Buckingham Palace is set to host the most extensive public display of the late Queen Elizabeth II's personal wardrobe ever staged. The landmark exhibition, titled 'Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style', will feature more than 200 of her most iconic fashion pieces, offering an unprecedented look at the evolution of her signature style from childhood to her record-breaking reign.
A Century of Style: From Princess to Monarch
The exhibition, opening at the King's Gallery on 10 April 2026, will run for six months until 18 October. It has been organised to commemorate what would have been the late monarch's 100th birthday. Tickets are priced at £22 for adults, with concessions at £11 for children aged 5-17 and disabled visitors. Entry is free for the under-fives, and a special £1 ticket offer is available for those on Universal Credit and other eligible benefits.
Visitors will be taken on a chronological journey through the Queen's life via her clothing. Key highlights promised include her bridesmaid dress, her 1947 wedding gown, and the coronation dress she wore in 1953. The ensemble she chose for the wedding of her sister, Princess Margaret, will also be on show.
Caroline de Guitaut, the exhibition's curator, stated: "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." She added that only now, with the Royal Collection Trust caring for the archive, can the full story of the Queen's "thoughtful style choices" and the "exceptional craftsmanship" behind each garment be properly told.
Unseen Treasures and Legendary Designers
The display will go beyond the famous jewel-toned coats and matching hats to include shoes, jewellery, and accessories. Crucially, it will also feature never-before-seen archival material such as design sketches, fabric samples, and personal letters, revealing the meticulous behind-the-scenes process of dressing the world's most famous woman.
One of the earliest surviving pieces is a silver lamé bridesmaid dress, designed by Edward Molyneux, which an eight-year-old Princess Elizabeth wore for the 1934 wedding of her uncle, the Duke of Kent, to Princess Marina of Greece. This marks its first public display.
The exhibition charts the Queen's long-standing relationships with British couturiers. It highlights her work with Norman Hartnell, who emerged as her most influential designer from the 1940s onwards, creating both her wedding and coronation dresses. The evolution of her eveningwear will also be showcased, tracing trends from the 1950s crinoline gowns of Hartnell and Hardy Amies to the floaty floral designs of Ian Thomas in the 1970s.
A Lasting Fashion Legacy
This comprehensive exhibition is positioned as a celebration of a uniquely British style icon. It explores the Queen's hands-on role in her wardrobe and her acute understanding of the soft power conveyed through her clothing. By displaying the artistry of British design and craftsmanship across eight decades, the show aims to cement her enduring legacy in the world of fashion.
'Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style' opens at the King's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, from 10 April to 18 October 2026.
