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During her lifetime, Queen Elizabeth II perceived clothing not just as an expression of style, but as a way of communication.

This means that her jewelry, the colors of her outfits or prints (if any) always mattered. Some of the details emphasized Her Majesty’s status and made her stand out in the crowd, while others hinted at honoring the memory of deceased relatives or, for example, demonstrated her attitude to certain political processes. Regarding the latter, let us recall that the queen had to maintain political neutrality. Therefore, her clothes helped her to express her own opinion at least somehow; especially if she did not approve of any of the decisions of the parliament.

So, we have prepared a selection of Elizabeth II’s outfits that, in our opinion, have the most interesting hidden meanings. Read more in the OBOZ.UA article.

1. Wedding dress with a floral pattern

In 1947, when Elizabeth II married Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, Britain was still recovering from the economic losses suffered during World War II. The future queen took this into account (it should be noted that the monarch was crowned on June 2, 1953, in Westminster Abbey)! It is known that she paid for her wedding dress with ration coupons, which she did not spend during World War II. In addition, the government gave her 200 coupons.

Elizabeth also took care of the design. From the proposed sketches, she chose one that alluded to one of her favorite works by Italian painter Sandro Botticelli (“Spring”) and contained important meanings for the public. Thus, her dress and veil were decorated with embroidered spring flowers, symbolizing national renewal, a new start after the war, and hope for a happy future.

2. Blue hat with flowers

After the UK announced its withdrawal from the European Union, Elizabeth II attended the first opening of Parliament in 2017 in a symbolic look. She wore an elongated blue jacket, a yellow pencil skirt printed with blue flowers, white satin gloves, and a blue hat with flowers with yellow splashes. The main colors of the outfit are blue and yellow, which are also used in the EU flag. It was with these colors that the Queen demonstrated her disapproval of Brexit.

3. Light green coat and family brooch

On May 19, 2018, the Queen arrived at the wedding of Harry, the Duke of Sussex, and his chosen one Meghan Markle, dressed in a light green tweed coat and hat, as well as a light green dress with flowers. The headdress was adorned with bright purple feathers, and the lapel of the outerwear was decorated with a family brooch with diamonds and pearls. It is important to emphasize several details here…

First, Elizabeth II chose acid colors to be the center of attention. Secondly, the purple speckle indicated that she approved of the marriage, and the bright green color, according to June MacLeod, a color consultant and author of Color Psychology Today, symbolized “rebirth” and was “a sign of respect for the couple (Harry and Meghan – Ed.) and their intentions for the future.” As for the brooch on the coat… This was a gift to Elizabeth II from her grandmother, Queen Consort Mary. As well as the tiara Meghan Markle wore down the aisle! With this jewelry, Her Majesty demonstrated unity between different generations and honored the memory of her relative.

4. Blue and yellow dress

On March 7, 2022, shortly after the aggressor country Russia invaded Ukraine, the Queen met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Windsor Castle. If you look at the official photo, you will notice that behind Her Majesty and the politician was a bouquet of yellow and blue flowers. Elizabeth II herself was wearing a dress with blue and yellow patterns. It is easy to guess that these colors were not chosen by chance – they indicated the colors of the Ukrainian flag, and, accordingly, support for Ukraine and its citizens.

5. Green dress and “Butterfly” brooch

In October 2021, the Queen was unable to attend the UN COP26 summit in Glasgow for health reasons. So, she addressed the guests of the event via a video message. To do this, she chose a grassy green dress and a statement brooch with diamonds and rubies (“Butterfly”). The color of the outfit was appropriate, as the conference was about climate change. The jewelry not only hinted at preserving the environment, but also had a meaning close to the Queen’s heart… It is known that this is a gift from her friend for her engagement to Philip. Since he died on April 9, 2021 (six months before the summit), the red butterfly brooch symbolized the immortality of the duke’s soul, as well as the beginning of a new stage in the queen’s life.