberry, Angela Kelly and Hardy Amies.
© Cecil Beaton | Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
ensembles chosen for the weddings of her sister Princess
Margaret and cousin Princess Alexandra. Displayed for
the first time is an evening gown discreetly tailored to
accommodate her first pregnancies between 1948 and 1950.
Throughout the exhibition, visitors will gain an
unprecedented behind-the-scenes insight into the process of
dressing the most famous woman in the world. Previously
unseen archival materials – from invoices and fabric samples
to design sketches annotated in her own hand – reveal her
close collaboration with her couturiers and the deep interest
she took in shaping her wardrobe.
Visitors will also see garments worn at landmark moments in
the nation’s history, from the Coronation dress that heralded
a new Elizabethan era to the Tudor-inspired ensemble worn
for Prince Charles’s investiture as Prince of Wales. Outfits
marking her Silver, Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilees
highlight key chapters in the Queen’s 70-year reign.
Her relationship with fashion began at a young age, and the
exhibition explores Princess Elizabeth’s earliest surviving
garments, her first encounters with couture, and the shaping
of her style. Highlights shown for the first time include
her historic christening robe; childhood ballet shoes and a
tiny fairy costume; gold lamé dresses made for Princesses
Elizabeth and Margaret by Jeanne Lanvin with dolls in
The exhibition also showcases the ensembles the Queen
chose to wear for encounters with some of the 20th
century’s most notable figures, from President Eisenhower
to Marilyn Monroe. A standout is the dress worn during
her unforgettable cameo with Daniel Craig at the London
2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony. For the first time, the
dress is displayed alongside the specially adapted duplicate
created for her stunt double, revealing the hidden structural
adjustments that made the dramatic parachute jump into the
stadium possible.
As well as a spectacular central display of evening gowns,
visitors will see jewellery spanning nearly every decade of
the Queen’s life, including pieces never exhibited before.
Among them are items given or loaned by close family for
landmark occasions, such as her wedding jewellery. The
Queen Caroline and Queen Anne pearl necklaces – shown
for the first time – were wedding gifts from her parents, while
Queen Mary’s Diamond Fringe Tiara – displayed for the first
time in almost 20 years – was made for her grandmother and
lent to the young bride by her mother.
Hats, Rachel Trevor Morgan.
© Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust.
Photographer: Paul Bulley.
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