Queen Elizabeth II's handbags served as both practical fashion statements and a means of communicating with her servants in secret about when she wanted conversations to finish, according to a number of Royal specialists. The Queen always carried a handbag on her arm to match her extravagant attire or the occasion.
Author Kristen Meinzer told Mirror that switching the bag from one arm to the other meant that the Queen was signalling to her staff that she wanted someone to come and interrupt the conversation. Moneycontrol News. September 13, 2022 / 11:55 AM IST.
According to its website, Launer has been supplying the monarch with handbags since 1968, which means the brand is well-placed to divulge insider information about them. Launer CEO Gerald Bodmer said in 2018 that Queen Elizabeth always has a handbag with her because “she doesn't feel fully dressed without her handbag”.
According to reports by Town & Country, the Queen owns more than 200 of the brand's bags and her top styles are 'the black leather Royale, black patent leather Traviata and a third custom handbag. ' According to Launer's website, they've been supplying the Queen's handbags since 1968.
Launer bags are available in a range of colorways and finishes, but Her Majesty preferred the black patent styles. For the Prince and Princess of Wales's wedding in 2011, however, she commissioned a bespoke beige bag to wear with her lemon-yellow outfit, prompting Launer's website to crash and sales to skyrocket.
According to People, Elizabeth's fondness for pearls began when she was a little girl and her father King George VI—carrying on a tradition started by Queen Victoria—gave her a platinum chain to which he would add two pearls on each birthday.
According to Dior, Princess Diana fell in love with the style when the First Lady of France at the time, Madame Bernadette Chirac, gifted her with its “Chouchou” bag in 1995. When she was photographed carrying the style on multiple occasions, the fashion house renamed the bag the “Lady Dior” as a play on Lady Diana.
A royal phone
As well as a number of private lines, the monarch's private mobile phone was unique. It may 'just' be a Samsung as many of us non-Royals have, but it was much more special.
What Happens With Queen Elizabeth's Clothes? Queen Elizabeth never wears the same outfit twice at important events. Therefore, the sovereign prefers to either change her outfits and if she gets bored of them, she sends them to her dressers, who are then allowed to either wear them themselves or sell them.
And as to putting one's clothes on, contrary to popular belief the Queen actually dressed alone. The monarch also did her own make-up for most events, with the exception of her annual Christmas speech, for which a make-up artist was employed.
The Queen wore the same style of shoe for 50 years
While the monarch would occasionally switch up her shoe wardrobe for more formal royal engagements, the style dubbed her “work” shoes was one that she wore for over half a century.
According to royal author Marcia Moody's 2013 book Kate: A Biography, Catherine always carries three four items with her. "In her small clutch she carries a compact mirror, blotting paper, a handkerchief and lip balm," she writes.
Each one of the Queen's handbags is kept in perpetuity. They are stored in cupboards at Buckingham Palace. Sales of Launer London handbags rose by 60 per cent after the Queen carried one at Prince William's wedding. Her Majesty favours Launer's Diva and Traviata styles – £1,015 and £1,125 respectively.
After the death of her husband Prince Albert, the Queen famously wore black for the rest of her life, accessorizing only with black, colorless, or pearl jewelry. She wore strands of pearls, thought to represent tears, for 40 years.
While “Queen Elizabeth” is a part of her official title, it is considered rude to address her by her full name. You should always refer to Queen Elizabeth as “Your Majesty” instead, according to Rachel Kelly, a public relations executive at VisitBritain, the U.K.'s official tourism office.
The Queen's style: from handbags to jewelry
Most often she carried bags from luxury brand Launer London – including in the last published picture of her. The company's CEO told the Daily Mail in 2016 that the Queen owned at least 200 of the bags — which each cost around £2,000, according to the Launer website.
The tradition goes back centuries and began with a practical consideration: to help the bodies of deceased monarchs remain pristine, especially before modern preservation techniques.
Molton Brown is believed to be one of the monarch's favourites, with the British brand holding a Royal Warrant since 2013.
Shops will not be obliged to close on the day of the Queen's funeral, however, some may choose to do so as a mark of respect. Retailers may choose to operate reduced opening hours with the day being declared a Bank Holiday.
The Queen has always loved a classic lipstick. According to royal insiders, among her favourites are Elizabeth Arden's Beautiful Colour lipsticks, which she has been spotted applying during functions.
The Queen has a private indoor swimming pool at Buckingham Palace, which has long been a favourite spot for the entire royal family.
Although in use for the many official events and receptions held by The King, the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace are open to visitors every summer. Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. These include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms.
According to the website, Celebrity Fragrance Guide, Princess Diana had a selection of fragrances she liked to wear, most notably Hermes 24 Faubourg, Penhaligon's Bluebell Cologne, and Creed Royal Water which was created especially for her.
In the fall of 2020, Kate debuted a new pendant necklace, which appeared to use precious stones from Princess Diana's famed Saudi suite of sapphires—a gift from the Saudi royal family to the late Princess of Wales on the occasion of her wedding, featuring sapphires and diamonds designed to match her Garrard enagement ...
The Duchess of Sussex inherited some of her late mother-in-law's most stunning pieces. Before her tragic death, Princess Diana made it clear that she wanted her stunning collection of jewelry to go to her sons' future wives.