Three books that show how power dressing has helped shape the modern monarchy
Bertie: A Life of Edward VII by Jane Ridley (2012)
This wonderfully entertaining royal biography not only explores the murky scandals surrounding the “playboy prince” but also reveals his talent for diplomacy and, in due course, kingship (he ruled from 1901 until his death in 1910). His lifelong dandyism – and the fashions set by his beautiful wife, Alexandra – are intriguing reminders that the crown has long relied on sartorial messaging to express progress as well as power and prestige. Hence Bertie’s rejection of his father’s strait-laced Victorian attire and introduction of a more informal dress code at Sandringham, including the soft tweed turned-up trousers that he wore to walk through the fields of his country estate.
Henry “Chips” Channon: The Diaries Vols 1-3 edited by Simon Heffer (2021-2022)
As a friend of Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, “Chips” Channon had an insider’s view of the affair that led to the abdication of 1936, as well as providing a running commentary on their glamorous outfits and the jewels that, as king and subsequently Duke of Windsor, Edward lavished on his mistress. The couple’s ugly pro-Nazi views emerge amid all the glittering gossip, suggesting the links between a polished version of modernist fashion with the aesthetics of fascism. Channon’s diaries are a timely reminder, too, that the modern crown emerged from an existential crisis that threatened its very survival.
The Diaries by Cecil Beaton (1922-1974)
Cecil Beaton’s first four volumes of diaries, recording events from 1922-1955, revealed the myriad threads that bound together the house of Windsor and the realm of 20th-century fashion, as each emerged in the aftermath of the first world war. Undeniably spiteful, Beaton was also an insightful observer, and as the chosen photographer of several generations of Windsors played a crucial role in reinventing royal dress codes, imagery and iconography.
Justine Picardie’s Fashioning the Crown: A Story of Power, Conflict and Couture is published by Faber (£25). Order a copy from The Observer Shop for £21.25. Delivery charges may apply
Photograph by of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor circa 1942 by Ivan Dmitri/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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