From the royal shoulder: what is royal second-hand and why is it more relevant than ever

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For example, the enterprising granddaughter of Elizabeth II, the daughter of the Duke of York, Princess Beatrice, thanks to the treasury of her grandmother the Queen and her extensive wardrobe, saved not only on jewelry, but also on a wedding dress. For her wedding to Edoardo Mapelli-Mozzi at All Saints Chapel at Windsor Castle on July 17, 2020, the bride wore a dress that was twice her age. Queen Elizabeth II wore this stunning dress to the Italian Prime Minister’s State Dinner in 1961 and to the premiere of Lawrence of Arabia at the Odeon in London’s Leicester Square in 1962.

The ivory taffeta dress, trimmed with satin and rhinestones, was not originally conceived by Norman Hartnell – the Queen’s favorite designer – as a wedding dress. Therefore, for Beatrice, it was slightly changed by adding light organza sleeves. It is known that, according to the old English tradition, the bride on her wedding day should be “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.” Princess Diana’s wedding dress designer David Emanuel said Beatrice’s choice could spark a revolution among brides-to-be.

“The fact that a member of the royal family for the first time in history wore a used dress to a wedding could be the beginning of a new trend. Girls will choose the dress itself as “something borrowed,” he said. Add to this the Fringe tiara, which was once the necklace of great-great-grandmother Beatrice Mary of Teck. This jewelry was presented to her by Queen Victoria as a wedding gift. And Queen Mary used to wear necklaces as tiaras. By the way, Elizabeth II also got married in it.

But princesses are looking for not only vintage dresses, but also stylish modern outfits in the wardrobes of older family members. An example could be observed at the end of April in Denmark. In the chapel of Fredensborg Castle on the island of Zeeland, a confirmation ceremony was held, that is, confirmation of the baptism of the Danish princess Isabella. The castle is a residence for the royal family during the spring and autumn seasons and is considered one of the most frequently used residences. Most of the solemn and protocol events are held there. And although the chapel was closed to visitors and journalists at the time of the confirmation of the princess, court photographers snapped a lot of shots from the ceremony. Still, when a family event is held in the royal family, people are interested in every detail.

Observers immediately noticed Queen Matilda of Belgium, who is the godmother of the Danish princess, standing modestly at a distance. They also drew attention to the fact that 15-year-old Isabella has grown to the outfits of her mother, Princess Mary. She was wearing a pantsuit from the Italian brand Max Mara, which Mary wore during her trip to Stockholm in 2017. Different shoes and different brooches on the lapel of the jacket – Isabella has a pearl one, and her mother has a golden flower – did not change anything at all.

Less obvious, but still noticeable, was the arrival of Norwegian Princess Ingrid Alexandra on her 18th birthday in a stylish black Lanvin dress that many found familiar. Journalists quickly got their bearings: in the same dress, her mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, shone in 2004 at a concert dedicated to the Nobel Peace Prize. Unlike other scientific awards that are presented by the King of Sweden in Stockholm, the Peace Prize is awarded in Norway in the presence of the Norwegian monarch and members of his family. The event is not ordinary, gathering the press from all over the world. And given the conspicuous similarity of mother and daughter, only the color of the hair and large unusually shaped earrings make it possible not to confuse the gossip photographs.

The Nobel Prize is always a headache for members of the royal families of Sweden and Norway. It takes place every year. Spouses and daughters of monarchs must attend solemn events in evening dresses. Sooner or later, one of them was supposed to “light up” under the flashes of Nobel photojournalists for the second time. And so it happened with a Nina Ricci satin dress in pastel colors and with a huge pink bow on the back. And those who saw him once on the Swedish Queen Silvia during the award ceremony in Stockholm in 1995 will never forget! Therefore, when Crown Princess Victoria appeared in front of the Nobel Committee in 2018, the dress was instantly recognized by Swedish fashionistas.

But the main veteran of the royal second-hand movement is, without a doubt, the Spanish Queen Letizia. The scarlet dress with puffed sleeves and pleated skirt has already been seen during the National Fashion Industry Awards in 2019. In it, in April, she came to a meeting with the President of Costa Rica. And 40 years ago, her mother-in-law, Queen Sofia, wore it during a visit to Denmark. Fans of the Spanish crown immediately noticed that Letizia completed the look with red suede shoes from Magrit, a Carolina Herrera handbag and ruby ​​and diamond earrings from Spanish designer Aldao. And Queen Sofia in the 80s adorned the dress with a brooch and strings of pearls. Two months ago, Letizia was also seen wearing the Valentino suit her mother-in-law wore in 1977 on a state visit to Germany. This is an ensemble that consists of a lush green floor-length skirt and a delicate pink blouse with a floral print. Letizia adorned him for a diplomatic reception at the Royal Palace in Madrid with a new pink sash.

According to a study by GlobalData, by 2029 the size of the second-hand market will be twice as large as that of the usual “fast fashion”. So clothes from someone else’s shoulder are royal!