Queen Elizabeth II was a pioneering figure in royal fashion and arguably the world’s first true style icon.
Early in 2026, to mark the centenary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth, The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace will play host to the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of the late Queen’s fashion ever.
The monarch’s full and illustrious exhibit will house around 200 show-stopping items for royal fans to devour.
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style will chart the remarkable story of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch through clothing worn in all ten decades of her life: from birth to adulthood, from princess to queen, and off-duty style to diplomatic dressing.
Clothing, jewellery, hats, shoes and accessories will be available to observe, and visitors to the exhibit will discover never-before-seen design sketches, fabric samples and handwritten correspondence that reveal the behind-the-scenes process of dressing the most famous woman in the world.
© Royal Collection TrustThere will also be an official publication to accompany the exhibition. Written by the exhibition curator Caroline de Guitaut and featuring contributions by fashion experts and designers, the book will explore the late Queen’s fashion archive and her lifelong championing of the British fashion industry in unprecedented detail.
Caroline de Guitaut, exhibition curator and Surveyor of The King’s Works of Art, said: “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.”
© PA Images via Getty Images“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.”
Highlights of the exhibit
The silver lamé and tulle bridesmaid dress, designed by Edward Molyneux, that she wore aged eight for the 1934 wedding of her uncle, the Duke of Kent, to Princess Marina of Greece, will be on display, as well as her Coronation dress in 1953 and exquisite pieces of occasionwear.
© Getty ImagesElizabeth’s off-duty style also plays a part – fans will have the chance to see her impeccably cut riding jackets, tartan skirts and silk headscarves, too.
© UK Press via Getty ImagesQueen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style is at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, from spring to autumn 2026. Tickets go on sale in November.
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