Queen Elizabeth II's handbags served as both practical fashion statements and a means of communicating with her servants in secret about when she wanted conversations to finish, according to a number of Royal specialists. The Queen always carried a handbag on her arm to match her extravagant attire or the occasion.
Apparently, Her Majesty carries around some mix of a compact, a lipstick, some tissues, mints, corgi treats, reading glasses, a diary, and a fountain pen—all useful things no matter where one is.
Putting her bag on the floor
As per a report in Mirror, if Queen Elizabeth kept her bag on the floor, it meant she wanted to leave the chat immediately. Speaking to People magazine, Vickers said that a similar message is sent if the Queen spun a ring on her finger.
Rarely seen without a Launer London purse hooked on her arm, the Queen treated her handbags like an appendage, permanently in view whatever the occasion. Even in her final picture—stood by a fireplace dressed in a kilt, cardigan, blouse, and her trusty heels—her glossy Launer handbag is tucked neatly beside her.
Other important items included a mirror and lipstick. In the article, she commented: "At the end of a luncheon or a dinner, even a banquet set with silver gilt and antique porcelain, she has the somewhat outré habit of opening her bag, pulling out a compact and reapplying her lipstick,” she writes.
The Queen bowed her head as a sign of respect to her late daughter-in-law, Princess Diana.
“I believe there's etiquette that ladies do not make their faces up in public,” the former royal footman explained, “but she had her bag over the side and she would take her lipstick out and put it on with no mirror or anything, and that was a signal to the ladies that she was ready to leave.”
Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth wore Guerlain L'Heure Bleue, a spicy citrus with a powdery dry down. It's been a classic for the fragrance house ever since the scent was created in 1912.
“The Queen loves to eat any food from the estate—so game birds, pheasants, grouse, partridge—she loves those to be on the menu. But of course, she loves chocolate. That was her favorite, and it has to be dark chocolate.
The Queen reportedly owns more than 200 Launer bags and according to Town & Country, her favourite styles are “the black leather Royale, black patent leather Traviata and a third custom handbag”.
Queen Elizabeth II's handbags served as both practical fashion statements and a means of communicating with her servants in secret about when she wanted conversations to finish, according to a number of Royal specialists. The Queen always carried a handbag on her arm to match her extravagant attire or the occasion.
You may have noticed that the Queen often clasps her hands together at events but it's not to avoid awkward handshakes. Instead, the pose is intended to show that she is not threatening. “The Queen's signature pose is the handclasp. This is a demure defence posture and it is designed to be unthreatening.
A royal phone
As well as a number of private lines, the monarch's private mobile phone was unique. It may 'just' be a Samsung as many of us non-Royals have, but it was much more special.
"They're necessary because if you're the Queen, you're shaking a lot of hands, so they protect her hands as well." Like the Queen, Princess Diana would often wear gloves for formal occasions or royal engagements.
But pearls are also steeped in royal family tradition. (What isn't?) According to People, Elizabeth's fondness for pearls began when she was a little girl and her father King George VI—carrying on a tradition started by Queen Victoria—gave her a platinum chain to which he would add two pearls on each birthday.
Of course, the queen's uniform today — she almost always wears a bright coat with a color-coordinated hat and black heels — doesn't differ all that much from her style of years' past. Queen Elizabeth II weas a bright blue coat and her Anello & Davide shoes.
Does the Queen ever cook for herself? McGrady says that while Prince Philip was an “amazing chef” and regularly enjoyed cooking on the grill and having family BBQs on the Balmoral estate, and the younger royals like William, Kate, Meghan and Harry, all enjoy cooking, the Queen herself stays out of the kitchen.
Apparently, she heads to bed at 10.30pm each evening in order to get a good night's sleep. The bling is stunning, obviously. Regular exercise is also said to help with sleep and Kate leads an active lifestyle, often talking about how she loves to get outdoors – it's thought that she runs or walks every day.
And, according to McGrady, while the Queen eats the same breakfast pretty much every day (Earl Grey tea and a bowl of Special K cereal) and opts for simple dishes like grilled chicken or grilled fish (alongside a gin cocktail or the occasional chocolate) for the rest of the day, it's the “jam penny” sandwich that she's ...
Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth reportedly wore Guerlain L'Heure Bleue, a spicy citrus with a powdery dry down. It's been a classic for the fragrance house ever since the scent was created in 1912.
Orange Blossom Cologne by Jo Malone: Kate Middleton's perfume. A warm, sweet, floral scent. Kate Middleton chose Orange Blossom by perfumer Jo Malone as her favourite fragrance. The Duchess of Cambridge has worn this orange blossom scent for several years now.
The late Princess of Wales wore Houbiquant's Quelques Fleurs, a sumptuous blend of tuberose, jasmine, lily of the valley, and rose to marry Prince Charles. In his memoir, Spare, Prince Harry also revealed his mother's favorite scent—First by Van Cleef & Arpels.
Queen Elizabeth II's Evolution From Princess to the Longest-Reigning British Monarch. According to the monarch's long-time dresser, the queen does her own makeup every single day except for one special event: the yearly Christmas speech.
Queen Elizabeth II seldom wore little more than lipstick and a hint of blush for her public appearances, and called upon Clarins Compact Powder for her complexion (the brand made an exclusive lipstick to match her suit for Coronation Day in 1953 to celebrate the Queen's loyalty to them).
It was 457 years ago that Elizabeth came close to death but the aftermath of the disease that nearly killed her led to the iconic makeup style that makes Queen Elizabeth one of the most recognisable monarchs of British royal history.