Putting her bag on the floor was a sign that she needed to be saved from an uncomfortable encounter ASAP. If she was at dinner and placed it on the table, that meant she wanted to end the event in the next five minutes.
If the Queen shifted her bag from one hand to the next, it signaled that she was ready to end her current conversation. As well as this, if those in the know saw that the Queen had placed her bag on a table, they would be aware that the Queen was ready to leave an event in the next five minutes.
But, according to royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith (opens in new tab) she likes to carry very useful items in her bag, just like us - including a mirror, her reading glasses, mints and of course lipstick. How practical. When Prince Philip passed away the Queen also carried these sentimental items in her handbag.
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.
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”.
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.
Molton Brown is believed to be one of the monarch's favourites, with the British brand holding a Royal Warrant since 2013.
However, details about how her coffin will be dressed have been revealed. The Royal Standard, a flag that represents the Sovereign and the UK, will be draped on her coffin, accompanied by the Imperial State Crown, complete with more than 3,000 encrusted gemstones.
WATCH: The Queen's daily diet
According to the monarch's former royal chef Graham Newbould, during his time working for Her Majesty, she never ate sandwiches shaped with points. The Queen is instead served small 'jam penny' sandwiches at afternoon tea.
So just how many handbags does the Queen own? About 300, Phil revealed. The responsibility to look after the coveted accessory lies with the monarch's trusted designer and dresser, Angela Kelly.
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.
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.
If the Queen started to twist her wedding ring, it meant immediate action was required, and one of her royal minders should swoop in and move her along straight away.
Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth reportedly wore Guerlain L'Heure Bleue, a spicy citrus with a powdery dry down. It's been a classic for the fragrance house ever since the scent was created in 1912.
Queen Elizabeth II – the internet says she wore either White Rose by Floris, or L'Heure Bleue by Guerlain. Maybe she wore both, who says you have to stick with one scent? These seem likely choices; a green/sweet floral and a powdery heliotrope, both with a respectable lineage.
She sure did - and the exact nail polish colour was Essie's Ballet Slippers. The late Queen Elizabeth II only let one shade of nail polish touch her finger tips and it was by none other than Essie.
Back in the 1960s, the monarch re-wore her custom-made gowns at high-profile events, including the Norman Hartnell dress that Princess Beatrice borrowed for her wedding day in 2020. The Queen's personal dresser, Angela Kelly, previously explained how the royal's repeat-wears were always carefully considered.
The Queen will be laid to rest today wearing only two precious pieces of jewellery. Her Majesty, who will be buried next to her husband Prince Philip later today, will wear only her wedding band and a pair of pearl earrings, despite owning a collection worth millions of pounds.
Making herself instantly recognisable was also reportedly a factor in the Queen's choice to stick with the same hairstyle. In fact, according to some insiders, the monarch is believed to have insisted on her hair being entirely symmetrical, so that whatever side you saw her from, that iconic profile remained the same.
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.
The Queen's personal dresser, Angela Kelly, previously explained how the royal's repeat-wears were always carefully considered. “Typically, the lifespan of an outfit can be up to around 25 years,” Kelly wrote in her book The Other Side Of The Coin: The Queen, The Dresser And The Wardrobe, published in 2019.
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.