’Ilovedthisbook!’-AlisonWeir’[A]lively,gossipyforagethroughroyalwardrobes’-DailyMail’Asparklinghistory’-DrKateStrasdinPeekintothewardrobesofhistory’smostfashionableroyalsWhydidwomenwearsuchheavyanduncomfortableskirtsintheElizabethanera?WhatthehellhappenedtoCharlesII’spubichairwig?HowdidPrincessDiana’srevengedressbecomesoiconic?Fashionfortheroyalfamilyhaslongbeenoneoftheirmostpowerfulweapons.Everyitemoftheirclothingisimbuedwithmeaning,historyandmajesty,tellingacomplextaleoftheindividualswhoworethemandthehousestheyrepresented.Fromthedrapingofafabrictothearrangementsofjewels,theclothingwornbyroyalsisanythingbutcoincidental.Kingatjustnineyearsold,EdwardVI’sclotheswerepaddedtomakehimseemstrongerandmoremanly;andtheever-consciousElizabethIIinsistedhercoronationgownincludealltherepresentativefloraofthecommonwealthnations,andnotjustthatoftheUnitedKingdom.Yetreigningmonarchsarenottheonlyoneswhosefashionsensibilitiescouldmeanmakeorbreakforthecrown.Originalandenlightening,RosieHarte’scompletehistorydelicatelyweavestogetherthefashionfauxpasandVogue-worthytriumphsthatchartthehistoryofourroyalsfromtheTudorstotheVictoriansrightthroughtoKingCharlesIIIandourtwenty-first-centuryroyalfamily.Travellingfarbeyondtheboundsofthecourt,TheRoyalWardroberevealstheeconomic,socialandpoliticalconsequencesofroyalapparel,beitbreeches,tiara,wigorwaistcoat.Eachstitchhasastory,youjustneedtoknowhowtoreadthem
