Our Rainbow Queen
A Centenary tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

It hardly seems possible that Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022 and now, in 2026, we would have been celebrating her 100th birthday on 21 April.

For so many of us, she was a constant presence throughout our lives - dignified, reassuring and always unmistakably herself. This page is my small tribute to her centenary: a celebration of the color, elegance and quiet confidence she brought to public life and of the style legacy that still inspires women who want to look polished, graceful and beautifully put together at any age.

A special day booked for later in the year, is a visit to the exhibition of Queen Elizabeth’s clothes at Buckingham Palace. This feels like a lovely way to reflect again on her remarkable eye for color, detail, and timeless elegance.

Her Majesty's role

At a dog championship and riding with Pres. Ronald Reagan in 1982

Although Queen Elizabeth II was Head of State, Supreme Governor of the Church of England and formally signed off all legislation, she didn't actually govern the country.

Her real role was something rather special. She was a symbol of continuity, unity and national pride and, with remarkable self-discipline, devoted her life to Britain and the Commonwealth. Public service was always at the centre of everything she did and she gave her support to hundreds of charities and organisations both at home and abroad.

Yet for all the grandeur of royal life, the Queen was a countrywoman at heart. She was never happier than with her horses and dogs, and time spent at Sandringham or Balmoral Castle in Scotland allowed her to relax, enjoy the countryside and relish the rare chance to dress down a little.

The wardrobe of our Rainbow Queen

In the year she turned 90 Queen Elizabeth carried out nearly 400 engagements at home and abroad. Even when she was “at home” her days were filled with desk duties, greeting guests, presenting awards and dealing with Parliamentary papers from the famous red box every day except Christmas.

Our Rainbow Queen’s wardrobe was therefore no accident. It was carefully curated for the life she led and the role she fulfilled. She knew that people often waited for hours just to catch a glimpse of her and she made a conscious effort to ensure she could be seen.

Because Her Majesty was petite, her brightly coloured outfits were chosen not just because she enjoyed color but because they allowed her to stand out in a crowd. She was never afraid of wearing vivid shades and famously avoided beige saying, “If I wore beige, nobody would know who I am.”

It was practical dressing, yes - but it was also part of her personal signature. Over the years, color became one of the most memorable and joyful elements of the Queen’s style.

She wowed us in RED

The Queen had a natural clarity to her coloring and cool, clear reds looked beautiful against her silver hair. Red brought warmth to her complexion and gave a lovely lift to her face, especially when worn with her signature three rows of pearls and neatly structured necklines.

One particularly flattering example is the pink-red outfit she wore while presenting the Polo Cup at Windsor in 2013. It is vivid, elegant and impossible to miss.

A festive red also brought a sense of warmth and cheer to her first Christmas broadcast in 2021 after the death of her beloved husband the Duke of Edinburgh. It was an emotional moment, and the color felt both dignified and uplifting.

That same year, during a visit to the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, Her Majesty stood out brilliantly against the battleship grey of Portsmouth in a striking scarlet coat. It was such a good reminder of how cleverly she used color - not just to look elegant, but to be visible, memorable and reassuringly familiar.

surprised us in ORANGE

Like most of us, the Queen’s figure and silhouette evolved gently over the decades, reflecting both the passing years and changes in fashion. Comfort and practicality mattered, especially for long days filled with official duties, public appearances and ceremonial events.

The princess line of the coat, stand-up collar and beret-style hat in the image on the left have a distinctly 1970s feel, from the time she met the Nixons in Washington. It is a lovely example of how royal dressing often reflects its era while still remaining unmistakably “the Queen.”

She wore orange again in the United States in 1991 when meeting Senator Orrin Hatch, this time with a neat pillbox hat that gave the look a tidy, polished finish.

A softer apricot shade appeared when she named a cruise ship in 2015. This paler version of orange is gentle and elegant and it shows how broad her color range really was. The Queen often favoured a neat but unobtrusive collar for comfort, and a brooch pinned on the left-hand side of the coat was one of her most consistent finishing touches.

and she shone in YELLOW

Our Rainbow Queen had hats made to match her outfits but they also had to be practical. Brims could not be so wide that they hid her face and hats couldn't be too tall or awkward when getting in and out of a car. As with everything in her wardrobe, style and function had to work together.

One of the widest brims she wore was the acid yellow hat seen during a visit to the NASA Space Center in 2007 where it helped shield her from the sun. The pink flowers on the hat were repeated from the print of the dress beneath the coat - a lovely detail and a reminder of just how considered her outfits always were.

The first photograph above shows the Queen dancing with President Gerald Ford during a visit to the United States in 1976. In those days her hair was darker and she chose a brilliant canary yellow that looked fresh, cheerful and full of energy.

Yellow can be such a difficult color to wear, but the Queen never seemed intimidated by it, if anything, she embraced it with confidence!

She glowed in GREEN

Special care was always taken to choose colors that wouldn't blend into the setting of an event. If the Queen were attending a garden party or outdoor engagement surrounded by greenery, green might not be the obvious choice because it could disappear into the background. At other events, however, green was clearly a favourite.

Personally, I don’t think the yellow-green on the left is the most flattering shade for her complexion - but what do I know? I always say that a woman should wear what makes her feel good and the Queen clearly liked this lively neon tone because she wore it frequently.

