Queen Elizabeth II was 'intimately involved' in her fashion as myth gets debunked

Dorothy Reddin
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 17:00:01 +0000

Queen Elizabeth II was "intimately involved" in her fashion, an exhibition curator has exclusively told GB News while debunking a commonly-believed myth.

For decades, the public perception of Queen Elizabeth II’s wardrobe was that it was a product of her dressers and designers, with the late monarch herself serving as a passive participant.

However, new research for the centenary exhibition, Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, has debunked this myth.

Curator Caroline de Guitaut has revealed to GB News that archival evidence, including handwritten notes and fabric samples, proves the Queen was an "intimately involved" client.

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According to the curator, Elizabeth II oversaw the details of her clothing throughout her entire 70-year reign.

In an exclusive interview at the press viewing for the exhibition, Ms De Guitaut explained that this hands-on approach was not a later development in the Queen's life, but a lifelong commitment.

Referring to the era of Angela Kelly, which took place in the last three decades of Elizabeth II's life, Ms De Guitaut said: "A lot of people, obviously younger people, remember the last few decades, probably.

"But hopefully you'll get a sense as you go around the exhibition that, even in the earlier multiple decades of the Queen's life, she was absolutely intimately involved in that."

The curator emphasised that the Queen worked closely with designers and embroiderers, acting as a decisive client in the "selecting of the different materials" and the "cutting of the fabric".

This level of involvement was driven by the Queen's understanding of how her appearance impacted her work.

Ms De Guitaut noted: "I think for Queen Elizabeth II, she spent a lot of time really carefully considering how her clothing could help her fulfil her role."

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She described the process of uncovering this history as a revelation, adding: "I think that's one of the big things that I've learned from the great privilege of working on this material."

Having opened at Buckingham Palace on Friday, April 10, the exhibition features 300 items, ranging from childhood pieces to sophisticated later-year ensembles.

By displaying never-before-seen design sketches and correspondence, the gallery provides a "behind-the-scenes" look at the Queen’s collaboration with icons like Norman Hartnell and Hardy Amies.

GB News' Deputy Royal Editor, Dorothy Reddin, gained an exclusive sneak peek into the exhibition on Thursday.

Queen Elizabeth II was a huge champion of British fashion; in her nearly-100 years on this earth, she saw the demise of the court dressmaker, the rise of British couture, and the establishment of iconic British fashion houses.

This legacy carried through to the 21st-century generation of royals, when Catherine Middleton, later the Princess of Wales, chose to wear an Alexander McQueen dress to marry Prince William.