'I loved this book!' - Alison Weir '[A] lively, gossipy forage through royal wardrobes' - Daily Mail 'A sparkling history' - Dr Kate Strasdin Peek into the wardrobes of history's most fashionable royals Why did women wear such heavy and uncomfortable skirts in the Elizabethan era? What the hell happened to Charles II's pubic hair wig? How did Princess Diana's revenge dress become so iconic? Fashion for the royal family has long been one of their most powerful weapons. Every item of their clothing is imbued with meaning, history and majesty, telling a complex tale of the individuals who wore them and the houses they represented. From the draping of a fabric to the arrangements of jewels, the clothing worn by royals is anything but coincidental. King at just nine years old, Edward VI's clothes were padded to make him seem stronger and more manly; and the ever-conscious Elizabeth II insisted her coronation gown include all the representative flora of the commonwealth nations, and not just that of the United Kingdom. Yet reigning monarchs are not the only ones whose fashion sensibilities could mean make or break for the crown. Original and enlightening, Rosie Harte's complete history delicately weaves together the fashion faux pas and Vogue-worthy triumphs that chart the history of our royals from the Tudors to the Victorians right through to King Charles III and our twenty-first-century royal family. Travelling far beyond the bounds of the court, The Royal Wardrobe reveals the economic, social and political consequences of royal apparel, be it breeches, tiara, wig or waistcoat. Each stitch has a story, you just need to know how to read them

Queen Alexandra used clothes to fashion images of herself as a wife, a mother and a royal: a woman who both led Britain alongside her husband Edward VII and lived her life through fashion. Inside the Royal Wardrobe overturns the popular portrait of a vapid and neglected queen, examining the surviving garments of Alexandra, Princess of Wales – who later became Queen Consort – to unlock a rich tapestry of royal dress and society in the second half of the 19th century. More than 130 extraordinary garments from Alexandra's wardrobe survive, from sumptuous court dress and politicised fancy dress to mourning attire and elegant coronation gowns, and can be found in various collections around the world, from London, Oslo and Denmark to New York, Toronto and Tokyo. Curator and fashion scholar Kate Strasdin places these garments at the heart of this in-depth study, examining their relationships to issues such as body politics, power, celebrity, social identity and performance, and interpreting Alexandra's world from the objects out. Adopting an object-based methodology, the book features a range of original sources from letters, travel journals and newspaper editorials, to wardrobe accounts, memoirs, tailors' ledgers and business records. Revealing a shrewd and socially aware woman attuned to the popular power of royal dress, the work will appeal to students and scholars of costume, fashion and dress history, as well as of material culture and 19th century history.

The story of Queen Elizabeth II, who famously said ‘if I wore beige, no one would know who I was’, told through her clothes and jewellery. The Queen’s Wardrobe is a gorgeous gift to treasure, celebrating a long life devoted to service. This book tells the story of a young princess who grew into one of the world's best-loved and longest-serving royals, touching on wartime truck-fixing, ration-book wedding dress making, splendid gowns, the Crown Jewels, and her trusty wellies. Includes a foreword by Michele Clapton, costume designer for series one of Netflix's The Crown, giving a peek behind the scenes at the recreation of some of the Queen's most famous outfits. Written by the Waterstones Children's Book Prize-winning Julia Golding, The Queen's Wardrobe is full of fascinating stories from the long life of our record-breaking Queen. The detailed and colourful artwork from bestselling Kate Hindley shows what it's really like to grow up as a princess.

**THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER** Veteran style journalist Elizabeth Holmes expands her popular Instagram series, So Many Thoughts, into a nuanced look at the fashion and branding of the four most influential members of the British Royal Family: Queen Elizabeth II; Diana, Princess of Wales; Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge; and Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex. Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are global style icons, their every fashion choice chronicled and celebrated. With all eyes on them, the duchesses select clothes that send a message about their values, interests, and priorities. Their thoughtful sartorial strategies follow in the footsteps of Queen Elizabeth II and Diana, Princess of Wales, two towering figures known for using their personal style to great acclaim. With one section devoted to each woman, HRH is a celebration of their stories and their style, pairing hundreds of gorgeous photographs with extensive research. A picture emerges of the British monarchy’s evolution and the power of royal fashion, showing there’s always more than what meets the eye.

