Queen Elizabeth II had already begun to subtly make waves in the fashion world aged eight, two years before she was thrust into the spotlight as the future British monarch when her uncle Edward VIII abdicated.
The then-Princess was pictured posing for a photo at her other uncle, Prince George, Duke of Kent’s wedding to Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark in 1934. This was one of the late royal’s most iconic yet “unknown” dresses, according to Caroline de Guitaut, who has put together Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, which is a comprehensive exhibition of the late Queen’s clothing in The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace from 10 April to 18 October.
The picture, shared by the Royal Collection Trust, shows young Elizabeth perched on a stool in an angelic silver lamé dress with a V-neck, a tulle skirt, a floral belt, and oversized, dramatic, ruffled shoulders that could be likened to the iconic Letty Lynton dress.
Iconic film star dress
© Getty ImagesIn the 1932 film, costume designer Gilbert Adrian reportedly decided to exaggerate actress Joan Crawford’s shoulders with padding and ruffles, which quickly became staples of 1930s fashion. In fact, the specific Letty Lynton dress was so popular that Macy’s department store sold over 50,000 replicas.
Since this took place two years before the Princess wore her bridesmaid dress, it could be proof that it was one of the many styles that took inspiration from the fashion trends of the time.
Queen Elizabeth’s quiet love of fashion
© PA Images via Getty ImagesIn an exclusive interview with HELLO!, Caroline debunked the myth that Elizabeth II was uninterested in fashion and opened up about her favourite sartorial moments of the late Queen in the latest exhibition.
After describing the two Edward Molyneux bridesmaid dresses that Elizabeth wore in the early 1930s as “so lovely and touching and so unknown”, she added: “The other [bridesmaid dress] was her first Norman Hartnell dress – from 1935, from Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester’s marriage to Lady Alice Montagu-Douglas-Scott.”
Opening up more generally about King Charles’ mother’s style, she said Elizabeth was a trendsetter who developed a close relationship with British designers. This included Norman Hartnell, who designed her star-embroidered wedding dress in 1947 and silver and gold embellished coronation dress in 1953.
© Getty, Central Press“The media compared her with her younger sister [Princess Margaret], who went to Paris couturiers, whereas the Queen was supporting the best of British. [Her style] was elegant, restrained and appropriate but something she made recognisable. She absolutely followed fashion.”
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