The largest fashion exhibition centred around the late monarch, Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, officially opened today at the King’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace, and remains accessible until October 18.
The exhibition takes royal fans through 96 years of the late Queen’s fashion history, complete with around 300 pieces – half of which are being put on display for the first time.
GB News had the opportunity to attend a sneak peek of the exhibition on Thursday, where I exclusively spoke to the curator, Caroline de Guitaut, who also works as the Surveyor of the King’s Works of Art.
She provided fabulous insight into Queen Elizabeth II’s wardrobe and its use in national and international diplomacy.
Royal fans would be stunned to discover just how involved Her Late Majesty was in the creation of her wardrobe.
For example, Ms De Guitaut revealed how the late Queen insisted the emblems of the dominion countries on her Coronation dress be stitched in bright colours so they could clearly be seen.
This marked a major change in tradition, as embroidery would typically be gold or silver in early 20th-century fashion.
Queen Elizabeth II was a huge champion of British fashion; in her nearly-100 years on this earth, she saw the demise of the court dressmaker, the rise of British couture, and the establishment of iconic British fashion houses.
Inside the largest Queen Elizabeth II fashion exhibition in history at Buckingham Palace
| DOROTHY REDDIN / GETTY
GB News’ Deputy Royal Editor Dorothy Reddin pictured with Caroline de Guitaut at the exhibition
| DOROTHY REDDIN
A selection of Queen Elizabeth’s daycoats and hats were on display
| DOROTHY REDDIN
This legacy carried through to the 21st-century generation of royals, when Catherine Middleton, later the Princess of Wales, chose to wear an Alexander McQueen dress to marry Prince William.
I gained unbelievable insight when viewing the late Queen’s private correspondence with her couturiers and suppliers.
On her seven-month tour of the Commonwealth from 1953 to 1954, the late monarch wrote extensively to her designers, Norman Hartnell and Hardy Amies, about her outfit preferences as a newly-crowned queen.
Ms De Guitaut told the People’s Channel: “For Queen Elizabeth II, she spent a lot of time really carefully considering how her clothing could help her fulfil her role.
