Centenary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth to be marked by largest exhibition of her fashion ever staged

The centenary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth will be marked by the largest exhibition of her fashion ever staged at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace.

Approximately 200 items will go on display in Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, and around half of these will be on display for the very first time. The clothing will date from all ten decades of her life.

An official publication will accompany the exhibition. Written by the exhibition curator Caroline de Guitaut and featuring contributions by fashion experts and designers, the book will explore the late Queen Elizabeth II’s fashion archive and her lifelong championing of the British fashion industry in unprecedented detail.

Caroline de Guitaut, exhibition curator and Surveyor of The King’s Works of Art, said, “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.”

On display for the first time will be one of the earliest surviving pieces of her childhood: the silver lamé and tulle bridesmaid dress, designed by Edward Molyneux, which she wore for the wedding of her uncle, the Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina.

Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style will be at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, from spring to autumn 2026. Specific dates are to be confirmed. The tickets will go on sale in November 2025.