Why the Queen always wears gloves – and other odd royal fashion quirks

Whether it’s a standard royal engagement or a formal state banquet, the Queen always wears a pair of gloves for an outing. For occasions where dressing up is required, the Queen often opts for full-length gloves that go past her elbows. For going out and about, the Queen normally wears a shorter black or white pair.

In the 1970s glovemaker Cornelia James was granted a Royal Warrant, and many of the Queen’s pairs are crafted by the company.

According to Genevieve James, Creative Director of Cornelia James, the Queen always wears gloves for two key reasons.

She previously told GoodHousekeeping.com: “The Queen wears gloves because they’ve always been part of her style.

“The mind’s eye picture of the Queen is the white-gloved hand waving.”

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She added: “They’re number one: style. Number two: practical.

“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.

Kate Middleton has also followed this royal precedent and she often wears gloves that match the colours of her outfits.

Another fashion quirk the Queen adheres to relates to her famous handbags.

The Queen favours bags from the brand Launer and she likes a design with a long handle so she can easily reach into the bag’s contents.

But according to royal experts, the Queen’s handbag also serves as a secret code for her staff.

Royal historian Hugo Vickers once told People Magazine: “It would be very worrying if you were talking to The Queen and saw the handbag move from one hand to the other.

The Queen is thought to be a fan of colour-blocking her outfits for an important reason.

The Queen’s daughter-in-law Sophie, Countess of Wessex once commented in a TV documentary: “She needs to stand out for people to be able to say ‘I saw the Queen’.

“Don’t forget that when she turns up somewhere, the crowds are two, three, four, 10, 15 deep, and someone wants to be able to say they saw a bit of the Queen’s hat as she went past.”