Why Queen Elizabeth Dressed the way she did: What a new exhibition finally reveals
A new exhibition in London reveals the meaning behind Queen Elizabeth’s wardrobe, from bold colours to the coded language of royal communication
Nothing in Queen Elizabeth II’s wardrobe was ever just clothing. The new exhibition Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, now on view at Kensington Palace, London, brings together more than 300 pieces across all ten decades of her life—many displayed for the first time—offering a remarkably comprehensive view of how her public image was constructed. Seen chronologically, from infancy through accession and into the demands of the global stage, her clothes become a carefully crafted system of visibility and control, turning appearance into a durable language of monarchy. For decades, that logic appeared as consistency: familiar silhouettes and colours, alongside recognisable codes, created a sense of continuity that audiences could grasp from afar over time. This effect carried through years of public engagements and moments of national significance, with garments, brooches, shoes and handbags carrying signals that could be instantly recognised and easily remembered. Up close at the exhibition’s press preview, Queen Elizabeth II’s wardrobe raises a more nuanced question, one explored here through the eye of an Istituto Marangoni London fashion student: What, exactly, was the Queen communicating through her clothes?
Why Queen Elizabeth II’s Style Still Resonates in 2026, Her Centenary Year
On 10 April, I walked into The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace with a new sense of awareness: I was in the right place, at the right moment. Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, open until 18 October 2026, is the largest exhibition ever dedicated to the Queen’s wardrobe, coinciding with the year she would have turned 100. And I was there, on opening day.
I paused for a moment to take it all in. Back in 2016, when I was watching The Crown, I was still living in Italy. Season after season, I became absorbed by the details, always trying to discern how much of what I saw was real.
I compared images, documents, and photographs. I had no idea that one day I would end up living here, in London, or that I would find myself at the opening of one of the most important exhibitions devoted to the most recognisable monarch of the twentieth century, examining her clothes. Especially as someone who has always known that fashion would be my language.
Queen Elizabeth II portrait highlights how royal fashion shaped visibility, identity and communication, as explored in Her Life in Style exhibition in London. Photograph by Cecil Beaton. Courtesy Victoria and Albert Museum, London
How The Crown Redefined the Narrative of Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret
And yet, until that moment, my idea was clear: Queen Elizabeth II was impeccable, institutional and perfect, while Princess Margaret was the real fashion icon. That perception did not come from nowhere. Watching The Crown and comparing it to reality, the narrative felt obvious to me: Queen Elizabeth II represented duty, Princess Margaret embodied style.
Princess Margaret and Dior in the 1950s. Princess Margaret and her boldness, her freedom. I still remember a photograph of Princess Margaret at the zoo, wearing a zebra-print dress, and my only thought was: “What a diva.” Queen Elizabeth II, on the other hand, was something else: precision, function and control.
Blue ensemble and matching hat showcase Queen Elizabeth II’s signature use of colour for visibility and recognition in public appearances. Courtesy Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust
Inside Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style: How a Royal Image Was Built Over Time
Then you step into the Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style exhibition, and that distinction begins to dissolve as the narrative unfolds into something far more layered and nuanced. More than 300 objects —dresses, hats, gloves, handbags, jewellery—fill the rooms, accompanied by sketches, letters and fabric samples, each element contributing to a broader understanding of how a public image is built over time.
As you move through the exhibition, it becomes increasingly clear that Queen Elizabeth II did far more than wear clothes; she was deeply involved in their creation, overseeing every detail with intention.
Inside the exhibition at Buckingham Palace, over 300 garments trace Queen Elizabeth II’s wardrobe as a system of image-building and royal communication. Courtesy Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust
Who Directed Queen Elizabeth II’s Wardrobe?
There are annotated sketches, precise instructions and corrections, alongside detailed considerations of colours, embroidery, proportions, the movement of the fabric, the choice of accessories and the balance with hats and jewellery. Everything passed through the Queen’s hands, and nothing was ever simply presented without being discussed, evaluated and ultimately decided upon.
The iconic hats played a central role in ensuring visibility and recognisability, while the ever-present handbags became almost an extension of the gesture. Gloves, jewellery and every other element contributed to an image that remained coherent, legible, and instantly recognisable.
Designers such as Norman Hartnell and Hardy Amies were not working for a distant figure, but in close collaboration with her.
How Queen Elizabeth Used Clothing as a Form of Communication
As curator Caroline de Guitaut stated, “Queen Elizabeth II used fashion to fulfil her role.” The exhibition at Buckingham Palace makes this idea tangible, revealing how the Queen consistently and deliberately shaped her role, rather than passively embodying it.
Princess Margaret remains the more instinctive and free-spirited figure, who used fashion as a form of personal expression. Queen Elizabeth II, by contrast, approached it with meticulous precision, turning clothing into a language of meaning and intent.
During state visits, colours carried references, embroidery conveyed symbols, and silhouettes communicated messages, with every detail carefully considered so that nothing was left to chance. Yet the effect was never rigid; it always reflected a thoughtful intention.
Archival garments reveal the evolution of Queen Elizabeth II’s style, balancing continuity, symbolism and function across decades of public life. Courtesy Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust
The Royal Christening Robe and How Continuity Was Preserved Across Generations
Then there are moments that make you pause and reflect, like the Royal Christening Robe from 1841: a tiny, fragile garment, almost timeless. Beside it lie Queen Elizabeth II’s handwritten notes—a list of names, dates and royal babies who wore it up until the 1970s. The robe becomes both an archive and an active form of memory.
Photographs surrounding the robe show different generations, all in the same garment; faces change, eras change, but the object endures.
Royal Christening Robe (1841), worn across generations of the British royal family, preserving continuity through ceremonial dress and archival memory. Courtesy Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust
Rethinking Queen Elizabeth II: Beyond Impeccability
Princess Margaret is still iconic in my mind. Queen Elizabeth II, however, was far more than impeccable; she was present in every decision and within every garment.
Detailed embroidery and craftsmanship reflect how Queen Elizabeth II’s clothing conveyed meaning through materials, colour and carefully controlled design choices. Courtesy Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust Perhaps that’s exactly what I didn’t grasp watching The Crown from afar, years ago in Italy: behind all that precision, there was never distance. There was vision.