The Young Queen Elizabeth - Royal Gowns From The 1950s | Edelweiss Patterns Blog The Young Queen Elizabeth Posted by Edelweiss Patterns on June 6, 2012 This weekend as the world celebrated 60 years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, we’ve had a wonderful chance to look back at how faithfully she and Prince Phillip have served the Commonwealth for the last six decades. Bright and chipper as ever, the Queen stills wears incredibly fashionable suits and hats, and insists that her umbrellas match each outfit. Her strikingly gorgeous white hair is styled in a curly coiffure reminiscent of the 1950s, and she is probably the only member of the Royal Family who sports bright red lipstick for every outing and event. So since we’re all in the “Royal” mood this week, I wanted to show some of my favorite pictures from her younger years and pass along a few things I learned about her wardrobe while studying in England. The quintessential "princess" gown! It has been said that Princess Elizabeth was rather conservative when it came to clothing choices, and while she was decidedly fashionable and chic she was certainly not a show-off.

In the 1950s her evening gowns were always elaborately beaded and embroidered, but designed with a modest cut to befit a queen. A vast majority of her state banquet gowns were subdued hues of blue or cream, though on one grand occasion her childhood governess convinced her to wear red. This former nanny also recalled that in her teenage years she started making much more of a fuss about her appearance whenever Phillip arrived for a banquet or dance, though it wasn’t until her twenty-first birthday that their engagement was officially announced. The newly engaged couple had known each other for eight years before they could finally get married. Princess Elizabeth first saw Phillip when she was thirteen years of age, and was determined to marry only him ever since. Eight years later, she was finally planning the royal wedding she had dreamed of but had to be careful of extravagance due to the post-war rationing. Norman Hartnell designed this sumptuous silk wedding gown with embroidered flower motifs, which is now on display at Buckingham Palace for the Diamond Jubilee exhibit. Doesn't she look like a fairytale princess?

Here are a few fun facts about Elizabeth’s wedding gown: Princess Elizabeth may have been royalty, but she still had to adhere to ration regulations. So since her ration books alone would never have supplied the money for a royal wedding dress, dozens of other engaged girls from around the country sent her their wedding dress coupons from their own ration books. (In the end, the government did designate some financial support for the expense, but I think it was such a touching gesture from these brides-to-be!) Norman Hartnell assigned the task of actually sewing the dress to one head seamstress and her three young assistants. The girl who had to sew all the buttonholes down the back had never done buttonholes before! So after a crash-course in buttonholing she feverishly perfected the hand stitch on scraps on fabric before slicing into the actual dress. (She later explained that the dress had already been embroidered by this time, so if she had made a mistake it would have been catastrophic!) Princess Elizabeth’s wedding dress had a total of 10,000 seed pearls embroidered in flower motifs! Norman Hartnell was unable to find such a great quantity in England, so one of his assistants flew to the United States in search of the precious beads.

Upon arriving in London/Heathrow’s customs line, he was closely questioned as to what he was bringing back to the country. After declaring “Ten thousand seed pearls for Princess Elizabeth’s wedding dress,” he had to pay tax on the huge quantity of pearls before he was allowed to pass through customs! Princess Elizabeth arriving at Buckingham Palace after her wedding. What a sweet looking girl! The wedding itself was a glorious affair. Those who watched William & Catherine’s royal wedding would recognize all the same sights and locations – Elizabeth and Phillip were married in the same majestic cathedral, took the exact same route by horse-drawn carriage back to Buckingham, and appeared on the same balcony with other members of the royal family to greet the crowd of well-wishers below. A rare color photograph of the royal couple. Shortly after their wedding the Prince and Princess took an official royal tour of Canada, where every detail of Elizabeth’s wardrobe was reported by the media. Her hats were carefully planned by the commissioned designers so that “at all times her face could be seen by the public, and her headwear would not obstruct their view”. Quite the hat, don't you think?

Princess-Turned-Queen When Elizabeth arrived in London upon hearing of her father’s untimely death, she was wearing a full-skirted 1950s dress that was cut a couple of inches below the knee. This length of skirt had been quite common for her daywear wardrobe for the last decade, but apparently her mother did not approve of that length on someone who was queen. “Your skirt is much too short!” she scolded. But reporters noted that the next day (and for years following) the Queen appeared in public in the exact same sort of style. As close as Elizabeth and her mother remained, her fashion choices were apparently not to be influenced by her dear mama’ any longer. However, all her shorter day dresses were carefully weighted at the hems so that she wouldn’t have to fear if a stiff breeze came along! Queen Elizabeth preparing to see a group of debutantes be presented in court.

Queen Elizabeth’s Formal Fashions By the time Queen Elizabeth began her royal Commonwealth Tour in 1953, she had become known for a very regal fashion look – fitted bodices with beading and embroidery, enormously pouffed skirts, subtle colors, majestic silk fabrics, and a multitude of royal tiaras. It has been said that “What Elizabeth Wore” each day was at least as much anticipated as the current “Catherine Middleton” fashion craze ever was. While the Duchess of Cambridge wears toothpick-like dresses in her pre-children years, Queen Elizabeth had already given birth to two babies by the time she ascended the throne! Moreover, some of her most fashionable photographs were taken in her thirties after she’d had all four children, and still managed to keep up a perfect 1950s figure. In this sense she is quite a heroine to me, as someone who can have lots of children and still be beautiful is greatly to be admired. Queen Elizabeth always looked resplendent for her royal banquets and parties.

So while these dresses would look much prettier if we had good photographs of them on her, I will have to make do with showing some of them on their current mannequins: Look at those adorable pink bows! Unlike the majority of Her Majesty’s 1950s gowns, this dress was designed by Hardy Amies. It was specially planned for the Queen’s banquet in Halifax, and so was incorporated with embroideries of mayflowers (the official symbol of Nova Scotia). The fabric itself was a bluish grey silk organza, accented by pink duchesses satin in the back. I am told that there was also a corresponding stole of the same design for the occasion. A gold lame and lace ball gown. This photo doesn’t quite do the gown justice, but this is one of my favorites from Queen Elizabeth’s royal tour in the 50s. Not much is known about this gown, except for the fact that it was a Hartnell creation and was first worn in Australia. The inner layer is gold lame’, with re-embroidered lace over the top. Incredible beading! This Hartnell design is really the perfect example of how his gowns for the Queen were styled.

