Queen Elizabeth II’s fashion exhibition to open in April

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the largest display of Queen Elizabeth II’s fashion ever mounted will open at The King’s Gallery on April 10, 2026, with tickets going on sale today, November 4.

The ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, first announced in July, is being hosted by the Royal Collection Trust, the charity which oversees the Royal Collection and royal palaces for public viewing, and will feature more than 200 items, including clothing, jewellery, hats, shoes and accessories, with around half set to be on display for the first time.

The exhibit will run from April 10 to October 18, 2026, and will celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s fashion archive, charting the late Queen’s clothing worn in all ten decades of her life, from couture eveningwear to impeccably tailored off-duty clothing, as well as her practical everyday style, incorporating tweed suits, riding clothes, protective outerwear and distinctive headscarves.

The fashion archive is described as one of the largest and most important surviving collections of 20th-century British fashion, and will feature designs by Norman Hartnell, one of the late Queen’s most influential designers, as well as looks by Angela Kelly worn by the Queen for official photographs in the last years of her life, and pieces by couturier Hardy Amies, Edward Molyneux, and Ian Thomas.

Highlights include an apple-green gown worn for a state banquet given for President Eisenhower at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. in 1957, the crinoline-skirted blue gown and matching bolero jacket worn for her sister Princess Margaret’s wedding in 1960, and a Harris tweed jacket and Balmoral Tartan skirt, as well as a clear plastic raincoat she wore in the 1960s.

The rarely seen and never-before-displayed items from the late Queen’s wardrobe will be showcased alongside behind-the-scenes design sketches and fabric samples, giving visitors an insight into the process of dressing the most famous woman in the world.

Exhibition curator Caroline de Guitaut said in a statement: “Queen Elizabeth II’s wardrobe was a masterclass in symbolism, tailoring and British craftsmanship.

"In this landmark exhibition, as well as unveiling garments spanning every decade of the late Queen’s life, we are thrilled to be including works by three contemporary designers who have so successfully reinterpreted her style for the present day, demonstrating how her fashion legacy continues to be woven into the fabric of British design.”

Erdem Moralioglu, Richard Quinn and Christopher Kane to contribute to ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition

The exhibition will also highlight Queen Elizabeth II’s continued influence on the British fashion industry, with three British designers, Erdem Moralioglu, Richard Quinn and Christopher Kane contributing pieces to the exhibition.

Over the course of their careers, Moralioglu, Quinn, and Kane have each created pieces or a collection influenced by Queen Elizabeth II’s distinctive style, taking inspiration from different elements of her wardrobe. The three designers will each contribute a piece to the exhibition, chosen from one of these past collections, with each ensemble shown alongside a related item from the late Queen’s fashion archive.

The three designers have also contributed their reflections on Her late Majesty’s fashion legacy to the official centenary publication, ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Fashion and Style’. The book will explore the late Queen’s fashion archive in unprecedented detail, featuring a tribute by Dame Anna Wintour, and an essay by Amy de la Haye, Professor of Dress History and Curatorship at London College of Fashion.

Quinn, winner of the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design, said in a statement: “There is no doubt that Queen Elizabeth II’s style and promotion of British couture over the 90 years had a huge impact on British fashion. The ultimate stamp of approval, she always shone a light on British designers, highlighting the relevance and significance of British fashion across the world.”

Kane added: “Queen Elizabeth II’s wardrobe is one of the most significant living archives in modern fashion history. From the decline of the court dressmaker to the rise of couturiers like Hartnell and Hardy Amies, her garments tell the story of Britain and its changing identity through fashion.

“For designers and students, it offers a masterclass in silhouette, construction, repetition, symbolism and, perhaps most importantly, restraint.”

Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style is at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, from April 10 to October 18, 2026.