엘리자베스 2세 여왕의 백주년을 기념하여 영국이 그녀를 패션 아이콘으로 축하하다
Britain celebrates late Queen Elizabeth II as a style icon to mark her centenary
Associated Press
https://apnews.com/author/danica-kirka
EN
2026-04-11 11:15
Translated
엘리자베스 2세 여왕의 백주년을 기념하여 영국이 그녀를 패션 아이콘으로 축하하다
고(故) 엘리자베스 2세 여왕은 군주는 보여야 믿어진다고 생각했다. 그녀는 영국의 악명 높은 변덕스러운 날씨가 방해가 되더라도 그것이 사실임을 확인했으며, 투박한 검은 우산이 대중의 시야에서 그녀를 가리지 않도록 투명한 플라스틱 우비의 사용을 개척했다.
그 우비는 영국이 그녀의 탄생 백주년을 기념하기 위해 금요일 버킹엄 궁전의 킹스 갤러리에서 전시될 약 300개의 의류 및 기타 패션 유물 중 하나이다. 지금까지 마운트된 그녀의 스타일 선택에 대한 가장 포괄적인 전시회인 이 쇼는 엘리자베스의 이야기와 영국 패션에 대한 그녀의 영향을 보여준다.
"나는 그녀가 자신에게 무엇이 어울리는지에 대해 확실한 감각을 가지고 있었다고 생각합니다"라고 전시 큐레이터 캐롤린 드 기토는 말했다. "그녀는 절대적으로 자신이 어떻게 나타나고 싶은지 알고 있었습니다."
일부 항목들은 엘리자베스가 가장 많이 촬영된 사람 중 한 명이었기 때문에 쉽게 인식할 수 있다. 하지만 볼 가운, 트위드 양복, 특징적인 머리 스카프는 여왕 자신 대신 박물관 마네킹에서 보기에는 때때로 이상하다.
그리고 나서 정말로 유일무이한 항목들이 있다.
2012년 런던 올림픽 개막식에서 엘리자베스의 스턴트 더블이 입었던 블루머가 포함된 드레스처럼, 당시 86세 던 여왕이 제임스 본드 역할의 다니엘 크레이그와 함께 스타디움으로 낙하산을 타고 떨어지는 것처럼 보였다. 환상을 완성하기 위해 여왕은 곧 같은 옷을 입고 관중석에 나타났다.
엘리자베스의 오랜 드레스메이커 앙젤라 켈리가 디자인한 두 드레스는 나란히 전시되어 있지만, 스턴트 더블 버전에는 낙하산을 수용하기 위해 뒤쪽에 큰 지퍼가 있다.
여왕이 소유한 약 4,000개 항목에서 추출한 이 전시회는 그녀가 젊은 공주에서 영국의 가장 오래 재위한 군주로 진화함에 따라 패션이 어떻게 그녀의 가장 강력한 소통 도구 중 하나가 되었는지 탐구한다.
이는 종종 그녀의 색상과 장식 세부 선택에서 볼 수 있으며, 1961년 파키스탄 방문 중 국빈만찬에서 입기로 선택한 초록색과 흰색 노먼 하르트넬 가운처럼, 호스트 국가의 국가 색상을 입음으로써 그들을 존경했다.
"여왕은 패션이 외교에 어떻게 도움이 될 수 있는지에 대한 친밀한 이해를 가지고 있었으며, 이 특성은 확실히 이전 왕조에서 비롯되었지만, 여왕은 이를 예술 형태로 발전시켰습니다"라고 드 기토는 말했다. "색상이나 장식은 그녀가 연설에서 한 마디도 하기 전에 그녀의 호스트 국가에 대한 존경의 메시지를 전달했습니다."
특히 나이가 들면서 엘리자베스는 대규모 공개 행사에서 밝거나 독특한 음영의 옷을 입기로 선택했기 때문에 쉽게 발견될 수 있었고, 방문객들은 여왕을 봤다고 말할 수 있었다.
또한 이 전시회는 여왕의 사무복을 탐구한다. 영국의 여름 별장인 발모럴 성에서 입었던 트위드 양복이 승마, 하이킹 및 기타 야외 활동을 위한 옷과 함께 전시되어 있다. 엘리자베스의 후기에 켈리가 디자인한 두꺼운 울 코트와 버버리와 영국 디자이너 하디 에임스의 항목들이 있다.