Cream duchesse satin was probably the most common material he used for her 1950s dresses, and the beading is what sets his designs apart. A stunning white and green gown for the Canadian Tour. This gown is one of my favorites! White silk is highly embellished with beads, embroidery, and emerald green velvet to reflect an all-over maple leaf design. The Queen liked to incorporate local emblems for whichever country she was visiting, resulting in some very stunning outfits. This one, made with Canada specially in mind, is now on loan in a Ottawa musuem during 2012. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip on their first official Commonwealth Tour. One of two yellow “wattle” dresses which Elizabeth wore. It was a beautiful butter yellow color, and there is a famous painting of her wearing this very gown. Wattle is the national flower of Australia, so Her Majesty chose this creation for a state banquet in Sydney. A rare pencil-skirt dress worn by the Queen. Back home in Britain, the young Queen continued to wow the country with her magnificent apparel. No matter what the occasion, she wore an elegant dress, very fine makeup, and her inseperable high heel pumps. The Queen giving a television address.

A romantic lace evening gown. Her very bearing was so regal that it would be difficult to imagine her as anything else! With her long neck, dark wavy hair, full lips, thick eyebrows and decidedly elegant nose, she personified everyone’s image of the perfect young monarch. And wherever she went, it was obvious that this fine lady was made to be Queen. From formal banquets to garden parties and charity work, Queen Elizabeth’s face shone with a radiant smile and cheerful countenance. And it is with great gratitude in our hearts that we congragulate her on sixty years of outstanding service to her country. God save the Queen! Wonderful dresses, the gold lame and lace ball gown is my favorite dress Sarah said, I love Queen Elizabeth! Every one of those dresses are beautiful! But my two favorites are the 2nd one from the top and the 2nd one from the bottom! I wish they were in color! Such an interesting read! Great post and I learned a few things about Queen Elizabeth II that I did not know before! Sandra said, Queen Elizabeth II's Ceremonial Robes Designed by Norman Hartnell The Queen's Wedding Dress Designer - Norman Hartnell In a sense, the Queen has been married twice.

The first time she became wedded to Prince Philip; the second time at her coronation, she became wedded to the people. Each occasion demanded a dress of majestic beauty and on each occasion she chose dress designer, Norman Hartnell. With his theatrical training, Hartnell was the ideal person to make spectacular dresses which would hold a stage of another kind. Hartnell's Research Less than three months before the wedding date, one of Hartnell's designs was approved and he began his research immediately. He describes this in his autobiography (1955): 'I roamed the London Art Galleries in search of classic inspiration and fortunately found a Botticelli figure in clinging ivory silk, trailed with jasmine, smilax, syringa and small white rose-like blossoms. I thought these flora might be interpreted on a modern dress through the medium of white crystals and pearls.' Because of Wartime restrictions, the pearls were not available in this country, and eventually Hartnell obtained twenty thousand of the correct pearls from America. Once the pearls were in his possession Hartnell set about transferring the embroidery design to the paper pattern, but before the embroideresses could carry out the work Hartnell found himself in the throes of a publicity scandal.

You are reading an original 'Queen's Wedding Dress' royalty fashion history article by Pauline Weston Thomas at © Politically Correct Silkworms ...(v4r) The Queen Mother had specifically asked that Hartnell should use an unusually rich, lustrous stiff satin which was made at Lullington Castle. The satin was ideal for the train, but Hartnell thought that the dress required a more supple material of a similar tone. He ordered the similar fabric from the Scottish firm of Winterthur near Dunfermline. Difficulties arose when rivals put about the rumour that the Scottish satin was made from 'enemy silk worms', either from Italy or possibly Japan. A telephone call to Dunfermline settled the scandal. Mr. Hartnell was assured the silkworms were from Nationalist China and were not 'enemy silkworms'. However politically correct the silkworms were, time has shown that the choice of silk was not a good one and below you can read some facts about the dress in my interview with Miss Kay Staniland, Keeper of the Robes in the London Museum in 1978.

But thirty years before in 1947 there was no immediate thought in Hartnell's mind that this would be a Museum piece of the future. His concern was to complete the gown as quickly and in as much secrecy as possible. Despite the many attempts of the press to bribe Hartnell's staff, the only glimpse newspapermen had of the dress, was when the covered four foot box containing the dress, left Hartnell's salon the day before the wedding. The Hartnell Wedding Dress and Pictures The following day the Princess walked down the aisle of Westminster Abbey on the arm of His Majesty King George VI. Right - Now we are married... The richly embroidered white satin wedding dress shimmered with her every movement. Softly spaced throughout the dress were garlands of pearl orange blossom, syringa, jasmine and White Rose of York. These were skilfully combined with flowing lines of wheat ears, the symbol of fertility, and worked in pearl and diamante. ï¿½ï¿½ The Royal wedding group The design was repeated throughout the length of the fifteen foot train and repeat motifs of embroidery bordered the sweetheart neckline, the long satin sleeves and the hem. Right - The beautiful embroidered train of the wedding dress.

Similar motifs were also featured on the complementary bridesmaids' dresses. H. R. H Princess Margaret wearing a dress with motifs in the same style as those on her sister's dress. Wisely, the Princess rejected the usual heavy heirloom lace so often worn by Royal brides, and instead chose a flattering soft white tulle veil that was half the length of the train. With it she wore a small Russian style sunray fringe tiara and a single row of pearls. You are reading an original 'Queen's Wedding Dress' royalty fashion history article by Pauline Weston Thomas at ©. An Interview with the Keeper of the Robes In the interests of posterity it might have been wiser to have used satin from another source, since the fabric used is quite rotted. At an interview in the London Museum in 1978, Miss Kay Staniland, Keeper of the Robes, told me that the Queen's wedding dress, which has been displayed several times, was in an appalling condition; the main problem being the silk used for the dress. Miss Staniland described the silk as being very heavily tin weighted.

