This is one costume that’s gone down within the historical past books.
While Queen Elizabeth II wore numerous statement-making types throughout her 70-year reign, maybe probably the most memorable of all was her glowing coronation robe.
The British monarch — who died on the age of 96 in 2022 — was topped on June 2, 1953, and together with the pomp and pageantry of the day, the Norman Hartnell costume she wore stole the present.
Featuring intricate embroidery and beadwork, the brand new monarch’s white costume sparkled as she took her oath in Westminster Abbey in the course of the world’s first-ever televised coronation ceremony when she was simply 27 years outdated.
With its sweetheart neckline and full skirt, the robe wasn’t simply designed to be stunning — it additionally featured essential particulars that represented the Queen’s connection to her new position.
Ahead of King Charles III’s coronation on May 6, we’re looking again at 5 fascinating info about his mom’s coronation costume.
It was made by her marriage ceremony costume designer.
When then-Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip on November 20, 1947, she wore a stunning long-sleeved silk costume from British designer Norman Hartnell.
So it was no shock when the brand new queen turned to her favourite designer for probably the most vital event in her royal life, entrusting Hartnell with the duty of making her coronation robe.
According to the Royal Collection Trust, Elizabeth was offered with 9 designs, finally selecting the eighth model — however with some particular changes.
The monarch “advised the addition of embroideries in numerous colours slightly than all in silver,” giving the costume one other fascinating ingredient.
Hartnell went on to craft the ultimate piece from white silk together with “gold bugle beads, diamantés and pearls,” per the Royal Collection Trust.
The robe options emblems from the UK and the Commonwealth.
While Hartnell’s unique design featured emblems of the United Kingdom, one of many modifications requested by Queen Elizabeth was to incorporate symbols of the Commonwealth nations as nicely, royal trend skilled Rosie Harte tells Page Six Style.
The designer’s unique sketch “included English roses, Scottish thistles, Irish shamrocks, and what he believed to be the flower of Wales — the daffodil,” says Harte, who runs well-liked TikTok account @theroyalwardrobe.
Queen Elizabeth “requested him to change the Welsh daffodil for a leek, which is their official flower, after which she requested for the entire Commonwealth nations to be represented within the embroidery,” she continues, including that the transfer “speaks to the attentiveness of Elizabeth, and the way critically she took her position as monarch and head of state.”
If you look intently on the robe, you’ll be able to see Elizabeth’s additions alongside the hem, with the floral design together with Commonwealth emblems such because the Australian wattle, Canadian maple leaf, Indian lotus and New Zealand fern.
The costume contained a secret good luck appeal.
Among the intricate beadwork on the costume sits one emblem that many individuals in all probability by no means observed — together with the Queen herself.
Noting that Hartnell “cherished an excellent Easter egg,” Harte says the designer “included a hidden good luck appeal” on the skirt within the type of “a fortunate four-leaf clover.”
The Irish image sits “simply on the spot the place Elizabeth’s left hand would have coated it,” the royal trend skilled says, explaining that it was created “to carry him and the costume luck with the press, and to assist information the Queen via the very lengthy and complex ceremony.”
Whether or not Queen Elizabeth was conscious of the element is one thing we’ll in all probability by no means know, as Caroline de Gautaut, deputy surveyor of the Queen’s Works of Art, informed People.
“I feel it’s doable that [the Queen] didn’t know,” she mentioned, persevering with that the logo “was a very beautiful, private thought” in any case.
She added a particular gown after the ceremony.
Queen Elizabeth topped her magnificent robe with a particular model after she was formally topped.
Royal historian Jessica Storoschuk tells Page Six Style that the brand new monarch “commissioned the Royal School of Needlework to finish the embroidery work on her purple Robe of Estate,” a chunk Elizabeth wore after the ceremony at Westminster Abbey.
The luxurious purple velvet gown is “trimmed with Canadian ermine,” per Storoschuk, and its gold element took greater than 3,000 hours to finish.
“Twelve embroiderers labored day by day 7 a.m.-to-10 p.m. shifts” for 3 months, the An Historian About Town blogger says, with the group spending “over 3,500 hours on the robe” earlier than they have been honored by Queen Elizabeth with a particular coronation medal for his or her work.
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Queen Elizabeth rewore the costume six occasions.
Although it was created for the coronation, this spectacular costume wasn’t a one-hit surprise.
Queen Elizabeth introduced the robe along with her as she traveled world wide on a post-coronation royal tour, and in keeping with Prince Phillip’s royal cousin Lady Pamela Hicks, the piece even had its personal room.
“The costume required a cabin unto itself,” the previous lady-in-waiting mentioned on daughter India Hicks’ podcast (by way of Tatler).
“The costume’ cabin was barely greater than mine. I used to be slightly jealous.”
Her Majesty rewore the glittering robe on six events after the coronation, per the royal household web site, together with to open Parliament in Australia, New Zealand and Ceylon (now often known as Sri Lanka) in 1954 — and, 4 years later, for the 1957 State Opening of Parliament in Canada.
“By bringing the coronation costume to essential and closely publicized occasions additional afield, Elizabeth was making an attempt to open up the coronation celebrations to a a lot wider viewers of her topics,” Harte says.
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