여왕의 긴 인생의 많은 이정표 동안 입었던 옷들도 전시되어 있으며, 미래의 에드워드 7세 국왕의 세례를 위해 빅토리아 여왕이 의뢰한 그녀의 세례 로브에서 그녀의 웨딩과 대관식을 위해 입은 드레스까지이다.
전시회에는 여왕이 자신의 옷장 디자인에 얼마나 관여했는지 보여주는 스케치와 메모도 포함되어 있다.
Elle UK의 커미셔닝 에디터인 나오미 파이크는 이 컬렉션이 최종적으로 엘리자베스의 패션 아이콘 지위를 인정한다고 말했으며, 그 동안 그녀의 여동생인 고(故) 마가렛 공주와 그녀의 며느리인 고(故) 다이애나 공주를 포함한 다른 왕족들이 스포트라이트를 빼앗았다.
"나는 우리가 이 시대에 사람들에게 아이콘 지위를 부여하는 것이 매우 빠르다고 생각합니다... 그것은 매우 쉽게 던져집니다"라고 파이크는 말했다. "하지만 여왕의 경우, 그녀는 아이콘이었고 그것의 많은 부분은 매우 강한 개인 스타일 감각을 가지고 있다는 것으로 귀결됩니다."
가운이 전시회의 가장 큰 관심사일 수 있지만, 그 쇼는 몇 가지 놀라움도 제공한다. "군주가 입었던 것"을 우리에게 보여주는 작업으로, 큐레이터들은 뒤에 날개가 달린 투투로 만든 다소 낡은 요정 의상을 연출했다.
이 작품은 킹스 갤러리의 직물 보존가인 세실리아 올리버의 즐겨 찾기 중 하나이며, 그녀는 그것을 "세상에서 가장 귀여운 것"이라고 설명했다.
"내가 가장 좋아하는 것은 그것이 어린 엘리자베스를 위해 구입되었다는 것이고, 그녀가 이 작은 여자아이였다가 그 후 이 모든 책임의 무게를 가진 이 멋진 여성으로 자라났다는 것을 생각하면, 그것은 매우 감정적으로 느껴진다"고 올리버는 말했다.
올리버는 전시회에 대한 수개월의 작업과 많은 사람들에게 친숙하지만 진정으로 알려진 사람과 연결된 많은 것들을 다룰 수 있다는 특권을 설명하면서 향수를 느꼈다.
"보존가로서, 나는 이 작품들에 대한 정말로 친밀한 지식을 가지고 있습니다. 나는 그것들을 만질 수 있었습니다. 나는 그것들을 냄새 맡을 수 있었습니다. 나는 그것들을 이해할 수 있었습니다"라고 그녀는 말했다. "그리고 그를 통해, 나는 정말로 그녀와 가까워진 느낌을 받았습니다."
엘리자베스 2세 여왕: 그녀의 삶 속의 스타일은 10월 18일까지 버킹엄 궁전의 킹스 갤러리에서 계속된다.
고(故) 엘리자베스 2세 여왕은 군주는 보여야 믿어진다고 생각했다. 그녀는 영국의 악명 높은 변덕스러운 날씨가 방해가 되더라도 그것이 사실임을 확인했으며, 투박한 검은 우산이 대중의 시야에서 그녀를 가리지 않도록 투명한 플라스틱 우비의 사용을 개척했다.
그 우비는 영국이 그녀의 탄생 백주년을 기념하기 위해 금요일 버킹엄 궁전의 킹스 갤러리에서 전시될 약 300개의 의류 및 기타 패션 유물 중 하나이다. 지금까지 마운트된 그녀의 스타일 선택에 대한 가장 포괄적인 전시회인 이 쇼는 엘리자베스의 이야기와 영국 패션에 대한 그녀의 영향을 보여준다.
"나는 그녀가 자신에게 무엇이 어울리는지에 대해 확실한 감각을 가지고 있었다고 생각합니다"라고 전시 큐레이터 캐롤린 드 기토는 말했다. "그녀는 절대적으로 자신이 어떻게 나타나고 싶은지 알고 있었습니다."
일부 항목들은 엘리자베스가 가장 많이 촬영된 사람 중 한 명이었기 때문에 쉽게 인식할 수 있다. 하지만 볼 가운, 트위드 양복, 특징적인 머리 스카프는 여왕 자신 대신 박물관 마네킹에서 보기에는 때때로 이상하다.
그리고 나서 정말로 유일무이한 항목들이 있다.
