Photo credit: Queen Elizabeth II when Princess Elizabeth of York, Elliott & Fry, 1934. © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust
One of London’s most anticipated exhibitions of 2026, Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, opens at the King’s Gallery on 10 April.
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Planned to coincide with the centenary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth, Her Life in Style will be the most comprehensive exhibition of her wardrobe ever held. It will feature over 200 garments alongside sketches, fabric swatches and correspondence, offering a fantastic insight into the clothes from concept to wear. Half of the artifacts will be on display for the first time. The exhibition will explore the monarch’s clothing from every age of her life, and will include both formal wear and off-duty attire.
Exhibition curator Caroline de Guitaut explains: “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. 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 exhibition include her 1947 wedding dress and Coronation dress from 1953, both designed by Norman Hartnell.