Royal Women

Wives and daughters, sisters and mothers; none of the Royal women featured in this exhibition was monarch; yet each played a key role in the British monarchy.

Royal Women examined how these roles influenced their choice of dress. Exhibition highlights included Alexandra, Princess of Wales’ wedding dress, dating from 1863, on loan from the Royal Collection, generously lent by Her Majesty The Queen. Also on display was an ensemble of gold and pale green velvet, worn by Queen Mary to the wedding of her granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth.

Items of dress belonging to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother included a dove grey silk satin ball gown from 1954. Dresses worn by the Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, showed her glamorous side and her patronage of designers such as Christian Dior and Norman Hartnell.

The stories behind the dresses and the choice of colour, cut or style told us a lot about Alexandra, Mary, Elizabeth, and Margaret, and how they chose to present themselves as royal women.