2012년 런던 올림픽 개막식에서 엘리자베스의 스턴트 더블이 입었던 블루머가 포함된 드레스처럼, 당시 86세 던 여왕이 제임스 본드 역할의 다니엘 크레이그와 함께 스타디움으로 낙하산을 타고 떨어지는 것처럼 보였다. 환상을 완성하기 위해 여왕은 곧 같은 옷을 입고 관중석에 나타났다.
엘리자베스의 오랜 드레스메이커 앙젤라 켈리가 디자인한 두 드레스는 나란히 전시되어 있지만, 스턴트 더블 버전에는 낙하산을 수용하기 위해 뒤쪽에 큰 지퍼가 있다.
여왕이 소유한 약 4,000개 항목에서 추출한 이 전시회는 그녀가 젊은 공주에서 영국의 가장 오래 재위한 군주로 진화함에 따라 패션이 어떻게 그녀의 가장 강력한 소통 도구 중 하나가 되었는지 탐구한다.
이는 종종 그녀의 색상과 장식 세부 선택에서 볼 수 있으며, 1961년 파키스탄 방문 중 국빈만찬에서 입기로 선택한 초록색과 흰색 노먼 하르트넬 가운처럼, 호스트 국가의 국가 색상을 입음으로써 그들을 존경했다.
"여왕은 패션이 외교에 어떻게 도움이 될 수 있는지에 대한 친밀한 이해를 가지고 있었으며, 이 특성은 확실히 이전 왕조에서 비롯되었지만, 여왕은 이를 예술 형태로 발전시켰습니다"라고 드 기토는 말했다. "색상이나 장식은 그녀가 연설에서 한 마디도 하기 전에 그녀의 호스트 국가에 대한 존경의 메시지를 전달했습니다."
특히 나이가 들면서 엘리자베스는 대규모 공개 행사에서 밝거나 독특한 음영의 옷을 입기로 선택했기 때문에 쉽게 발견될 수 있었고, 방문객들은 여왕을 봤다고 말할 수 있었다.
또한 이 전시회는 여왕의 사무복을 탐구한다. 영국의 여름 별장인 발모럴 성에서 입었던 트위드 양복이 승마, 하이킹 및 기타 야외 활동을 위한 옷과 함께 전시되어 있다. 엘리자베스의 후기에 켈리가 디자인한 두꺼운 울 코트와 버버리와 영국 디자이너 하디 에임스의 항목들이 있다.
여왕의 긴 인생의 많은 이정표 동안 입었던 옷들도 전시되어 있으며, 미래의 에드워드 7세 국왕의 세례를 위해 빅토리아 여왕이 의뢰한 그녀의 세례 로브에서 그녀의 웨딩과 대관식을 위해 입은 드레스까지이다.
전시회에는 여왕이 자신의 옷장 디자인에 얼마나 관여했는지 보여주는 스케치와 메모도 포함되어 있다.
Elle UK의 커미셔닝 에디터인 나오미 파이크는 이 컬렉션이 최종적으로 엘리자베스의 패션 아이콘 지위를 인정한다고 말했으며, 그 동안 그녀의 여동생인 고(故) 마가렛 공주와 그녀의 며느리인 고(故) 다이애나 공주를 포함한 다른 왕족들이 스포트라이트를 빼앗았다.
"나는 우리가 이 시대에 사람들에게 아이콘 지위를 부여하는 것이 매우 빠르다고 생각합니다... 그것은 매우 쉽게 던져집니다"라고 파이크는 말했다. "하지만 여왕의 경우, 그녀는 아이콘이었고 그것의 많은 부분은 매우 강한 개인 스타일 감각을 가지고 있다는 것으로 귀결됩니다."
가운이 전시회의 가장 큰 관심사일 수 있지만, 그 쇼는 몇 가지 놀라움도 제공한다. "군주가 입었던 것"을 우리에게 보여주는 작업으로, 큐레이터들은 뒤에 날개가 달린 투투로 만든 다소 낡은 요정 의상을 연출했다.
이 작품은 킹스 갤러리의 직물 보존가인 세실리아 올리버의 즐겨 찾기 중 하나이며, 그녀는 그것을 "세상에서 가장 귀여운 것"이라고 설명했다.
"내가 가장 좋아하는 것은 그것이 어린 엘리자베스를 위해 구입되었다는 것이고, 그녀가 이 작은 여자아이였다가 그 후 이 모든 책임의 무게를 가진 이 멋진 여성으로 자라났다는 것을 생각하면, 그것은 매우 감정적으로 느껴진다"고 올리버는 말했다.
