Today, the world watched as Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest. The Royal Highness passed away on 8 September 2022 at the age of 96.
While it’s been 70 years since a monarch was last buried in the United Kingdom, the funeral of Queen Elizabeth will have much the same pomp, ceremony and protocol as the memorial of her father, King George VI in 1952.
While Queen Elizabeth played in integral role in ushering the monarchy into the modern age, she was known for her staunch adherence to royal tradition, and her funeral, which she herself helped to plan, will reflect this.
In particular, there was a strict royal dress code. Guests are expected to wear all-black. Women are encouraged to wear “black knee-length dresses, or coats, black hats, and may also wear face-covering veils,“ according to according to Debrett’s, a chronicler of British society and modern manners.
For the males, active members of the military, including King Charles, and the Prince of Wales, were permitted to wear their military uniform.
The Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, wore a knee-length black dress with front-toe detail. She accesorised with a wide brim black hat, black veil, and a pearl necklace and earrings previously worn by Princess Diana. She also paid homage to the late Queen Elizabeth by wearing a diamond and pearl leaf-shaped brooch gifted to her by Her Majesty.
The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, wore a black cape dress by Stella McCartney. She also opted for a wide-brimmed hat and completed her outfit with a pair of pear earrings gifted to her by the Queen in 2018.
Camilla Parker Bowles, Queen of Consort, donned a black coat, a floral hat, veil, and a diamond brooch once owned by Queen Victoria.
William, the new Prince of Wales, wore his Royal Air Force No. 1 uniform, while Harry chose to forgo the unform instead opting for a traditional black morning jacket with medals.
