In memory of hm queen elizabeth ii 1926-2022

On Thursday 8 September 2022, The Royal Family announced the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In her honour, we thought we'd take a moment to look back over her extraordinary style to see what made Britain's longest serving monarch an icon to so many. The Queen came to throne in the wake of WWII, and as a young princess she was never seen with a strand of her naturally wavy hair out of place, maintaining a perfectly structured style throughout her reign that was always reflective of the time. It is well known that she always had a love of bright colours and statement pieces when it came to fashion, however, Queen Elizabeth II remained recognisable for her perfectly coiffed hairstyle, that some say influenced a generation of young women from her coronation and into their later lives. In her early years her beautiful, brown locks were of varying lengths and The Queen continued to colour her hair, a reportedly 'chocolate kiss' colour, until the early 1990s when she gradually embraced her natural grey hues. That is the lasting image of The Queen that most of us remember today and although her London based, Scottish hairdresser of 23 years, Ian Carmichael, has always loyally never spoken publicly about Her Majesty, it is said that she insisted her hair was entirely symmetrical.

I have to be seen to be believed.

Ian Carmichael, who was awarded a Royal Warrant in 2012 and made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order in 2017 (an honour for personal service to the monarch), would visit The Queen at her residence at least once a week to attend to her hair, a demonstration of her desire to maintain her signature style. Although at first glance Her Majesty's hair appeared to be unchanged and understated, throughout the years it is evident, looking back, that she was determined to be unapologetically herself when it came to her style. As the country mourns for our longest serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, we also celebrate the legacy that she left behind.