올리버는 전시회에 대한 수개월의 작업과 많은 사람들에게 친숙하지만 진정으로 알려진 사람과 연결된 많은 것들을 다룰 수 있다는 특권을 설명하면서 향수를 느꼈다.
"보존가로서, 나는 이 작품들에 대한 정말로 친밀한 지식을 가지고 있습니다. 나는 그것들을 만질 수 있었습니다. 나는 그것들을 냄새 맡을 수 있었습니다. 나는 그것들을 이해할 수 있었습니다"라고 그녀는 말했다. "그리고 그를 통해, 나는 정말로 그녀와 가까워진 느낌을 받았습니다."
엘리자베스 2세 여왕: 그녀의 삶 속의 스타일은 10월 18일까지 버킹엄 궁전의 킹스 갤러리에서 계속된다.
Britain celebrates late Queen Elizabeth II as a style icon to mark her centenary
A member of the Royal Collection Trust staff looks towards hats, bags and shoes worn by Princess Elizabeth, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
A member of Royal Collection Trust staff looks towards day wear worn by Princess Elizabeth, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Cecilia Oliver, Textile Conservator at Royal Collection Trust adjusts a gown worn by Queen Elizabeth II, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Queen Elizabeth II’s Burmese Ruby Tiara on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Cecilia Oliver, Textile Conservator at Royal Collection Trust adjusts day wear worn by Queen Elizabeth II, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Britain celebrates late Queen Elizabeth II as a style icon to mark her centenary
A member of the Royal Collection Trust staff looks towards hats, bags and shoes worn by Princess Elizabeth, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
A member of the Royal Collection Trust staff looks towards hats, bags and shoes worn by Princess Elizabeth, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
A member of Royal Collection Trust staff looks towards day wear worn by Princess Elizabeth, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
A member of Royal Collection Trust staff looks towards day wear worn by Princess Elizabeth, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Cecilia Oliver, Textile Conservator at Royal Collection Trust adjusts a gown worn by Queen Elizabeth II, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Cecilia Oliver, Textile Conservator at Royal Collection Trust adjusts a gown worn by Queen Elizabeth II, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Queen Elizabeth II’s Burmese Ruby Tiara on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Queen Elizabeth II’s Burmese Ruby Tiara on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Cecilia Oliver, Textile Conservator at Royal Collection Trust adjusts day wear worn by Queen Elizabeth II, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Cecilia Oliver, Textile Conservator at Royal Collection Trust adjusts day wear worn by Queen Elizabeth II, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
LONDON (AP) — The late Queen Elizabeth II believed the monarch had to be seen to be believed. And she made sure that was true even when Britain’s famously changeable weather intervened, pioneering the use of a clear plastic raincoat so that a stodgy black umbrella didn’t obscure her from public view.
That raincoat is one of some 300 garments and other fashion artifacts that go on display Friday at the King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in an exhibit that celebrates the late queen’s life and reign as Britain prepares to mark the centenary of her birth. The most comprehensive exhibition of her style choices ever mounted, the show charts Elizabeth’s story, and her impact on British fashion.
“I think she had a definite sense of what suited her,’’ exhibition curator Caroline de Guitaut said. “She absolutely knew how she wanted to appear.”
Some of the items are easily recognizable since Elizabeth was one of the most photographed people ever. But the ball gowns, tweed suits and trademark headscarves are sometimes strange to see on museum mannequins instead of the queen herself.
And then there are the items that are truly one-offs.
Cecilia Oliver, Textile Conservator at Royal Collection Trust adjusts a gown worn by Queen Elizabeth II, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Cecilia Oliver, Textile Conservator at Royal Collection Trust adjusts a gown worn by Queen Elizabeth II, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Like the dress, complete with bloomers, that Elizabeth’s stunt double wore during the opening ceremony for the 2012 London Olympics, when the then-86-year-old queen appeared to parachute into the stadium alongside Daniel Craig in his James Bond persona. To complete the illusion, the queen soon emerged in the stands identically attired.
Both dresses, designed by Elizabeth’s longtime dressmaker Angela Kelly, are displayed side by side, though the stunt double’s version has large zipper in back to accommodate the parachute.
The exhibition, drawn from some 4,000 items once owned by the queen, explores how fashion became one of her most powerful tools of communication as she evolved from a young princess into Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.
That could often be seen in her choice of color and decorative detail, as in the green and white Norman Hartnell gown she chose to wear for the state banquet during her 1961 visit to Pakistan, honoring her hosts by donning their national colors.
