LONDON — The largest exhibition of late times Queen Elizabeth II fashion, including the luxurious dresses she wore at her wedding and coronation, will be on display at Buckingham Palace next year to mark the centenary of her birth, officials said on Tuesday.
The landmark royal exhibition will feature around 200 objects (about half of which have never been on public display before) that reflect the life of the monarch and her historic 70-year reign.
Elizabeth, who died in September 2022 aged 96, was the longest-reigning monarch Britain has ever known, and her clothing archive is considered one of the most important British fashion collections of the 20th century. She would have turned 100 years old on April 21, 2026.
Highlights include the tulle bridesmaid dress worn by 8-year-old Princess Elizabeth in 1934 and an array of beautifully tailored couture gowns from the monarch's most influential designer, Norman Hartnell.
Hartnell was the man in the apple green dress worn by the Queen to a state banquet honoring US President Dwight D. Eisenhower in Washington, D.C. in 1957; the pastel blue dress with matching jacket that Elizabeth wore to her sister Princess Margaret's wedding in 1960; as well as the Queen's own wedding and coronation dresses.
Visitors to the exhibition will also see items from Elizabeth's personal, everyday wardrobe, from her riding clothes and Harris tweed jackets to raincoats and scarves, as well as design sketches and fabric samples that provide insight into her dressing process.
Although the Queen was known for her elegant and conservative style, the collection included a somewhat unexpected and avant-garde piece: a sheer cloak by couturier Hardy Amies, designed in the 1960s. The cloak was designed so that Elizabeth's colorful casual wear would be visible to crowds in any weather.
The exhibition will also feature works by three contemporary British designers – Erdem Moralioglu, Richard Quinn and Christopher Kane – inspired by the monarch's style and highlighting her heritage.
“Queen Elizabeth II's wardrobe is one of the most significant living archives in modern fashion history. From the decline of the court dressmaker to the rise of couturiers such as Hartnell and Hardy Amies, her clothes tell the story of Britain and its changing identity through fashion,” Kane said.
“For designers and students, it offers a masterclass in silhouette, construction, repetition, symbolism and, perhaps most importantly, restraint,” the designer added.
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style will be staged at Buckingham Palace from April 10, 2026 to October 18, 2026. Tickets go on sale Tuesday.
