Elizabeth and Margaret in 1946. (Image: Lisa Sheridan/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Hillsborough Castle in is being transformed to host garments created for many high-profile members of the Royal Family – including the late and her sister . Other outfits are also on show including those worn by the Queen Mother and sketches for dresses to be worn by the late .
The exhibition titled ‘Royal Style in the Making’ aims to tell the story of the working relationship between a designer and a royal. The curator, Claudia Acott Williams, told the : “Visitors will gain an intimate perspective on the design process, from initial sketches to finished garment, that helped define the visual identity of the Royal Family over the past century.”
is a grand Georgian estate and royal residence in Northern Ireland, just 20 minutes outside Belfast, it is set in 100 acres and is open to the public.
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The iconic dress Queen Elizabeth wore on a state visit to Bahrain in 1979 is on display. (Image: Anwar Hussein/Getty Images)
Princess Margaret was known for her impeccable style. (Image: Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images))
One displayed item is a salmon-pink silk chiffon dress with bat-wing sleeves, She wore it as part of her state visit to Bahrain in 1979 and also to a film premiere in London.
The curator said: “I think she [Queen Elizabeth II] does start to make bolder choices in the 1970s and Hardy Aimes is quite an important person in helping shepherd her through that.”
to a charity event at London’s Mansion House in July 1964.
Letters from Queen Elizabeth II to Norman Hartnell are displayed as part of the exhibition showing the direct line of communication between the royal women and designers. Similarly with Princess Diana, sketches by David Sassoon are on display with her handwritten notes.
Don’t miss… [EXCLUSIVE]
A showstopper ✨ This 18th century-style ballgown was designed for Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. See this gown in Royal Style in the Making at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens!??????️ © 2nd Earl of Snowdon and Lady Sarah Chatto
— Hillsborough Castle and Gardens (@HillsCastle)
Another highlight of the exhibition and on display is a full-sized working pattern for a completed gown which would be worn by Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) at the in 1937 at .
The curator added: “I hope this exhibition shows the thought, research, craftsmanship that goes into these gowns. They are created by the greatest crafts people that Britain has to offer.
“We are all familiar with these women and with what they wear but what we wanted to understand more about the people who were dressing them and about how those relationships worked.”
You can view the exhibition from March 15, 2025 – January 4, 2026.