“The queen had an intimate understanding of how fashion could lend itself to diplomacy, a trait which, while its origins certainly lay in earlier reigns, the queen developed into nothing short of an art form,’’ de Guitaut said. “Color or embellishment communicated messages of respect to her host nation before she had even uttered a word in her speech.”
Particularly as she got older, Elizabeth opted to wear bright or distinctive shades during large public events so she could be easily spotted, and visitors could say they had seen the queen.
A member of the Royal Collection Trust staff looks towards hats, bags and shoes worn by Princess Elizabeth, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
A member of the Royal Collection Trust staff looks towards hats, bags and shoes worn by Princess Elizabeth, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
The exhibit also explores the queen’s off-duty wardrobe. The tweed suits she wore at Balmoral Castle, the royal family’s summer retreat in Scotland, are on display alongside clothes for riding, hiking and other outdoor pursuits. There’s a thick woolen coat Kelly designed during Elizabeth’s later years alongside items by Burberry and British designer Hardy Amies.
Clothes worn during the many milestones of the queen’s long life are also on display, from her christening robe, commissioned by Queen Victoria for the baptism of the future King Edward VII, to dresses she wore for her wedding and coronation.
The exhibit also includes sketches and notes that show just how involved the queen was in designing her wardrobe.
Naomi Pike, commissioning editor for Elle UK, said the collection finally recognizes Elizabeth’s status as a fashion icon, even though other royals, including her younger sister, the late Princess Margaret, and her daughter-in-law, the late Princess Diana, stole the spotlight during her lifetime.
“I think we’re very quick in this day and age to afford people icon status. … It’s thrown around so easily,’’ Pike said. “But I think in the case of the queen, she was an icon and so much of that comes down to having a very strong sense of personal style.’’
While the gowns may be the exhibit’s biggest draw, the show also provides a few surprises. With the task of showing us ‘’what the monarch wore,’’ the curators conjured up a somewhat battered fairy outfit made from a tutu with wings on the back.
The piece is a favorite of Cecilia Oliver, a textile conservator at the King’s Gallery, who described it as the “cutest thing in the world.”
“I think what I love most about it is that it was bought for Elizabeth as a child, and to think of her as this tiny little girl that then grew up into this magnificent woman with all this weight of responsibility on her shoulders, it just feels very, sort of sentimental,’’ Oliver said.
Oliver grew almost wistful as she described the months of work on the exhibit and the privilege of handling so many things connected to a person familiar to so many but truly known by so few.
“As a conservator, I have a really intimate knowledge of these pieces. I’ve been able to touch them. I’ve been able to smell them. I’ve been able to understand them,’’ she said. “And through that, I felt really close to her.”
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style runs until Oct. 18 at the King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace.
A member of the Royal Collection Trust staff looks towards hats, bags and shoes worn by Princess Elizabeth, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
A member of Royal Collection Trust staff looks towards day wear worn by Princess Elizabeth, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Cecilia Oliver, Textile Conservator at Royal Collection Trust adjusts a gown worn by Queen Elizabeth II, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Queen Elizabeth II’s Burmese Ruby Tiara on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Cecilia Oliver, Textile Conservator at Royal Collection Trust adjusts day wear worn by Queen Elizabeth II, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Britain celebrates late Queen Elizabeth II as a style icon to mark her centenary
A member of the Royal Collection Trust staff looks towards hats, bags and shoes worn by Princess Elizabeth, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
A member of the Royal Collection Trust staff looks towards hats, bags and shoes worn by Princess Elizabeth, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
A member of Royal Collection Trust staff looks towards day wear worn by Princess Elizabeth, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
A member of Royal Collection Trust staff looks towards day wear worn by Princess Elizabeth, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Cecilia Oliver, Textile Conservator at Royal Collection Trust adjusts a gown worn by Queen Elizabeth II, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Cecilia Oliver, Textile Conservator at Royal Collection Trust adjusts a gown worn by Queen Elizabeth II, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Queen Elizabeth II’s Burmese Ruby Tiara on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Queen Elizabeth II’s Burmese Ruby Tiara on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Cecilia Oliver, Textile Conservator at Royal Collection Trust adjusts day wear worn by Queen Elizabeth II, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Cecilia Oliver, Textile Conservator at Royal Collection Trust adjusts day wear worn by Queen Elizabeth II, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
LONDON (AP) — The late Queen Elizabeth II believed the monarch had to be seen to be believed. And she made sure that was true even when Britain’s famously changeable weather intervened, pioneering the use of a clear plastic raincoat so that a stodgy black umbrella didn’t obscure her from public view.
