Though the robe is part of an exhibition of Elizabeth’s clothes, she was hardly the first to don it. According to the Royal Collection Trust, the robe is 185 years old. It was commissioned by Queen Victoria (Elizabeth II’s great-great-grandmother) in 1841 for the baptism of her eldest daughter, Princess Victoria. An example of fine British craftsmanship of the time, the gown was made from the finest silk available, sourced from Spitalfields in East London, and embellished with fine Honiton lace produced in Devon. Janet Sutherland, Queen Victoria’s Scottish seamstress and “queen’s embroiderer,” personally created the gown.
The garment was passed down from generation to generation within the family. Queen Elizabeth kept a handwritten list, which will also be on display in the exhibition, of those who had worn the robe. This tradition was started by her grandmother, Queen Mary, after the dress had been entrusted to her by Queen Victoria, and only adds to the importance and preciousness of this heirloom.
The list also includes the names of then-Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward, Elizabeth II’s sons, among others, testifying to the history of the garment, which deteriorated some with age.
