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A new book documenting the glamorous reign of Queen Elizabeth II has arrived online, on the heels of what would have been the British royal’s milestone 100th birthday.
Queen Elizabeth would have turned 100 years old on April 21, 2026, and though the Queen died in 2022, she is still widely considered as the oldest verified monarch in history, passing away at the age of 96. Now, a new coffee table book is looking back at the regal ensembles she wore during her time on the throne, along with the impact the Queen had on popular fashion today.
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Queen Elizabeth II: Fashion & Style
“Queen Elizabeth II: Fashion & Style” is due out May 4 and available for pre-order now. You can save 21% off the cover price by ordering the book in advance.
From the Royal Collection Trust, the new book comes on the heels of a historical exhibition of Queen Elizabeth II’s fashion, on display now at Buckingham Palace. The show was curated by Caroline de Guitaut, surveyor of the King’s Works of Art at Royal Collection Trust, and it is de Guitaut who also provides the words for this book. Anna Wintour, meantime, provides the foreword.
At once an illustrated and photographic archive of British style, and a history book on the garments worn in the royal court, “Queen Elizabeth II: Fashion & Style” offers a look into “one of the most stylish and recognizable women of the twentieth century, and [how] her fashions have influenced subsequent generations of designers,” a description states.
Along with rarely-seen photographs of Queen Elizabeth II — including official portraits and captures of her out in public — the 256-page hardcover book features pictures of her childhood dresses, fashion sketches, design albums, mood boards, official correspondence and other archival material collected through the years.
The book also delves into the Royal’s most iconic looks, from stately gowns and coats created by the couturiers of the 1940s, to her “off-duty” wear, which famously included hats, silk scarves and a trench or rain jacket at times. Names like renowned fashion designers Sir Norman Hartnell and Sir Hardy Amies line the descriptions in the book, along with contemporary British brands like Burberry. Indeed, the Queen’s impact on fashion in her homeland even led to the creation of an award in her name by the British Fashion Council in 2018.
“Her ensembles were seen on a global stage and designed with purpose, with consciously selected colors and accessories that would serve to have a subtle diplomatic effect when on tour or meeting heads of state,” writes de Guitaut. “Queen Elizabeth II was acutely aware of the impact of her dress when performing public duties, and her unmistakable off-duty and ready-to-wear style was equally elegant and quintessentially British.”
You can purchase the new Queen Elizabeth II fashion coffee table book online now at Amazon.com.
The Queen: 70 Years of Majestic Style
You can also study the Queen’s style in this 2022 book, which celebrated the fashion evolution of Elizabeth II in her Platinum Jubilee year. From publishers Ryland Peters & Small, the hardcover tome features full-color photographs of the Queen’s most iconic looks, from the glamorous gowns worn to official state banquets, to the jackets and dresses Her Majesty took around the world on her public tours. There is also a chapter dedicated to the Queen’s “country style,” with a look at how she made Barbour and Burberry household names in the UK.
Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. Her Story.
And you can read about the Queen’s life in a new book timed to the centenary of her birth.
“Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. Her Story” offer fresh insight into a monarch who came to the throne by indirect means. Author Robert Hardman is the only biographer to have interviewed the entire Royal Family, and he uses his experiences and past interviews to shape a narrative of a woman who was at once tough and humble, regal yet reserved.
Hardman writes about Elizabeth’s “idyllic” life on the “royal fringe” was suddenly transformed when the 25-year-old wife and mother of two found herself as the newly-installed Head of State. “Her coronation was a moment of national rejuvenation, though swiftly followed by the first of many challenges and crises – personal, political, and global – which would test her over seven decades,” Hardman writes. “The highs and lows of ordinary family life, for her, would be mercilessly scrutinised and magnified through the lens of the world’s media. Yet she also managed to remain an endlessly fascinating mystery to the end, revered and mourned worldwide.”
In this new book, Hardman peels back the layers — and the hearsay — to uncover a more personal account of Queen Elizabeth II’s time on the throne, and the legacy she leaves behind with her children and family today.
Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022. She was 96.
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Meet the Author
Tim Chan is the VP of Commerce at Penske Media, overseeing fashion, lifestyle and streaming coverage across marquee brands like Rolling Stone, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and WWD, among others. Previously, Chan was the first-ever Lifestyle Editor at Rolling Stone, covering all things fashion, culture, and travel through an entertainment lens. In addition to PMC, his bylines over the years have appeared in L’Uomo Vogue, Vogue Italia, Vogue Korea, i-D, and more. Chan has also consulted for a number of fashion brands, advising them on media and marketing strategy. He graduated from Columbia University with a master’s degree in journalism.