REFLECTIONS ON ROYAL STYLE

As her new book about the House of Windsor's fashion is released, Justine Picardie tells us about spending time with the late Queen and why the Princess of Wales is her sartorial heir

- LAURA CRAIK

As a former fashion editor, Justine Picardie is no stranger to starry encounters.

A respected author of seven books, including biographies of Coco Chanel and Christian Dior’s younger sister Catherine, she spent years at the summit of the fashion industry. But only one person ever left her lost for words: the late Queen Elizabeth II.

“It’s no exaggeration to say that I felt as though I’d lost the power of speech,” she says, recalling their first meeting at Balmoral in 2010.

“During my time working in fashion [Justine was editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar and features director of Vogue], I got used to doing cover shoots with famous people, so I thought I would be fine. But, meeting her, I realised that she was, without doubt, the most famous woman - if not person – in the world.”

She was also the most singular. “When you meet a celebrity, there’s sometimes a sense that they’re playing a version of themselves. The Queen was always entirely herself. She wasn’t trying to be intimidating or impressive.

“The other thing that I was struck by was her modesty. She really did believe that she was the servant of the people.”

POWER OF COUTURE

The late monarch is one of many royal figures examined in Justine’s eighth book, Fashioning the Crown, a meticulously researched exploration of the importance of clothing and costume to the House of Windsor.

A cinematic story of espionage and exquisite couture, it reveals insights into the lives and work of the designers Sir Hardy Amies, Sir Norman Hartnell and Edward Molyneux, as well as Sir Cecil Beaton, the royal family’s favourite photographer for six decades. Using fashion as a lens, the book explores family feuds and international conflicts, drawing on original research from the royal archives.