8 times British royals sent messages with their fashion choices, from Kate Middleton’s Ukraine blue dress, to Queen Elizabeth’s ‘anti-evil’ tiara worn when meeting Donald Trump

Mar 29 , 2022

Whatever they can’t say, the British royals make up for in their fashion choices. Photos: AFP; @wplucehy, @EllaVandeleur/Twitter

Queen Elizabeth may have trolled Trump by wearing a brooch gifted to her by the Obamas, while Meghan Markle appeared to choose ‘suffragette white’ for International Women’s Day

Middleton was accused of not supporting Time’s Up at the 2018 BAFTAs and Princess Beatrice nodded at an anti-bullying campaign with her bag’s slogan

Whenever a royal steps out for an official function or public appearance, everything from their behaviour to their fashion choices ends up closely scrutinised. And while some royals have gotten backlash for their questionable style, it’s not always about what they’re wearing, but the hidden messages behind the outfits. Royals can’t express political opinions publicly, but they may send subtle messages with their clothing.

Here are eight times British royals might have been sending sartorial political messages …

1. Queen Elizabeth wore a tiara that guards against “evil” for Donald Trump’s 2019 visit to the UK

Former US President Donald Trump and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth raise their glasses to make a toast at the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace in London, Britain, in June 2019. Photo: Reuters

Queen Elizabeth wore her Burmese Ruby Tiara to a state dinner at Buckingham Palace with Donald Trump. The tiara contains 96 rubies that were given to the queen as a gift from the people of Myanmar.

According to the Royal Exhibitions website, the Burmese people believe that the rubies in the tiara guard against “illness” and “evil”, and Twitter users were quick to note the possible message she was sending with her tiara choice to dine with Trump.

“The queen wore her Burmese Ruby Tiara to protect herself from evil during Trump’s visit and I am cackling,” one user wrote.

“Queen Elizabeth is a hero,” another user tweeted. “I adore her for her trolling Trump skills through the medium of jewellery.”

2. The queen may have been sending Trump a message with her brooches for his first visit in 2018

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth speaks to former first lady Melania Trump, as former US President Donald Trump looks on as they stand on the dais in the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, in July 2018. Photo: AP Photo

On the first day of President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump’s visit to the UK in 2018, Queen Elizabeth wore a brooch given to her by Barack and Michelle Obama.

When she actually met with Trump, she wore a brooch that her mother wore to her father’s funeral, which some people thought could be a subtle sign of the queen’s opinion of the president.