That raincoat is one of some 300 garments and other fashion artifacts that go on display Friday at the King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in an exhibit that celebrates the late queen’s life and reign as Britain prepares to mark the centenary of her birth. The most comprehensive exhibition of her style choices ever mounted, the show charts Elizabeth’s story, and her impact on British fashion.
“I think she had a definite sense of what suited her,’’ exhibition curator Caroline de Guitaut said. “She absolutely knew how she wanted to appear.”
Some of the items are easily recognizable since Elizabeth was one of the most photographed people ever. But the ball gowns, tweed suits and trademark headscarves are sometimes strange to see on museum mannequins instead of the queen herself.
And then there are the items that are truly one-offs.
Cecilia Oliver, Textile Conservator at Royal Collection Trust adjusts a gown worn by Queen Elizabeth II, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Cecilia Oliver, Textile Conservator at Royal Collection Trust adjusts a gown worn by Queen Elizabeth II, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Like the dress, complete with bloomers, that Elizabeth’s stunt double wore during the opening ceremony for the 2012 London Olympics, when the then-86-year-old queen appeared to parachute into the stadium alongside Daniel Craig in his James Bond persona. To complete the illusion, the queen soon emerged in the stands identically attired.
Both dresses, designed by Elizabeth’s longtime dressmaker Angela Kelly, are displayed side by side, though the stunt double’s version has large zipper in back to accommodate the parachute.
The exhibition, drawn from some 4,000 items once owned by the queen, explores how fashion became one of her most powerful tools of communication as she evolved from a young princess into Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.
That could often be seen in her choice of color and decorative detail, as in the green and white Norman Hartnell gown she chose to wear for the state banquet during her 1961 visit to Pakistan, honoring her hosts by donning their national colors.
“The queen had an intimate understanding of how fashion could lend itself to diplomacy, a trait which, while its origins certainly lay in earlier reigns, the queen developed into nothing short of an art form,’’ de Guitaut said. “Color or embellishment communicated messages of respect to her host nation before she had even uttered a word in her speech.”
Particularly as she got older, Elizabeth opted to wear bright or distinctive shades during large public events so she could be easily spotted, and visitors could say they had seen the queen.
A member of the Royal Collection Trust staff looks towards hats, bags and shoes worn by Princess Elizabeth, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
A member of the Royal Collection Trust staff looks towards hats, bags and shoes worn by Princess Elizabeth, on display at ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, to mark the centenary of the late queen’s birth, at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
The exhibit also explores the queen’s off-duty wardrobe. The tweed suits she wore at Balmoral Castle, the royal family’s summer retreat in Scotland, are on display alongside clothes for riding, hiking and other outdoor pursuits. There’s a thick woolen coat Kelly designed during Elizabeth’s later years alongside items by Burberry and British designer Hardy Amies.
Clothes worn during the many milestones of the queen’s long life are also on display, from her christening robe, commissioned by Queen Victoria for the baptism of the future King Edward VII, to dresses she wore for her wedding and coronation.
The exhibit also includes sketches and notes that show just how involved the queen was in designing her wardrobe.
Naomi Pike, commissioning editor for Elle UK, said the collection finally recognizes Elizabeth’s status as a fashion icon, even though other royals, including her younger sister, the late Princess Margaret, and her daughter-in-law, the late Princess Diana, stole the spotlight during her lifetime.
“I think we’re very quick in this day and age to afford people icon status. … It’s thrown around so easily,’’ Pike said. “But I think in the case of the queen, she was an icon and so much of that comes down to having a very strong sense of personal style.’’
While the gowns may be the exhibit’s biggest draw, the show also provides a few surprises. With the task of showing us ‘’what the monarch wore,’’ the curators conjured up a somewhat battered fairy outfit made from a tutu with wings on the back.
The piece is a favorite of Cecilia Oliver, a textile conservator at the King’s Gallery, who described it as the “cutest thing in the world.”
“I think what I love most about it is that it was bought for Elizabeth as a child, and to think of her as this tiny little girl that then grew up into this magnificent woman with all this weight of responsibility on her shoulders, it just feels very, sort of sentimental,’’ Oliver said.
Oliver grew almost wistful as she described the months of work on the exhibit and the privilege of handling so many things connected to a person familiar to so many but truly known by so few.
“As a conservator, I have a really intimate knowledge of these pieces. I’ve been able to touch them. I’ve been able to smell them. I’ve been able to understand them,’’ she said. “And through that, I felt really close to her.”
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style runs until Oct. 18 at the King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace.