On February 6th, 1952 Princess Elizabeth, traveling in Kenya, awoke a Queen, after her father King George VI had passed away overnight in his sleep.
Queen Elizabeth II returned immediately to the UK but her coronation wasn’t until June 2nd, 1953. The lovely gown she wore that day was created by British designer Norman Hartnell, who also made Elizabeth’s wedding gown in 1947.
For the coronation, Hartnell sketched eight potential gowns before Prince Philip pointed out that his wife was soon to become sovereign to the British Commonwealth and perhaps all her lands should be represented.
The final version was made in white satin and included embroidered emblems:
- Tudor Rose – England
- Thistle – Scotland
- Shamrocks – Ireland
- Maple leaves – Canada
- Wattle flowers – Australia
- Ferns – New Zealand
- Proteas – South Africa
- Lotus Flowers – India
- Leeks – Wales
- Wheat, Cotton and Jute – Pakistan
For luck Hartnell added an extra shamrock underneath the skirt. For proper balance the gown demanded a complicated construction of supporting undergarments, which was created by Hartnell’s expert cutters and fitters. He himself could not sew.
Congratulations to Queen Elizabeth who celebrates 70 years on the throne, her Platinum Jubilee.
Mum’s sewing shop – which also doubled as the back room of our flat where she and my dad slept – was where all the mothers and sisters would come. They’d bring a magazine image, and she’d work with them to cut something that actually suited them. I loved the way she could pick up a piece of fabric with confidence and cut without a pattern; to this day, I drape on friends. I then have to work backward to adapt to the standard sample-size measurements for production, but it allows me to see what it’s going to look like on the end customer. 
OverDressed for Life 