In spring 2026, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth, Buckingham Palace will unveil the most extensive showcase of the late sovereign’s wardrobe ever assembled. The King’s Gallery will present Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of the clothing, accessories and craftsmanship that defined the life of Britain’s longest-serving monarch.
Around 200 garments and accessories from the queen’s wardrobe will be showcased, with almost half displayed to the public for the first time. From the silver lamé bridesmaid dress she wore as an eight-year-old at the wedding of the Duke of Kent in 1934, to the grandeur of her coronation gown, each piece tells part of a story that unfolds across ten decades. It is a journey from princess to sovereign, from private country life to the global stage.
Now part of the Royal Collection, the queen’s clothing archive stands as one of the most significant surviving examples of 20th-century British fashion. Alongside iconic gowns, jewellery, hats, footwear and accessories, the exhibition will feature original design sketches, fabric swatches and handwritten correspondence that shed light on the creative process and the monarch’s involvement in shaping her distinctive style.
Curated by Caroline de Guitaut, Surveyor of the King’s Works of Art, the exhibition will also be accompanied by a richly illustrated book, Queen Elizabeth II: Fashion and Style, featuring essays from designers and fashion historians.
‘Over the course of Queen Elizabeth II’s remarkably long reign, her distinctive style became instantly recognisable around the world, bolstering the British fashion industry and influencing generations of designers and couturiers,’ de Guitaut reflects. ‘Only now, as the late queen’s fashion archive comes under the care of Royal Collection Trust, can we tell the story of a lifetime of thoughtful style choices – from her hands-on role and understanding of the soft power behind her clothing, to the exceptional craftsmanship behind each garment. In the year that she would have turned 100 years old, this exhibition will be a celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s uniquely British style and her enduring fashion legacy.’
Visitors can expect to see some of the most celebrated creations by Norman Hartnell, the couturier behind her 1947 wedding dress and 1953 coronation gown, as well as designs by Hardy Amies and Ian Thomas that trace the evolution of royal eveningwear, from crinoline silhouettes to the flowing printed dresses of the 1970s. Other highlights include garments chosen for their symbolic value, such as the white Hartnell gown worn to a state banquet in Karachi in 1961, with an emerald-green pleat honouring the colours of Pakistan’s flag.
While much of her public life was defined by formal occasions, the queen’s personal style away from the spotlight was equally distinctive. The exhibition will feature her country attire, from impeccably cut riding jackets to tartan skirts and silk headscarves, celebrating a side of her wardrobe that has inspired generations of designers.
Together, these pieces capture not only Queen Elizabeth II’s evolution in fashion, but also the history, diplomacy and artistry woven into each stitch – a lifetime of style choices that left a lasting mark on Britain’s cultural identity.
- ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ is published in Anthology Volume 24. Read more features from this volume or buy it now.
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