She explained that the tin weighting was contributing to the continual deterioration of the fabric, speeding up the rotting process which starts as soon as any fabric is removed from the loom. In the early 1970s, the dress was displayed with half a dozen other Royal wedding dresses. When Miss Staniland attempted to fit the Queen's dress to its polystyrene dress form she found that the weight of the embroidery dragged the skirt down, increasing the strain on the weave. To have left the dress on the form as it was, would have resulted in the skirt tearing from the bodice. The problem was solved by the construction of a calico skirt with tapes. This was used to support the heavy embroidered skirt and was secured to the form, without adding strain to the bodice. Despite the fact that I was a serious costume student I was not allowed to even see, let alone handle the gown using special conservation gloves. However Miss Staniland kindly went to some trouble to show me photographs of the back view of the dress. The back fastening of the dress was not a zip, but a series of fourteen tiny covered buttons which were spaced closely together and stopped at the base of the spine.

All the buttonholes had unravelled and beneath these there was a zip for additional support. The left sleeve was badly frayed; the head having come completely away from the armhole, revealing a tear in the armpit. Some of the underarm degradation of the fabric was due probably to the combination of the metal salts in the silk and underarm perspiration which together speeded up the disintegration process. Anyone standing under intense camera lights knowing they would be watched by millions combined with the occasion of a marriage ceremony would perspire a great deal. ...(v4r) The keeper confided that gowns of this type were a nightmare to display and handle and from the Museum's point of view, the condition of this comparatively new dress was classified as poor. Already it was a conservation problem limiting the length of time it could be displayed even in the most carefully controlled conditions. Considering I was given that information a quarter of a century ago one can only speculate at the condition of the gown today. You are reading an original 'Queen's Wedding Dress' royalty fashion history article by Pauline Weston Thomas at ©.

ï¿½ Between Wedding and Coronation Within three years of the wedding ceremony, the Princess was a mother of two infants and it was at this period that press columnists began to describe her as 'dowdy' and 'frumpish'. Hartnell continued to design clothes for her, but they were still very much in the matronly styles favoured by the elder women who surrounded her, but particularly by her mother and Queen Mary. The description was very unkind and it's also important to remember that in the early 1950s women dressed like their mothers to appear older and more sophisticated unlike today when mothers hope to be taken for their daughter's friends. Princess Elizabeth's first attempt at adventurous clothing was abortive. Several dresses were ordered from the House of Molyneux for the Commonwealth Tour of 1952. During the first week of the tour, before Princess Elizabeth had a chance to wear any of them, news came of her father's death. They were never worn publicly because shortly after, Princess Margaret was heavily criticised by the British Fashion Houses for wearing Paris made Dior dresses rather than supporting British couturiers.

At the news of the King's death, the court went into mourning, and four thousand miles away at Sagana Royal Lodge in Kenya, hasty arrangements were made to fly the new Queen back to Britain via Entebbe. When she boarded the Dakota plane she wore a summery beige dress smattered with white flowers, a white hat, and white accessories. Photographers were asked not to photograph her, so there is no record of Elizabeth II on her accession day. At Entebbe airport she changed planes and there was able to change into mourning clothes, which are always present somewhere amongst Royal luggage in case of unexpected death. When Elizabeth II stepped out of the plane onto English soil, she was wearing deep black. The first person to kiss her hand was the aged Queen Mary. At the same time she is reported to have indicated her disapproval of the Queen's coat, saying, 'Much too short for mourning'. From the photographic evidence available it seems that the young Queen was developing a mind of her own. The coat she wore at her father's funeral appears to be no longer than the one criticised by Queen Mary. Within days of the Queen's accession, Committees were formed and skeleton plans for her Coronation were outlined.

The day of ceremony was to be June 2nd, 1953, some sixteen months later, during which time thousands of people had to spend thousands of hours involved in the arrangements. Once again Norman Hartnell was to play a part and in October 1952, he was summoned to the palace where he received his Coronation brief to design the Coronation ceremonial robes. You have been reading an original 'Queen's Wedding Dress' royalty fashion history article by Pauline Weston Thomas at ©. -------v6------- Queen Elizabeth's Wedding and Coronation Dresses Display Pinterest Royal Collection Trust Two of the most significant dresses worn by Queen Elizabeth II are set to be shown together for the first time this summer. Elizabeth’s wedding dress from 1947 and the gown from her Coronation from 1953 will serve as the centerpieces for the Fashioning a Reign: 90 Years of Style from The Queen’s Wardrobe installment at Buckingham Palace starting on July 23. Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation gown Royal Collection Trust Both gowns were designed by British couturier Sir Norman Hartnell, who died in 1979. The exhibit will the largest display of the Queen’s couture ever staged.

And, according to the Royal Collection Trust, it also charts important moments in her “life and the nation’s history through Her Majesty’s wardrobe, encompassing themes such as State occasions, international tours and family celebrations.” Deploying the wedding dress is something of a nod to next year’s 70th anniversary of that spectacular occasion . Hartnell said he set out to produce “the most beautiful dress I had so far made” for the nuptials. It was made in ivory silk and decorated with crystals and 10,000 seed pearls and incorporates a 15-foot star-patterned train, woven in Braintree in Essex, and inspired by the famous Renaissance painting of Primavera by Botticelli. That, the Royal Collection says in a statement, symbolized the “rebirth and growth” after World War II. A sketch of Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation gown by Norman Hartnell Royal Collection Trust • Want to keep up with the latest royals coverage? Click here to subscribe to the Royals Newsletter. “With her bridal dress and tiara on her wedding day, she was a knockout,” one of her bridesmaids, Lady Pamela Hicks, had previously told PEOPLE.

After that success, Hartnell was commissioned to design a dress for the Queen’s Coronation at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. The gown was created in the finest white duchesse satin, and embroidered in a lattice-work effect and was encrusted with seed pearls, sequins and crystals. And unknown to the Queen, Hartnell added a good luck charm. Amid floral emblems signifying the nations of the U.K. and the countries of the Commonwealth, he added an extra four-leaf shamrock on the left side of the skirt so that her hand could rest upon it during the ceremony. Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding gown Royal Collection Trust The summer opening at Buckingham Palace runs from July 23 to October 2. For advance tickets and visitor information go to Royal Collection Trust The dress display in Buckingham Palace is one of three separate exhibits taking place around Britain. The other displayed are at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland, and at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England.

