QUEEN OF CANADA

Her late Majesty adored us - and the feeling was mutual! Here, we look back on our favourite fashion moments from seven glorious decades

- SUZANNE WINTROB

Ever since King George VI and Queen Elizabeth's visit in 1939 - the first by a British reigning monarch - Canada has been a special place for the Royal Family, and their elder daughter felt it most deeply of all.

"My mother once said this country felt like a home away from home for the Queen of Canada," Elizabeth II declared in Halifax in 2010, on what would be her final Canadian tour. “I am delighted to report that it still does.”

Actions often speak louder than words, and over the course of 22 visits in almost 70 years, her Majesty showed her appreciation for the people of Canada not just with her speeches, smiles and waves but with her wardrobe choices, too. No matter where she went or what the weather, fans in the thousands flocked to the streets to bask in her aura and admire her seemingly never-ending array of colourful outfits, jaunty hats and sparkling jewels.

Contrary to Her late Majesty's reserved reputation, she enjoyed playing dressup. “The Queen loves clothes and is a real expert on fabrics,” royal stylist-turned-designer Angela Kelly who served the monarch until her death in September 2022 – once told the Telegraph. “It’s not been a question of me teaching the Queen – it’s been the other way around.”

Here, we look back on some of Elizabeth II’s many standout style moments in Canada. Vibrant hues are the Queen's go-to whenever she's out and about, famously saying, 'I can never wear beige because nobody will know who I am.' Here, the monarch wears a polka-dot suit in Montreal, where she officially opened the 1976 Summer Olympic Games.