‘Stand firmly’, is how fashion expert and royal correspondent Josine Droghendyk describes the late Queen Elizabeth’s dress style. Also Brigitte Balfort, author of the book published last year Royal StyleElizabeth’s style can be drawn like this. “A hat, black shoes, and a brightly colored jacket. The older the Queen, the brighter the color.”

According to Droogendijk, Queen Elizabeth had a distinct style of her own, and she was never influenced by fashion trends. “Her outfits were never really surprising,” says Drogendyk. But this is no less beautiful: stability suits the head of state.

According to Drogogendijk, nothing was left to chance in Elizabeth’s clothes. “For example, the fabric was placed in front of a fan to see what would happen in a gust of wind. To see if the obstacles did not develop quickly, the designers wrapped the fabric with a clock.” Also, someone the same shoe size as the Queen walked in her new shoes.

Elizabeth’s bright-colored suits have appeared mainly in the past twenty years. This was partly the result of designer Angela Kelly’s arrival in 2002. At the time, the Queen was regularly criticized for her grumpy appearance, says former UK correspondent Hieke Jippes. “We’ll cheer you up a little,” Kelly said.

Explicit colours, from bright pink to light green, also helped make the Queen stand out in a large crowd. “She was only six feet, so she really had to count on that,” Gibbs said. Moreover, according to the Queen, being visible was important to the future of the royal family, says Belfort. Her idea was: One has to see me in order to believe in the monarchy.

But above all, according to Drogendyk, Elizabeth was the queen of “diplomatic clothes”. I understand very well that “the clothes speak,” says Droghendyk. For example, at the opening of a new underground line in London, which was named after the Queen and was purple, Elizabeth put on a purple dress. Then you think: “What a beautiful thing! Droogendijk says.

When visiting Ireland in 2011, the Queen appeared in green, the color of the country. “It was the first time since Irish independence in 1921 that a British foot had set foot in Ireland,” former reporter Gibbs said. “The British are seen in Ireland as the persecutors of the island.” According to Jippes, Elizabeth was radiant in her green dress that she was meeting the Irish.

The Queen also chose a matching color and outfit for last year’s climate conference in Glasgow. During her video interview, she appeared in a green dress with a butterfly brooch. She was also known as A . The country of the woman in the heart“She enjoyed horseback riding, dog walking, and was interested in gardening,” Gibbs says.

The outfit that raised more questions was the blue dress and blue hat with yellow flowers that the Queen wore during the opening of Parliament in 2017, during Britain’s exit from the European Union. According to some, the Queen referred to the European Union in blue and yellow. “We know she was not very happy with Brexit,” Belfort said. “Of course she wasn’t allowed to say anything, but she still expressed her opinion through her clothes.”

Former reporter Gibbs dares not go that far. “I don’t think she did anything to jeopardize the Queen’s role. I don’t think she was trying to send messages to the outside world. But it was so hot that everyone saw something in everything.”

Queen Elizabeth also caused a stir during former President Donald Trump’s visit to the United Kingdom in 2018. She wore her blue suit with a brooch given to her by former President Barack Obama. Coincidence? “It’s not possible,” Belfort says. “Knowing that everything has been prepared down to the last detail. Everything has been thought through.”