Show Full Article Queen Elizabeth II: The Coronation Gown by British Designer Norman Hartnell | OverDressed for Life Queen Elizabeth II: The Coronation Gown by British Designer Norman Hartnell June 1, 2012 by overdressedforlife Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Gown June 2, 1953. All the recent buzz about the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee had me wondering – what did the young princess wear to her own coronation on June 2nd, 1953? Well, the momentous gown for Queen Elizabeth II was created by British designer Norman Hartnell, who also made the Queen’s (then a princess) wedding gown in 1947. For the coronation, Hartnell sketched eight potential gowns before Prince Philip pointed out that his lovely wife was soon to become sovereign to the British Commonwealth and perhaps all her lands should be represented. The final version was made in white satin and included embroidered emblems: Tudor Rose – England Leeks – Wales Wheat, Cotton and Jute – Pakistan For luck Hartnell added an extra shamrock underneath the skirt.

For proper balance the gown demanded a complicated construction of supporting undergarments, which was created by Hartnell’s expert cutters and fitters. He himself could not sew. Born in a London suburb in 1901, Hartnell attended Cambridge where he began designing costumes for theater. Later he worked for British fashion houses and in 1923 he opened his own house in Mayfair. Hartnell developed a reputation for originality (not just creating variations on the latest craze in Paris) and attracted the patronage of young society ladies. His first royal commission came along in 1935 for Lady Alice Montagu-Douglas-Scott’s wedding to Prince Harry Duke of Gloucester (son of George V). Hartnell designed the wedding gown and trousseau as well as the dresses for the bridesmaids, which included the young Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. Soon thereafter the royal family became regular clients. Hartnell was made Royal Warrant as Dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth II in 1957. Additionally from the 1930s to the 1960s Hartnell designed costumes for films. What an interesting chap. Have I piqued your interest in Mr. Hartnell?

There’s a lot more to his story. Check this out: Happy Diamond Jubilee to my British readers (I know I have a few). For my fellow Anglophile readers, this weekend you can partake in the Jubilee festivities over the Internet with BBC Radio 4 . Cheerio. Buckingham Palace hosts new exhibition of Queen Elizabeth's dresses, diamonds and home movies | Daily Mail Online comments Reunited for the first time since June 2 1953, some of the most sumptuous outfits and gems worn at the Queen’s Coronation are about to go on show at Buckingham Palace. Featuring the young monarch’s breathtakingly beautiful Norman Hartnell-designed gown, her 21-foot purple velvet, Ermine-trimmed Coronation Robe and Queen Victoria’s dazzling diamonds - some as large as pigeon’s eggs - the display is a colourful and vivid re-creation of the 60-year-old ceremony. Open to the public from Saturday, visitors will also be able to see the Coronation brought to life by charming colour private home movies shot on the Queen’s instructions, some of which have never been seen in public before.

Scroll down for video Impossibly lavish: A woman admires Queen Elizabeth II's coronation robe at the exhibition in Buckingham Palace Sumptuous: The dress the Queen wore to take the throne. The exhibition brings together an unprecedented array of dresses, uniforms and robes worn at the historic event Share this article Share The monarch's gown – which was loosely based on her wedding dress - incorporated embroidered national and Commonwealth floral emblems in gold, silver and pastel-coloured silks, encrusted with pearls, crystals and sequins. Visitors are sure to be surprised at how tiny it is. Her robe, worn when the Queen left the Abbey for the Palace, is of English purple silk-velvet and took members of the Royal School of Needlework 3,500 hours to embroider the robe with wheat ears and olive branches, representing peace and prosperity.

Elaborate: The monarch's gown incorporated embroidered national and Commonwealth floral emblems in gold, silver and pastel-coloured silks, encrusted with pearls, crystals and sequins Glittering: Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Diadem, which was designed and made for George IV to wear at his coronation in 1821 The Queen's white satin coronation dress, the undoubted centrepiece of the exhibition, was created by couturier Hartnell, who also designed the sumptuous outfits of the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and the maids of honour Seat of power: The Throne Chair used during the Coronation of HM Queen Elizabeth II (left). Dresses for the Maids of Honour A photographer takes a picture of outfits worn by members of Queen Elizabeth II's family at her Coronation In order to get the commission finished on time, the school employed a policy of ‘never a seat goes cold’, so if an embroiderer left the workroom she was immediately replaced.

Exhibition curator Caroline de Guitaut said: ‘I just admire the incredible craftsmanship and the design of Hartnell's dresses, and to produce that incredible beautiful unified look for not only Her Majesty the Queen but other members of the Royal Family was really an incredible feat.’ Several gowns and coronets belonging to peers of the realm are also included, as well as the adorable outfits made for Prince Charles, then four, and two-year-old Princess Anne. Some of the eye-catching jewels worn by the royal women are also on display, including the diamond Halo tiara worn by Princess Margaret and later loaned by the Queen to the Duchess of Cambridge for her wedding in 2011 as well as the Queen’s Diamond Diadem, which was designed and made for George IV to wear at his coronation in 1821. It is one of the most recognisable of the Queen’s jewels.

Dieu et mon droit: The Coronation Glove, worn on Queen Elizabeth II's right hand during her Investiture Write of passage: The official pen used by Queen Elizabeth II to sign the Coronation Oath, is also on display The order of service used by Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation, complete with signed message Objects from the sacred moment the Queen was anointed with oil on her ‘head, breast and hands’ during the ceremony can also be seen. The anointing was not filmed or photographed and was shielded from view by a canopy, made for George VI's coronation in 1937 from a cloth of gold embroidered with silver eagles. The plain white linen anointing dress also designed by Hartnell has never been seen in public before. ‘This is worn over the coronation dress for the moment of anointing,’ said Mrs de Guitaut.

‘It had to be very carefully thought through because the Mistress of the Robes, the Duchess of Devonshire, had to put the garment on (the Queen) and remove it while wearing kid gloves, so, after a certain amount of trial and error, it was decided that poppers down the back of the dress would be the best thing.' Alongside official black and white photographs, the exhibition features private movies filmed behind the scenes for the Queen, that show the personal story behind the pomp and ceremony. As the Queen in full regalia posed for official pictures with the Duke of Edinburgh, her two young children - Prince Charles, aged four, and Princess Anne, aged two - play up by covering their faces with their hands. A replica of the place settings at the Coronation State Banquets.

