For the royals, clothes speak louder than words

FASHION

The royal wardrobe

by Rosie Harte (cup £22,384 pp)

What royal was afraid of looking fat and had her photos retouched so robustly that she looked like a wax figure?

Who courted a king with a headdress that “outrageously” exposed her hairline?

And what shade has Queen Camilla banned from her wardrobe?

Answers: Queen Victoria was afraid of looking fat; Anne Boleyn wore the scandalous headdress to woo Henry VIII; and the shade Camilla said no to is frumpy “menopause mauve.”

These and many other intriguing sartorial snippets can be found in fashion historian (and TikTok star: @theroyalwardrobe has over 400,000 followers) Rosie Harte’s lively, gossipy quest through royal wardrobes from the Tudors to today’s incumbents.

“The social capital of the modern royal family is attention,” Harte wryly notes — and clothing is a clever way to get more of it, as in The Kate Effect.

There is little doubt that Kate is the princess of sold-out power. She understood it from the very beginning, wearing a red Armani coat dress until William’s passing out in Sandhurst, echoing William’s uniform.

Her wedding dress epitomized her sartorial message: traditional meets modern.

Her wardrobe is curated to show she’s both one of us (those Zara blazers and LK Bennett heels) and in keeping with tradition: tight, colorful dresses.

She’s wearing clothes again: unthinkable a generation ago. She is an almost accessible source of inspiration.

Meghan declared her love with a necklace laced with the initials H and M – subconsciously reminiscent of Anne Boleyn’s B necklace, and penchant for clothes embroidered with her and Harry’s initials.

Meghan’s wedding veil was embroidered with California poppies, Commonwealth flowers and wheat, the royal symbol of love — and peace.

If the Sussexes have a color, it’s green: from Meghan’s dress in their engagement photos to the dress she wore for their latest royal engagement, with Harry’s suit lined in the same hue.

Fashion historian Rosie Harte uses her TikTok account @theroyalwardrobe to explain the origins of various elements of royal dress. She reveals that tiaras are a relatively modern concept, which only became an important part of evening wear in the early 1900s.

Diana marked the shift to “royal just one of us.” While Charles sided with tradition—cufflinks stamped with the royal code; shoelaces allegedly steamed by his servant – Diana was different.

At first, Diana was insecure about clothes – she was turned away from fashion house Bellville Sassoon and told to “try something cheaper” while looking for an outfit for her engagement photocall – and she learned quickly.

Her style was less formal, more princess of hearts and eschewed tradition (gloves and wide-brimmed hats) for approachability.

She wore a vibrant floral dress she called her “nursing dress” to visit children’s hospitals.

That short black revenge dress? A last-minute exchange for the royally-approved conservative dress Diana was forced to wear.

It said more than words could and was also an ironic nod to the dress Diana wore for her first public engagement, which was deemed “inappropriate” for the fairytale princess.

But our royals have long tried to control the story using sartorial directions.

Little Edward VI wore padded clothes to make him look majestic. Henry VIII’s exaggerated codpiece was trendy as a symbol of virility.

Queen Victoria’s sapphire and diamond crown, designed by her beloved Prince Albert

Elizabeth I had a deliberately modest style of dress: acutely aware of the power of the royal appearance, portraits were burned if she did not like them.

Fashion symbolized the difference between ‘them’ and ‘us’: royalty were cut from – and wore – a different fabric.

And good heavens, the jewels. Queen Mary (wife of George V) believed the size of her tiara conveyed her status, so wore one to every possible occasion, including family dinners.

The Delhi Durbar tiara is an eight-inch wall of diamonds and Queen Mary’s iconic lover’s knot has been worn by Diana and Kate.

Her favorite brooch was cut from the world’s largest diamond and was called ‘Granny’s chips’ by granddaughter Elizabeth II.

For Elizabeth II, Norman Hartnell designed intricately decorated outfits that reinforced the inaccessibility of royal life.

He was shocked when the dress she wore to a premiere in 1933 was widely imitated by the High Street.