From Louis XIV, a shoe aficionado of the Baroque Age, to the latest club-hopping progeny of the British royalty, this colourful survey of aristocratic fashion through the ages will delight royal watchers of every generation. The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton helped reclaim the fashion credibility of Britain's royal family, ushering in a generation of hip but genial personalities that appeal to every age and station. But royals have been setting fashion trends for centuries. This fascinating overview of aristocratic icons reaches back to the middle age, and from Europe to the Middle East, to profile the most renowned promoters of elegance and style ever to don their empires' crowns. Author and royals watcher Luise Wackerl juxtaposes the fifteenth century Duke of Burgundy' s penchant for black with Elizabeth I's taste for virginal white. She presents history's first "It Girls": Marie Antoinette, Louisa of Prussia, Empresses Sisi of Austria and Eugenie of France. She relates how Queen Victoria's sorrow and propriety transformed her country, and how an impeccably styled American's love for Edward VIII upended the British monarchy. From the irreproachably elegant styles of Grace Kelly to Lady Diana, Jordan's Queen Rania to Princess Letizia of Spain we move on to the newest icons, the Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie of York, whose faces and party antics grace the tabloids on a weekly basis. Hundreds of photos and a lively text make this irresistible reading for anyone interested in fashion, royalty, and the lively intersection of both worlds. AUTHOR: Luise Wackerl is a fashion journalist who writes about royal fashion and gossip on the Bunte magazine website. She has covered the most recent royal weddings in Stockholm, London, and Monaco. She lives near Munich, Germany. ILLUSTRATIONS: 130 in colour & 20 b/w

This essential guide to the Duchess of Cambridge's style celebrates her ladylike, yet youthful fashion flair and gives Kate fans an insider's look at her favorite designers and stores, plus her beauty and grooming tricks--all in one gorgeously illustrated book. More than forty of the Duchess's most iconic outfits--including jewelry, hats, shoes, and bags--are analyzed. From effortless casual clothes to red-carpet eveningwear, this book shows you how Kate's chic, polished, and quintessentially elegant style can work for you. Tip boxes give advice on hair, makeup, accessories, and how to put an outfit together like Kate. A style calendar charts her look from her single days at the University of St. Andrews to her life as a duchess. Includes a shopping directory of Kate's favorite brands and designers!

Through a rich and beautiful series of images, British fashion journalist Eloise Moran decodes Princess Diana’s outfits in this smart visual psychobiography of an icon. From the pink gingham pants and pastel-yellow overalls of a sacrificial lamb, to the sexy Versace revenge dresses, power suits, and bicycle shorts of a free woman, British fashion journalist Eloise Moran has studied thousands of pictures of Princess Diana. She soon discovered that behind each outfit lay a carefully crafted strategy: What Lady Di couldn’t express verbally, she expressed through her clothes. Diana’s most show-stopping—and poignant—outfits are all here in The Lady Di Look Book, incisively decoded. Moran sees things no one has before: Why, for example, did Diana have a rotating collection of message sweatshirts? Was she mad for plaid, or did the tartan have a deeper meaning? What about her love of costume jewelry on top of the tiaras and oval sapphire engagement ring? With new interviews from some of the people who dressed Diana, Moran’s book is both a record of what Diana wore and why she wore it—and why we are still obsessed with Lady Di. From 1980s Sloane Ranger cottagecore Diana, to athleisure and Dynasty Di Diana, The Lady Di Look Book is both compulsively delightful and a full biography of the world’s most beloved royal.