In all more than 8,000 guests were entertained over four days of festivities Exhibition curator Caroline de Guitaut of the Royal Collection Trust arranges the Coronation State Banquet display Mrs de Guitaut, from the Royal Collection Trust, said the Queen toured the exhibition on Wednesday, adding: 'She seemed very pleased' Grandiose: It is is the largest exhibition ever mounted about the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II The young monarch puts a hand on Charles to settle the youngsters down before Cecil Beaton’s shutter comes down. The Queen's private home movie, filmed in colour, features another, remarkably tender moment of Philip smoothing down his son's hair as they get ready for another photograph. At one point when a group picture of the Royal Family and European royals is being set up, the Duke is shown waving his right arm repeatedly to get people on his far right to squeeze into the shot. After the photographic session is over the footage shows the Queen, Philip and their children all holding hands together walking from view.

Lastly, there is a faithful recreation of the Coronation State Banquet held the following day in the Ballroom, which amusingly included dishes such as ‘Delices de Soles Prince Charles’ and ‘Boite de Fraises Reine Elizabeth’. In all more than 8,000 guests were entertained over four days of festivities. Mrs de Guitaut, from the Royal Collection Trust, said the Queen toured the exhibition on Wednesday, adding: ‘She seemed very pleased.’ She added: ‘The exhibition brings together a magnificent display of dress and objects which are both unique and personal to The Queen and so redolent of the extraordinary events of Coronation Day. ‘The private footage in the Throne Room adds a unique dimension to the display of formal black and white portraits we are so familiar with.’ The Queen's Coronation 1953 exhibition is being staged as part of Buckingham Palace’s annual summer public opening from July 27 to September 29. For tickets see or call 0207 7766 7300.

Queen Elizabeth II: 60 years of impeccable style - Telegraph Latest Beauty News Queen Elizabeth II: 60 years of impeccable style In her 60 years on the throne there have been no wardrobe malfunctions, nor fashion faux pas. So what is the secret to the Queen's impeccable style? BY Jane Eastoe | 01 April 2012 The Queen in a Hardy Amies white lace ensemble on her tour of Autralia and New Zealand in 1953-1954 Photo: REX FEAUTRES The often-repeated assertion that the Queen isn't interested in clothes was first fostered by Marion Crawford, governess to both Elizabeth and Margaret. In her book, The Little Princesses, she observes that Princess Elizabeth was not picky about her clothes: 'Lilibet never cared a fig. She wore what she was told without argument, apart from a long, drab mackintosh which she loathed.' Others maintain that the Queen is at heart one of the old school, a countrywoman who does not care about her appearance. Related articles IN PICS: Queen Elizabeth II's colourful style But this is a myth that should be dispelled.

'The Queen is not interested in high fashion,' observes one couturier, 'but she is very interested in her clothes and is very particular. Her Majesty is acutely aware of how invasive the press are - her clothes are part of her armour. And, after a whole lifetime of wearing couture, she knows exactly what she is doing and makes it perfectly clear when things aren't quite right.' To describe the Queen's wardrobe as expansive, and the task of her dressers as considerable, is something of an understatement; consider that on her first Commonwealth tour in 1953 the Queen took more than 100 specially made new outfits. There have been in excess of 170 Commonwealth visits since then, as well as many State visits. Yet she has worn hand-me-downs, during the war she had her mother's clothes altered to fit her, and she has worn off-the-peg outfits. But principally she has worn couture: that is, clothes designed for her, fitted precisely and in her own choice of fabric.

Right: In a lavender dress and duster coat in India, 1961, GETTY IMAGES; left: Hardy Amies' outfit for the 1955 Remembrance Service at the Albert Hall. COURTESY OF THE HARDY AIMES ARCHIVE. At the start of her reign she favoured fairytale ball-gowns, or stiff satin frocks, shimmering with beads in patterns designed to emphasise her status. Norman Hartnell, a master with duchesse satin, created two of her most iconic dresses: her wedding dress and her Coronation gown. He specialised in fabulous evening-gowns. His first design for her was in 1935 and he continued until his death in 1979. Hardy Amies started designing for the Queen in the early 1950s and continued until a year before his death in 2003. While he made many beautiful evening-gowns, he was credited with transforming her day wardrobe with sharp, tailored coats, dresses and jackets.

'I think Hardy always saw her as the beautiful young woman he started dressing in 1952,' notes a former colleague of his, 'and of course she had an amazing figure and a tiny waist for years.' As a baby and toddler Princess Elizabeth was dressed exclusively in the most impractical colour - white - but as she grew up these frilly dresses were replaced with more practical garments. Despite the four years difference in their ages, when Princess Margaret was taken out of her baby whites the two princesses were dressed identically: hand-smocked and pin-tucked dresses, and velvet-collared coats for best, sensible sweaters and kilts for play. They both hated wearing hats and would snap the elastic under each other's chins to cries of 'you brute'. As a teenager Lilibet's clothes were made by Miss Ford of Handley Seymour, who also made Queen Mary's clothes. Norman Hartnell, who was to be commissioned to create Princess Elizabeth's wedding dress, was already a favourite with both her mother and her grandmother. The simple cream dress that Elizabeth wore for her official engagement photographs could easily have belonged to her mother, so similar was the style.

But fashion in the postwar days was austere, and it was a look that was to dominate until the launch of Dior's New Look in Paris in 1947. Motherhood brought a distinct change in Princess Elizabeth's wardrobe; for the first time she stopped dressing like a mirror-image of her mother, choosing much more distinctive tailored, full-skirted suits, which emphasised her tiny waist. She dressed like some other mothers of the period in neat suits, complemented with one or two pieces of good jewellery, although perhaps her suits were rather better tailored, and her good jewellery infinitely better than most. It is perhaps at this time that the Duke of Edinburgh's young wife was at her most fashionable. In 1953 Norman Hartnell designed an elegant, slim-fitting, satin dress in black, with a white panel at the front. Nicknamed the 'magpie' dress by the press, it featured in most of the national papers and copies were made and on sale by the next day.