In the other two photographs she wears a bluer green, which I think is much prettier and more flattering. It is cooler, fresh and especially lovely with silver hair.

On the right, as she welcomes President Trump to Britain in 2019, she wears one of her favourite brooches: a large drop emerald with a detachable pendant inherited from her grandmother Queen Mary. As always, the jewellery adds history, personality and a wonderful finishing touch.

was always beautiful in her favorite BLUE

Many top designers dressed the Queen over the years and naturally her style evolved over time. However, it was Angela Kelly, her dresser for the last 20 years of her life, who is most closely associated with the highly polished, colorful look Her Majesty wore so comfortably in later life.

In her later years the Queen was often seen in a printed day dress topped with a wool coat in a coordinating plain color, finished with a matching hat. It became one of her most recognisable formulas and it worked beautifully. The photograph above right, showing her inspecting the Guards with President Trump is a perfect example of this look.

Blue appeared in every possible shade throughout the Queen’s wardrobe and it suited her so well. It's said to have made up around 24% of her outfits over the years which tells us a great deal. It was clearly a color she felt good in and I can quite see why.

Looking back to 1975, we see the Queen dazzling in Japan in intricately embroidered turquoise evening wear - glamorous, poised and every inch a monarch. In the centre image, a family occasion shows her in a softer, lighter-weight blue two-piece, proving once again that she understood exactly how to make color work for every setting.

She was elegant in INDIGO

It was slightly more unusual to see the Queen in deeper shades such as indigo or navy. In the photograph on the left taken in Seattle in 1983, she wears a dark navy that feels more restrained than some of her later choices.

Even so, her signature pearls and earrings always brought light back to the face. That is something mature women can learn from so easily - if you wear a darker color near your face, a little brightness from jewellery can make all the difference.

The brighter royal blues were undoubtedly more flattering against her silver hair, and it's interesting how striking contrast can become once hair turns white or silver.

During the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012, the Queen wore a particularly treasured brooch. The diamond and sapphire piece shown above was given to Queen Victoria by Prince Albert on the eve of her wedding as her “something blue.” What a lovely story and what a wonderful example of how the Queen’s jewellery so often carried layers of family history.

Her jewellery was always chosen with great care to complement both the outfit and the occasion. For a state visit or a meeting with Commonwealth guests, pieces with diplomatic, historical or personal significance would often be selected with real thought.

and delighted us in VIOLET

The Queen clearly enjoyed wearing all shades of purple - though perhaps as I'm talking the 'rainbow' I should say violet.

On the left above, Her Majesty looks radiant in sequinned lavender at a dinner in London alongside President George Bush in 2003. It's a fabulous shade with silver hair and, along with lavender, can bring a soft glow to an older complexion.

In the centre image, the Queen and Prince Philip are greeted by Giorgio Napolitano, President of Italy, during their state visit in 2014. Again, there is that unmistakable balance of elegance, visibility and yet comfort.

Although the Queen worked with designers and dressers throughout her life, she remained very involved in the creation of her bespoke clothing. She knew what she liked, understood fabrics and design extremely well, and brought a great deal of knowledge and experience to the process.

Queen Elizabeth's death and Wardrobe Exhibition

Queen Elizabeth II reigned from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022, and her wardrobe remains one of the most recognisable and enduring visual signatures of her long reign.

The forthcoming exhibition Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, to be held at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, from 10 April to 18 October 2026, will showcase more than 300 items from her wardrobe. These include her wedding and coronation gowns, childhood dresses, Army uniform, and beloved Scottish tweeds.

It promises to be fascinating, not just because of the clothes but because of what they reveal about the woman behind them. Design sketches, fabric samples and handwritten correspondence will give a rare glimpse into the behind-the-scenes process of dressing one of the most famous women in the world.

What I find especially interesting is the way it highlights the Queen’s own involvement in shaping her wardrobe.

She was not simply dressed by others, she understood clothing, knew the power of image and used style thoughtfully in the service of duty.

I’m so looking forward to my visit to the exhibition and, if you're not able to be there yourself, I promise to share my special day with you! 

If you'd like to explore more about her life and reign, Elizabeth II: In Private, In Public offers a fresh portrait of the late Queen and her record-breaking years on the throne.

As we mark this special anniversary...

As we mark what would have been her 100th birthday, her style still reminds us that elegance has no age limit and that dressing with confidence can be both joyful and deeply personal.

Even now Queen Elizabeth II’s style feels wonderfully relevant. She understood that clothes can do much more than simply look nice; they can lift the spirits, project confidence, express character and help a woman be seen.

To me that's part of her enduring gift. Her wardrobe was never about fashion, it was about visibility, warmth, respect, continuity and presence. She knew that what she wore mattered, and she used color and detail not to draw attention to herself in a vain way, but to connect with people and to perform her role well.

And perhaps that is why her style still speaks so strongly to women today - especially those of us who want to look elegant, cool and stylishly younger than our years without losing ourselves in passing trends!

As we remember Queen Elizabeth II on her special birthday, she leaves us a lovely reminder that elegance can be joyful, color can be powerful and personal style only grows stronger with age!

A History of Royal Fashion

The Tudors fashion style

Queen Victoria's fashion style

Our Rainbow Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Camilla

7 decades of Fashion 1950 - 2020

The Royals at Christas