Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe, From Birth Through the Jubilee Years, Will Go on Display in London in 2026
The show, 'Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style,' will mark 100 years since she was born on April 21, 1926, and will be the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of her fashion ever mounted. It will feature around 200 items, half of which will be on display for the first time.
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The aim is to tell the story of Britain's longest-reigning monarch through the clothing she wore throughout her life, 'from birth to adulthood, from princess to queen and from off-duty style to diplomatic dressing for the global stage,' according to organizers.
Caroline de Guitaut, exhibition curator and surveyor of The King's Works of Art, said that over the course of the queen's 'remarkably long reign, her distinctive style became instantly recognizable around the world, bolstering the British fashion industry and influencing generations of designers and couturiers.'
She said that because the queen's fashion archive has now come under the care of the Royal Collection Trust, 'we can 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.'
De Guitaut added that in the year the late monarch would have turned 100 years old, 'this exhibition will be a celebration of Queen Elizabeth's uniquely British style and her enduring fashion legacy.'
Organizers said the Queen Elizabeth's fashion archive is one of the largest and most important surviving collections of 20th-century British fashion.
Alongside the clothing, jewelry, hats, shoes and accessories, there will also be never-before-seen design sketches, fabric samples and handwritten correspondence that reveal the behind-the-scenes process of dressing the monarch and shed new light on her close involvement in the creation of her wardrobe.
An official publication to mark the centenary, Queen Elizabeth II: Fashion and Style, will accompany the exhibition. Written by de Guitaut, it will feature contributions from fashion experts and designers, and look at the queen's lifelong championing of the British fashion industry.
On show for the first time will be one of the earliest surviving pieces of couture from her childhood wardrobe: 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.
As British couture rose to prominence in the 1940s, Princess Elizabeth began working with Norman Hartnell, who became her most influential designer over the next three decades. His position as Britain's leading couturier was cemented when he was chosen to design her wedding dress in 1947 and her Coronation dress in 1953, both of which will be on display.
Visitors will also see gowns designed by Hartnell and Hardy Amies from the 1950s as well as the fluid, printed dresses by Ian Thomas that capture the boho glamour of the 1970s. Many are on show for the first time.
The exhibition will also explore the royal's use of diplomatic emblems and colors in her wardrobe for overseas tours, including a white gown designed by Hartnell for a 1961 state banquet in Karachi, which incorporates Pakistan's national colors through an emerald-green pleat cascading down the back.
The queen's country garb — including riding jackets, tartan skirts and silk headscarves — will also have a place in the show.
The exact dates of the show, which will open in the spring and run until the fall of 2026, have not been finalized. The Royal Collection said tickets will go on sale in November 2025, and the book will be published by Royal Collection Trust in March 2026 and cost 40 pounds.
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