Left: The Queen in a gold dress in India 1961, GETTY IMAGES; right: An Amies design for a gown for the Canadian tour of 1959, COURTESY OF THE HARDY AMIES ARCHIVE It was available in black and white, but also in a variety of colours, and within just a few days an impressive 120 copies had been sold. It was even turned into a paper pattern that cost the equivalent of 30p. Her Majesty never wore it again. She was also partial to Horrockses printed cotton dresses and whenever she was photographed in one the company would be swamped with orders. Over the same period Princess Elizabeth also received the first criticism of her clothes. While sporting a temporarily fuller figure, as many new mothers do, she was accused by the American press of being frumpish and the French press maintained that Englishwomen could look pretty but never chic. The Queen requires more clothes in a year than most of us do in a lifetime. Four or five changes per day are not unusual. When new clothes are required her dresser simply telephones the couturier of choice and puts in a request for designs.

Further information as to precisely what functions the clothes are needed for may not be forthcoming. This practice of either supplying, or withholding, relevant detail seems dependent upon the dresser in charge. Her faithful dresser Bobo used to brief designers, but in other instances they were left to work in the dark. 'We would receive a call from the dresser to say that the Queen would like to see some sketches - and that would be it, no more information,' observes one couturier. 'We would speak to our PR and he would contact the palace press office; they in turn would speak to the ladies-in-waiting and try to glean what was going on. Was a tour planned and if so where and what time of year? For a designer it was so frustrating, you felt you could never do your best - it would have been so much better to have been given a brief, but we were never given one.' Fittings are a daunting process and most couturiers and milliners confirm that the first visit is terrifying. The hatmaker Frederick Fox explains that he was carefully briefed by Hardy Amies in advance: 'Don't touch the Queen, don't ask questions and don't turn your back,' he was instructed.

Come the day, 'the Queen was standing at the end of a long room. I advanced, did my chat and my thing. When it was time to depart I was rooted to the spot. I thought that if I walked backwards I would fall over the furniture or one of the corgis. Her Majesty spotted my dilemma and turned her back on me to ask Bobo to fetch some specific shoes - giving me the opportunity to withdraw.' Bobo, described in her obituary in The Guardian in September 1993 as 'the scourge of milliners and couturiers', curtailed the influence of designers, ensuring that no single couture house could exert a monopoly. She made it clear that, while they designed the dresses, accessories - shoes, handbags and hats - were commissioned elsewhere. Hardy Amies complained bitterly about ugly handbags, stating plainly that they were ruining his beautiful designs. He, along with other couturiers, adopted the practice of giving Her Majesty tastefully chosen handbags as Christmas presents in the hope they might be used.

Left: In a lemon two-piece, REX FEATURES; right: An Amies sketch for an outfit the Queen wore to make her first Christmas television broadcast, COURTESY OF THE HARDY AIMES ARCHIVE The Queen's first foreign tour was a trip to South Africa and Rhodesia in 1947; until then she had not set foot outside the United Kingdom. Clothes rationing was still causing problems so Hartnell used some of her mother's prewar clothes as material for her dresses. Then, just four months after the Coronation, in November 1953, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh embarked on a five-and-a-half-month tour of the Commonwealth. Charles and Anne were left behind. The trip included banquets, troop inspections, parliament openings and state occasions and required a huge wardrobe on which Norman Hartnell and Hardy Amies had been commissioned to work months in advance. The daywear was chic and discreet, evening-dresses glittered with beads and embroidery. For the human touch there were even some Horrockses ready-to-wear dresses among the couture grandeur. The weather must always be a consideration when clothes are prepared for Royal tours.

The Queen wrote to Amies regarding a planned trip to south-east Asia in 1972: 'I find every time I read a programme for the Far East Tour, I get hotter and hotter at the prospect of six weeks in that climate.' It has been confirmed that dessous-de-bras, detachable underarm dress shields to absorb perspiration, are used in the royal wardrobe when appropriate. Even so, last-minute changes of outfit still occur; flimsy dresses are replaced if a sudden downpour looks likely, or a tailored coat-suit abandoned in a heat wave. It is perhaps reassuring to note that despite everything, the Queen, like the rest of us, is still affected by the weather.To this day the Queen remains the centre of attention wherever she goes and is subject to critical assessment every time she appears in public. The pressure of such scrutiny must be phenomenal, yet in 60 years she has not put a sartorial foot wrong; there has never been a wardrobe malfunction, at least none of which the public has been aware, nor a fashion faux pas. Her impeccable style, and resistance to excess, has ensured that her place as an icon is finally being recognised by fashion commentators.

The Queen's wedding and coronation dresses to be displayed together for the first time The Queen's wedding and coronation dresses to be displayed together for the first time Double celebration: The Queen's wedding and Coronation dresses Credit: Royal Collection Trust Lexi Finnigan 27 May 2016 • 2:31pm The Queen’s wedding and Coronation dresses are to be displayed together for the first time ever, in celebration of the monarch’s 90th birthday. Both designed by British couturier Sir Norman Hartnell, the two gowns will form part of a special exhibition, Fashioning a Reign: 90 Years of Style from The Queen’s Wardrobe. Princess Elizabeth's wedding dress Credit: Royal Collection Trust When commissioned to design Princess Elizabeth’s wedding dress for her Marriage to The Duke of Edinburgh on 20 November 1947, Sir Hartnell said he wanted to produce “the most beautiful dress I had so far made”. The ivory silk creation is decorated with crystals and 10,000 seed pearls and incorporates a 15 foot star-patterned train.

Close-up detail of Princess Elizabeth's wedding dress Credit: Royal Collection Trust Hartnell, who had worked for the Royal Family since 1938, was then commissioned to design the dress worn by The Queen for her Coronation at Westminster Abbey, on 2 June 1953. Richly embroidered in a lattice-work effect with a scheme of national and Commonwealth floral emblems , the white duchesse satin gown is encrusted with seed pearls, sequin and crystals. Her Majesty The Queen's Coronation dress, Credit: Royal Collection Trust And unbeknown to the Queen, Hartnell added an extra four-leaf shamrock on the left side of the skirt for good luck. The exhibition at the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace , which opens on 23 July, is the first time the two dresses have been displayed together. A Sketch of the Coronation dress Credit: Royal Collection Trust And as part of the Fashioning a Reign exhibition two other special displays, at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Windsor Castle, will chart important events in the Queen’s life and highlight the monarch’s long-standing support of British couture and millinery.

