Queen Elizabeth covers British Vogue for the first time in her 70-year reign

Queen Elizabeth II covers the April issue of British Vogue. British Vogue actually did two covers for the April issue, one of QEII and one with Anya Taylor-Joy. Obviously, QEII didn’t actually sit down for a British Vogue photoshoot, although I would not have minded if she did. Vogue is celebrating the Platinum Jubbly, obviously, so they used an old photo of Liz, and the magazine has done an editorial of rarely-seen images of the Queen, plus they published an essay about her style. This is actually the Queen’s first time on the cover of British Vogue, a fact I find bewildering. The magazine seriously never put her on their cover before now? What a crazy oversight. Anyway, I enjoyed the essay about her style and there’s some interesting stuff about Angela Kelly – the Queen’s dresser and BFF – and how the Queen has actually always enjoyed fashion and fabrics. Some highlights:

The intro lays it on thick: Imagine never getting it wrong. Ever. Stylistically, every day of your life, nailing it. Never feeling overdressed, underdressed or otherwise just wrongly dressed. Queen Elizabeth II’s style choices are, and have always been, faultless. Always correct, composed and confident, and though it may look relatively straightforward in terms of shape and silhouette, her attire never fails to convey a message of optimism, diplomacy, hope and stability.

The Queen’s trade secrets: Weights are discreetly sewn into hemlines if more than a gentle breeze is forecasted, any heavily beaded dresses will often have extra lining at the back for cushioning (dense embroideries are uncomfortable to sit in) and while the choice of fabric must always be regal, suitable for the occasion, climate and the time of the year, perhaps most importantly it must be immune to creasing. Every fabric is rigorously twisted before purchase to check it can withstand wrinkles.

The Queen hoards fabric for decades: Fabrics that make the grade are collected and cherished over the years and stored in a stockroom on the Dressers’ Floor at Buckingham Palace, which Kelly regularly revisits for inspiration. The golden dress worn at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert 10 years ago – and inspired by the golden figure on top of the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of the Palace – was made from a fabric purchased in 1961. Other fabrics have been stored here since Her Majesty was a princess. It’s ironic that some of the world’s best designers have only in recent seasons discovered “deadstock” in their drive to claim greater sustainability credentials, but this kind of thriftiness and approach to style has long defined the Queen.

The Queen loves silk from Singapore: Before clothes are made, the Queen approves every sketch and fabric sample. She has a keen interest in fabrics, in particular a fondness for Singaporean silk. It’s understood that during visits to Singapore, local tradespeople will bring their wares to the airport for her arrival. The Queen will browse and make her selection and purchases will be collected on the return home. Said to be incredibly decisive, Her Majesty rarely changes her mind about an outfit that she has previously agreed to. The monarch even does her own make-up every day and for every event (the filming of the Queen’s Christmas message is the only exception).

The Queen loves to recycle: “Her Majesty is always thrifty and likes her clothes to be adapted and recycled as much as possible,” writes Kelly. “Typically, the lifespan of an outfit can be up to around 25 years.” After two or three public appearances, designs are altered or they become relegated to off-duty wear. Much like most of us, in fact, in the way that something will often start off as “for best” before it gradually loses desirability as it clocks up years and wear; unlike most of us, though, I imagine it’s harder to lay claim to never getting it wrong.

[From British Vogue]

I actually think the clothes the Queen wore when she was younger were really nice, especially for the time. The attention to detail, the way she had everything tailored for her large bust and small frame, so many of those pieces hold up. The Crown shows what she dressed like in those early years too – simple cashmere sweater sets, below-the-knee tweed skirts, that kind of thing. When she got past 50 years old or so, that’s when she really got into bright coats and the matching hats. Personally, I don’t always like that stuff. Even before her health problems, I felt like that style often veered into something cartoonish, something too garish, and there were times when she looked like the Mad Hatter.

Cover & IG courtesy of British Vogue, additional photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red and Instagram.