The Royal Family is marking Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years on the throne with year-long festivities including exhibitions, competitions and other events. As part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the Queen’s coronation dress is on display at an exhibition at Windsor Castle.
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Platinum Jubilee: The Queen’s Coronation opened on Thursday and is exploring the Coronation through paintings, photographs and items of her dress and jewellery, including the coronation dress, Robe of Estate, and the coronation necklace and earrings.
Designed by Norman Hartnell, the Queen‘s coronation dress is regarded as one of the most important examples of 20th-century design, according to the Royal Collection Trust. Due to his acclaimed talent of combining rich fabrics with exquisitely designed embroideries, the British couturier was entrusted with the task of designing the dress in October 1952.
He then submitted nine different designs, out of which, the Queen selected the eighth. But, she further suggested the addition of embroideries in various colours instead of keeping them all in silver. Additionally, she asked to include the four national emblems of the Dominions — England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales — of which she was Monarch. They were then embroidered in gold and silver thread and pastel-coloured silks, encrusted with seed pearls, sequins and crystals.
The silk for the dress was produced at Lady Hart Dyke’s silk farm at Lullingstone Castle, Kent and was woven by Warner & Sons in Essex. The outfit features intricate embroideries arranged in three scalloped, graduated tiers which are bordered with alternating lines of gold bugle beads, diamantes and pearls.
Also part of the exhibition is the Robe of Estate which was worn by the Queen for her coronation. It is made of deep purple silk velvet and features golden embroidery with a crowned EIIR monogram.
Her coronation jewellery included a platinum, golden and silver set diamond necklace and a pair of silver and gold earrings matching the necklace.
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