Watch | The Queen's 90 years in 90 pictures 01:39 Royal style: Why Elizabeth II is the queen of color - CNN.com Royal style: Why Elizabeth II is the queen of color By Lauren Said-Moorhouse for CNN updated 7:59 PM EDT, Tue June 12, 2012 Bright, bold and beautiful -- the Queen has never shied away from strong colors and daring hats. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Famed for her unique hats and bold colors, the queen has a trademark fashion style For years her clothes were made by British designer Hardy Amies, now couturier Stewart Parvin makes her eye-catching outfits Designers are given royal warrants to become dressers to the queen and it is no easy feat getting one London, England (CNN) -- Her outfits don't send royal fashion watchers into a frenzy like those of the Duchess of Cambridge or Princess Diana before her, but Queen Elizabeth II has developed a signature style that has withstood the test of time. Her attire over the last 60 years has reflected the sovereign as a British symbol of refined, regal elegance. The looks she has worn have steadily evolved into her trademark -- monochromatic color with matching coat and hat.

Not one to wear sombre, muted hues like black or beige, the queen has always had a preference for vivid blues, intense greens and dazzling purples in a variety of dramatic shades. Over the past six decades, Her Majesty has employed the talents of several British designers. A man decked out in full Union Jack regailia celebrates the Diamond Jubilee. A Union Jack balloon floats in front of a woman wearing a Union Jack T-shirt as she waits for a giant picnic in Hyde Park. Two small dogs show their support of the Queen. A woman wearing a mask of Queen Elizabeth II waves from a window near Tower Bridge. A woman takes refuge under a Union Jack umbrella in St Jame's Park. A coffee shop created a chocolate Union Jack to top this cappuccino. A man watches the River Pageant projected on a screen in Battersea Park. A boy waits for the start of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace. A man poses on the Mall outside Buckingham Palace. Residents of Horringord Road celebrate the Diamond Jubilee. A racegoer attends Derby Day, the second day of the Epsom Derby horse racing festival. Union Jacks line a street in preparation for the Diamon Jubilee.

A small girl wears Union Jack boots and a skirt in Britain's colors during a street party. Two racegoiers sit in front of a Union Jack during Derby Day. A vendor sells Union Jack and Diamond Jubilee memoribilia. A woman with Union Jack painted nails waits for The Diamond Jubilee Concert to start. A woman watches the River Pageant from the Westminster Bridge. A window decorated in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee. A young girl wearing a crown is wrapped in a Union flag during a street party to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in Edinburgh. Revellers enjoy the River Pageant on the River Thames. Spectators wave Britain's Union flag in London's Hyde Park as they watch the Diamond Jubilee Concert. Union Jacks everywhere >> What to expect on Jubilee's final day One of her first designers was Norman Hartnell, who worked for her in the 1940s and created many of the full-skirted evening silk dresses she wore to various events as a glamorous young princess.

Britain rocks out for queen's jubilee As a newly crowned queen in the early 1950s, she chose Savile Row tailor Hardy Amies to create elegant evening gowns for her waspish 23-inch (58cm) waist. He was granted the coveted Royal Warrant in 1955. Amies once famously declared: "I do not dress the queen. The queen dresses herself. We supply her with her clothes -- there is a difference." The Queen's Diamond Jubilee picnic Two decades later the queen chose a young designer, Ian Thomas, to soften her look with "flowing chiffon dresses," according to the British Monarchy website . Queen marks diamond jubilee Couture designer Karl-Ludwig Rehse started making outfits for Her Majesty in 1988 and the queen still wears his designs. He also dressed the late Queen Mother and describes the queen's clothes as a work uniform. He told CNN: "They have to be comfortable in as much as when the queen puts on the clothes she wants to forget about them. "You have to take into account the different countries and the different climates in which they'll be worn.

The queen always makes sure that she follows the tradition." While most people would be hard pressed to imagine what they will be wearing the next day, the queen's wardrobe is planned out months in advance, says Rehse. "It's not the case that the queen is going somewhere next week and thinks 'What am I going to wear?' Sometimes it is six months, 12 months or longer." Her Majesty, wearing a design by senior dresser and personal assistant, Angela Kelly, stands with the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla and mother of the bride, Carole Middleton on William and Kate's wedding day in April 2011. AFP/GETTY IMAGES A very VIP patron One person who is currently in the queen's fashion inner circle is couturier and wedding dress designer Stewart Parvin . He first started making royal outfits in 2000 and recalls the secretive selection process that took place before he started working for the queen. She has a very informed opinion and she knows when it's right and she knows when it's wrong. Stewart Parvin, royal designer "At first I wasn't told who it was for," Parvin told CNN.

"It was, 'Could you design for someone who is a really prominent person in the public eye and wants a very chic image?' I thought it was going to be a politician or a tycoon's wife. I put together a packet of sketches but it wasn't until they were chosen I knew who they were for." "She is someone who is very interested in her clothes. She always has an opinion on it and she has a very informed opinion and she knows when it's right and she knows when it's wrong," said Parvin, who designs two couture collections a year and was in 2007 awarded the Royal Warrant -- given to designers who have worked with the queen for five years or more. An ensemble fit for a queen Both Parvin and Rehse told CNN the queen is very involved in the design process, culminating with fittings at Buckingham Palace. Queen Elizabeth II leaves the BBC Broadcasting House, London in 2006 wearing her trademark ensemble of monochromatic color and matching coat and hat. AFP/GETTY IMAGES "Sometimes I choose the fabric and then propose ideas for them, as I would do for any client," said Parvin.

"I put together a scheme, maybe four designs for one fabric combination, then she would look at them and either choose a design straight away or suggest some changes." I put together a scheme... She would look at them and either choose a design straight away or suggest some changes. Stewart Parvin, royal designer Rehse says the queen asks him to come up with two or three different alternatives for a particular fabric she likes before settling on a final design. "I do get a lot of input from the queen," said Rehse. "The pressure is there but I take great joy out of it and it's very rewarding to see Her Majesty wearing my clothes in public." In addition to warrant-holding royal designers, Her Majesty also has a senior dresser and personal assistant, Angela Kelly. Queen Elizabeth II tends to break sartorial rules choosing to wear vibrant colors like bright purple during the March 2010 state visit by South African President Jacob Zuma. AFP/GETTY IMAGES The daughter of a Liverpool dockworker, dressmaker Kelly originally joined the royal household as a maid before working her way up to her current position.

