The Queen’s Wardrobe: The Story of Queen Elizabeth II and her Clothes

Queen Elizabeth II is one of the most famous people in the world, and every detail of her life has always come under close public scrutiny – including her clothes.

From her hand-stitched christening gown, designed and made by a Scottish coalminer’s daughter, Janet Sutherland, in the 1920s, to her bottle green uniform in the Auxiliary Territorial Service in World War Two, the Queen’s clothes have served many purposes throughout the years, as well as reflecting the changing styles of fashion and her majesty’s own tastes.

There are some fantastic spreads detailing the crown jewels, a variety of wonderful hats and the Queen’s wedding dress for those that love a bit of glitz, but Golding and Hindley also show us the young Queen in her Guide uniform and in tartan skirts and cardigans more befitting a young woman who always best loved being outside.

With a foreword from Michele Clapton, the costume designer on the Netflix series The Crown, this is a gorgeous book that chronicles the Queen’s life in a fascinating and unusual way. Kate Hindley’s illustrations are absolutely perfect for this book, full of detail and charm, and makes this a beautiful and fascinating read for 6-9s interested in fashion and the Royal Family, or indeed anyone who wants to learn more about one woman’s extraordinary life.