Royal Women Paid Tribute To Queen Elizabeth II With Mindful Styling

Sep 29, 2022 by apost team

Queen Elizabeth II was the reigning monarch of England for an incredible 70 years, but sadly her time came to an end when she passed away on Sept. 8, 2022. She passed away at her home in Balmoral after Buckingham Palace had announced that she was under medical attention. It was a devastating day for the royal family as many members gathered to be by her side in her final moments. 

Queen Elizabeth II's funeral had drawn millions of mourners from all over, with thousands lining up at Westminster Hall to catch a final glimpse of her and pay their respects one last time. Meanwhile, her death marked the end of an era for a well-loved monarch. 

The queen's body first lay in state at Westminster Hall, where members of the public paid their respects. Then she was buried at the King George VI memorial chapel, which is the resting place of her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, and her sister, Princess Margaret. Philip was also interred and joined Elizabeth at the memorial chapel. 

In addition to being buried with her family, Queen Elizabeth was also buried in accordance with royal tradition and with her personality and life in mind. Some of the items that were woven into the proceedings, like her crown, could be clearly seen in her funeral procession. Her coffin, which was carried to its final resting place on Sept. 19, 2022, was also bedecked with more subtle tributes, like a symbolic flower arrangement, which included blooms from her beloved Balmoral. 

With her whole family in attendance, the world couldn't help but notice how they all dressed for the late queen. 

Members of the royal family, such as King Charles III, Prince William, and other family members with military titles, were expected to wear their ceremonial military titles, according to Harpers Bazaar. Princess Anne also wore her military wardrobe. Royal men that were not in the military were expected to wear black mourning coats with medals if they had any prior medal experience, according to Elle. 

Women in the royal family that have no military experience also have a certain wardrobe they must adhere to. Camilla, Kate Middleton, and Meghan Markle, due to tradition, wore a black wardrobe, a black hat, with a black veil optional. Harpers Bazaar reported, "The wearing of a veil is a singular royal mourning tradition. The latticed veils are a modern-day interpretation of this code. When the queen, her mother and sister attended her father's funeral in February 1952, the veils were long and opaque."  

"Though we steadfastly associate black with mourning, the wearing of black only became a standardised code of grief in the 19th century," they added. However, many centuries ago, the royal family wore a white mourning wardrobe in the 16th century. The tradition of wearing a black mourning dress was brought back in 1861. 

Not only are women supposed to wear their black mourning dress with a hat, but they also follow the rule of only wearing pearls during the time of mourning. "The tradition has been continued to this day. To the funeral, several members of the queen's family wore pearls, from Catherine, the Princess of Wales and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Zara Tindall, the queen's granddaughter. Many of these were pieces given to them by the queen herself. A public and yet intimate tribute," Harpers Bazaar shared. 

apost.com

According to CNN, black was originally associated with a wealthier class. "Though black has long been the color of choice for mourning -- it was popular among the wealthy during the Middle Ages -- it became ubiquitous with grief in the 19th century," CNN said. "A person's mourning style "served as a visual symbol of grief... while simultaneously demonstrating the wearer's status, taste and level of propriety," they added. 

Royal fans could not help but notice the Princess of Wales' attire for the late Queen Elizabeth's funeral and other events in her honor. Middleton wore an "all-black mourning ensemble: an ebony coat dress, a matching hat with a netted veil, stockings, pointed-toe heels, and a clutch." 

In addition to this outfit, Middleton's choice of jewelry for the occasion was particularly notable. She chose two main pieces: a set of diamond-and-pearl drop earrings as well as a diamond-and-pearl brooch in the shape of three leaves. While the jewels are, of course, opulent and eye-catching on their own, anyone with a little bit of backstory on the royal family would have caught their special meaning. The silver leafed brooch previously belonged to Queen Elizabeth, who had gifted it to Middleton years earlier. Middleton had worn it once before, on a royal visit to Belgium in 2017, and fittingly included it on this memorable day. 

The earrings Middleton chose also hold similarly hidden meanings. They belonged to another royal, and their appearance at the royal funeral speaks volumes about how carefully Middleton must've picked her accessories. The pearls were famously worn by Diana Spencer, the People's Princess and mother to Middleton's husband, William.

With the queen's death, Middleton inherits not only jewels but also Diana's title as "Princes of Wales." She and her husband have commented, saying they "will approach their (new) roles in the modest and humble way they've approached their work previously."

What do you think of the royal history behind their funeral attire? We think it is so interesting! If you enjoy reading about the royal family and their traditions— make sure to send this article on to others who will also find it interesting!