She established the first ever in-house couturier and has gone on to design outfits for some of the most enviable royal events including last year's wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton. Known to have a close relationship with the queen, it has been noted by some royal observers that Kelly has slipped into the vacancies left by the deaths of the queen's sister and mother. Kelly and her team use old and new fabrics when designing for the queen using material given to her from when she was a princess, according to the Buckingham Palace website. The queen is very involved in the design process according to royal designers Parvin and Rehse who spoke to CNN. Parvin says: "She knows when it's right and she knows when it's wrong." GETTY IMAGES Hats off to Her Majesty! Milliner Philip Somerville received a royal warrant following 12 years working for the queen. Now, when the queen steps out she's usually wearing a Somerville creation. "You have to realize that you are never sure when Her Majesty will wear (a particular hat)," he said. "It depends on the weather on many occasions. You are also creating something that has to be very wearable and must be in colors that suit her.

She must be noticed in a crowd." AFP/GETTY IMAGES After 33 years in the business, Somerville stepped down as the queen's hatter handing the business over to Dillon Wallwork. "I've been here for some time now and we've always had a Philip Somerville look which is very clean, understated and elegant," said Wallwork. Creating a hat fit for a queen is not without its pressures, Wallwork says. "You know you are under a certain pressure because of the press and what people are going to say," he said. "You know she is going to be looked at. There are certain styles that you can and can't do but within those limits there's lots that you can do. It's quite a challenge but the queen can be quite adventurous." Part of complete coverage on Norman Hartnell Contact History Sir Norman Hartnell combined flamboyant flair with the dignity and assurance of traditional British style. The designer who famously quipped, “I despise simplicity. It is the negation of all that is beautiful” was known for his opulent yet elegant designs, lavishly adorned embroidery, and use of intricate details.

His repertoire of clients included Hollywood starlets, socialites, princesses and queens, all of whom were drawn to the glamour and palatial pomp exuded by his designs. Hartnell began his career in fashion by designing costumes for the legendary Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club. After leaving Cambridge without a degree, he set up his eponymous label in 1923 on Bruton Street in Mayfair. Although best known as a couturier and official dressmaker to the Queen, Hartnell produced a range of collections over the course of his lifetime, including bridal wear, perfume, shoes, furs, menswear, jewellery and ready-to-wear. His most famous commissions included his designs for Queen Elizabeth’s wedding dress in 1947, and his highly celebrated Coronation gown 6 years later. The Coronation gown, which was hand embroidered with 10,000 seed pearls and thousands of white crystal beads, all meticulously arranged to render emblems of the Commonwealth, is widely regarded today as a centerpiece in the history of ceremonial dress. The resplendent gown will be on display at Buckingham Palace this June as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

The Queen Mother knighted Hartnell in 1977 for his services to the Royal Household. He became known as ‘The First Fashion Knight’, and was one of only four British designers to ever have been knighted; Norman Hartnell, Hardy Amies, Paul Smith and Vivienne Westwood. Couture & Wedding No other designer in the history of British Couture captivated London society the way Norman Hartnell did. Hartnell had a remarkable ability to create expressive designs, which both enhanced the individuality of the wearer, and sparked the imagination of the viewer. Contemporaries such as Chanel and Christian Dior regarded him as a design inspiration. The British couturier was also the favourite designer of stage and screen stars Vivien Leigh and Marlene Dietrich, who were drawn to his Bruton Street salon. Hartnell’s love for spectacle also found expression in his opulent wedding dresses. He was praised for his ability to create ethereal and romantic gowns which elevated character and body type. Brides from both sides of the Atlantic clamoured to have their gowns created by the designer. It was not uncommon for the House of Hartnell to design for the entire bridal retinue.

This dazzling panoply included dresses for the bridesmaids, the mother of the bride, the honeymoon wardrobe and trousseau. On occasion Hartnell would also dress the Groom’s family. When the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester married in 1935, Hartnell designed both the Duchesses’ pearl pink satin wedding dress, and the dresses for her bridesmaids, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. This marked the beginning of his long and illustrious relationship with the Royal Family. Hartnell was instrumental in helping the Queen Mother craft a sense of romanticism in her style. She became such an avid fan of Hartnell that she insisted he design bridal gowns for both her daughters, Princess Elizabeth in 1947, and Princess Margaret in 1960. Hartnell claimed that his ivory silk, crystal and seed pearl embroidered gown for Princess Elizabeth was “the most beautiful dress” he had made to date. The 13- foot-long star-patterned train was inspired by Botticelli’s Primavera, and captured the imagination of a stricken post-war Britain in search of escapism. Menswear The Norman Hartnell Menswear collections were striking.

Suits with clean, sharp lines and glamorous evening wear using the latest in fabrics, colours and styles. The name, popular with both Licensees and their clientele, is synonymous with a strength and elegance that comes from the heart of what Norman Hartnell wanted to achieve as a designer. His strength of cut and line is shown in this striking example from the late sixties - Hartnell was responsible for bringing back the double breasted jacket in the late sixties; his styles were the direct precursor to many of today’s styles. Homeware Norman Hartnell also had a passion for interior design. He transformed his Windsor Forest country home, Lovel Dene, into a Regency period-inspired sanctuary. The décor was extravagant, awash with rich floral displays, velvet upholstery, mirrored tables, crystal chandeliers and tasselled carpets. Today, Hartnell Home embodies this spirit of stately refinement. The collection covers the entire spectrum of home products including bathroom, bedroom, tabletop and living room sets. Inspired by Hartnell’s colour palette, his illustrations and original embroidery, Hartnell Home is a contemporary range which pays homage to its regal heritage. Each product is infused with its own story, and is crafted with the greatest commitment to quality. Contact

Question: Which couturier designed Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding dress?
Answer: Norman Hartnell