James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family and royal fashion. He has covered contemporary and historic issues facing King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, the late Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana. James joined Newsweek in 2022 having previously contributed to titles such as The Lady, Majesty Magazine and Drapers. He also spent a number of years working with the curatorial department at Historic Royal Palaces, based at Kensington Palace, and contributed to the exhibitions Fashion Rules: Restyled (2016) and Diana: Her Fashion Story (2017). He also undertook private research projects with the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection. He is a graduate of University College London and Central Saint Martins, where he studied fashion history. Languages: English. According to Kelly, a royal outfit could have a 25-year lifespan. After two or three public outings, a piece would be modified or retired to the Queen's private wardrobe. Always thrifty, the Queen liked her clothes "to be adapted and recycled as much as possible", Kelly wrote. Queen Elizabeth II's most worn colour in 2012 was blue, accounting for 24% of her public wardrobe. Photographed (L) at a garden party July 22, 2010. (C) at Ascot, October 21, 2016. And (R) welcoming President Biden to Windsor Castle, June 13, 2021. Gareth Fuller/Pool/Getty Images/Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images/Samir Hussein/Pool/WireImage The People Who Make it All Happen The supplier of the queen's bags is the family-run British brand Launer London and the monarch owns many of their most famous styles in a variety of colors. Change the plan you will roll onto at any time during your trial by visiting the “Settings & Account” section. What happens at the end of my trial?

A few hours later, when The Queen returned from her engagement, she started to tell me enthusiastically about what a splendid time she’d had and all the interesting people she’d met. She did not notice my new purple hair, so I pulled the piece slightly further forward on my head, but Her Majesty still didn’t notice and kept talking about her day. I realised I had to do something dramatic, so I waited until she’d stopped talking, turned with the most sorrowful look and said, ‘Your Majesty! Look what’s happened! Look at the colour of my hair!’ I even started to pull the purple strands out, saying, ‘Look, my hair is falling out!’ Her wardrobe staples – hats, gloves, handbags, court shoes – remained constant throughout her reign and recalled the sartorial conventions of a bygone era. They also constituted her work wear, signalling she was on duty. Another expert hand that creates for the queen is Stewart Parvin, a designer in the classic British style who holds a royal warrant. Norman Hartnell, who also designed the monarch's beautiful wedding dress, wrote in his autobiography that the Queen was very involved in the design of the gown, proving that she had an awareness of how fashion would play a role in her reign from the very beginning – and that she was ready to make her own traditions. The queen's wardrobe is mainly created by two designers, one of them being Kelly herself who was responsible for many of the looks worn for the diamond jubilee and also the famous primrose yellow outfit worn to the wedding of Prince William.The Queen turned again to Hartnell to design the dress for her 1953 coronation, the first to be broadcast on television.

Cecil Beaton, who captured the official coronation portraits, described how the combination of sumptuous gown, ceremonial robes and Crown Jewels imbued her with a "Byzantine magnificence." But such opulence was not purely gratuitous. Throughout history it has served an important constitutional purpose: to reinforce the status of the monarch and distinguish them from the people and palaces that surround them. The Queen’s clothes needed to ensure she looked as she should: like a Queen. Couture QueenHats were also an integral part of the Queen’s wardrobe. Marvellous millinery from Rachel Trevor-Morgan would usually be found atop of her majesty’s head, when she wasn't wearing a crown of course. The story of Queen Elizabeth II, who famously said ‘if I wore beige, no one would know who I was’, told through her clothes and jewellery. The Queen’s Wardrobe is a gorgeous gift to treasure, celebrating a long life devoted to service.

As Britain’s longest-reigning Monarch, the Queen holds an incomparable position in public life and remains one of Britain’s most enduring dressers. Her early years on the throne were defined by pieces created by court dressers, Norman Hartnell and Hardy Amies, yet in recent years senior dresser, and close confidante, Angela Kelly, has come to be responsible for her consortium of looks, especially those that have most recently taken her through her 90th birthday celebrations, the Diamond Jubilee year and a flurry of Royal Weddings. The Queen's dressing got better as she aged," says McNeil, largely due to the influence of Angela Kelly, who joined the palace in 1994 and eventually became the Queen's senior dresser and a trusted confidante. Hats were also an integral part of the queen’s wardrobe. Marvelous millinery from Rachel Trevor-Morgan would usually be found atop Her Majesty’s head when she wasn't wearing a crown or tiara, of course. Encrusted with seed pearls, sequins, and crystals, the ornate duchesse satin gown featured the embroidered floral emblems of the UK and Commonwealth nations, including the Tudor rose, Australia's golden wattle and New Zealand's silver fern. If you do nothing, you will be auto-enrolled in our premium digital monthly subscription plan and retain complete access for 65 € per month.The Queen prioritised visibility in her fashion choices, recognising that when she was in public, she was always on display. For cost savings, you can change your plan at any time online in the “Settings & Account” section. If you’d like to retain your premium access and save 20%, you can opt to pay annually at the end of the trial.

In her final decade, Elizabeth II remained closer to home. US photographer Annie Leibovitz photographed the Queen on two occasions. The spectacular portraits of the first sitting presented a monarch of Hollywood dreams. The second, by contrast, revealed the Queen off-duty in her favourite tartan kilts and tailored tweeds, surrounded by family and dogs at Windsor Castle. It was a pertinent reminder that behind the carefully stage-managed façade was a woman, wife and mother most at home in the countryside. The queen has a dedicated team to help her with her wardrobe. Her most senior wardrobe adviser is Angela Kelly who holds the distinguished title of Personal Assistant, Adviser and Curator to Her Majesty The Queen (Jewellery, Insignias and Wardrobe).The Queen was wearing a lot of dark green, navy, and red, and I had also noticed that some of the older pieces … which had been the height of fashion a few years before, had begun to look a little tired," she wrote. Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity and royal news delivered directly to your inbox. A master of championing great British design, Queen Elizabeth II always enjoyed displaying the works of great homegrown couturiers. It was Norman Hartnell who designed her silk duchesse wedding gown, which she paid for using ration tokens as other brides in her country did in the wake of World War II, and her stylist Angela Kelly often designed her outfits when attending events. The Queen wore the dress to open the New Zealand, Australian, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and Canadian parliaments following her coronation. Kelly is widely known as the queen's closest confidant and holds the distinction of being granted permission by the monarch to publish two books about her work, her boss and her wardrobe.