Fashioning the Crown: A Story of Power, Conflict, and Couture

by Justine Picardie

The fascinating story of a tumultuous half-century of British history as seen through royal fashion and image-making, taking the reader behind the glamour and mystique of the Crown.

Fashioning the Crown tells the story of a tumultuous half-century of British history through the lens of royal fashion and image-making. Informed by Justine Picardie's entirely original research in the Royal Archives, as well her own interactions with Elizabeth II and her family, it will reveal how, from the outbreak of the First World War to 1960, the soft power of clothing played a crucial role in helping the Royal Family, and the nation, to navigate seismic changes and challenges.

Justine will take us behind the glamor and mystique of the Crown, introducing us afresh to three generations of royals, including the glamorous Queen Mary; the Chanel-wearing young flapper who would become the Queen Mother; and the little Princess Lillibet, already setting fashion trends at the age of three. Justine will reveal the crucial importance of image-making in an era of abdications and assassinations, and amidst the rise of revolutions and fascism. She will also uncover the fascinating, little-known lives of the couturiers behind the clothes.

Figures like Hardy Amies, Edward Molyneux and Norman Hartnell had secrets that they kept in the shadows—from their sexuality, to their work in espionage—even as they dressed some of the most recognizable figures in the world. Fashioning the Crown will present a secretive institution in a captivating new light.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Royalty, Fashion

464 pages, Hardcover

Published February 24, 2026

About the author

Justine Picardie is a British novelist, fashion writer and biographer. She is the editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar UK and Town & Country UK. Her 2010 biography of Coco Chanel (“Coco Chanel: The Legend & the Life”) was shortlisted for the Galaxy National Book Awards.

Her eldest son is Jamie MacColl, the guitarist for Bombay Bicycle Club.

Ruth Picardie was her sister.

Reviews

[Helen Haythornthwaite]

4.5⭐️
I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this book, and how interesting I found it. I had planned to read it a chapter at a time, in between reading other books, but I quickly became engrossed in it and didn’t want to put it down.

The author has previously been Editor-in-Chief of ‘Harper’s Bazaar’ and ‘Town and Country’, as well as features director for ‘Vogue’ and editor of the ‘Observer’ magazine. She has also written about three iconic women - Daphne du Maurier, Coco Chanel and Catherine Dior (sister of the fashion Designer Christian Dior).

In writing this book, Justine has used her expertise in writing, and fashion, to create a very different and intriguing account of the royal family from Queen Victoria’s reign up to, and including, Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.

It’s a very insightful account, peppered with quotes from letters, memoirs, diaries and the author’s own recollection of her visits to royal residences. The inclusion of clothing and fashion, including fashion designers, adds another dimension which I really warmed to as it’s a topic I’ve previously been unfamiliar with.

I was particularly fascinated by the chapters detailing the relationship between Edward (VIII) and Wallis Simpson, and the subsequent coronation of George VI. I’ve only previously read snippets about this time in history so I found this such a riveting read.

I was also intrigued by the chapters which explored the lives of two men who had previously been involved in ‘the arts’ before joining the war efforts - one as an SOE (Special Operations Executive) agent who was captured, and one who led part of the resistance efforts and assisted during the liberation of Brussels. One of them later painted the Queen Mother, and one became a royal dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth II.

Alongside this compelling narrative are a myriad of photos which show members of the royal family and their associates; and many of the photos I’ve never seen before. The photos are in black in white, as that was the medium used then, but the intricate descriptions of the attire, including the colours, help to bring these even more to life.


I was sent a proof copy of this book, by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Dodi]

If you're planning to read Fashioning the Crown, I recommend the print version because it's packed with photographs. I was expecting more fashion and couture; Justine Picardie includes a lot of history along with royal style. Queen Elizabeth's mother, the Queen Mother (so called because they are both named Elizabeth) was unfamiliar to me. I liked learning about her and all her pink things. Wallis Simpson, a central figure in the book, reminded me of the royals I don't like. It's hard for me to understand why she was a popular figure. She seemed to wield fashion as power, and had piles of money lavished on her. She famously owned many expensive pieces of jewelry. A flamingo brooch she was gifted from her husband later sold for over $2 million at auction. As a couple the duke and duchess are despicable, meeting with Hitler during WW2, referring to royals derogatorily in correspondence, smuggling currency, obstructing a murder investigation (for a friend), possibly leaking allied military information (he hoped Germany would help restore him to the throne), and looting valuable family heirlooms. Most of the information about Queen Elizabeth II was familiar; it was still fun to read about her. The royal family and their image makers tell a story of England's monarchy.

[Colleen]

Another look at the British royal family and the first half of the 1900s, this time through the prism of fashion and image-making. Personally, I found the cover and title slightly misleading - Elizabeth II is a secondary focus here, with the book ending at her coronation. Picardie is looking at the image legacy Elizabeth inherited, not what she created as queen, though I suppose we can hope for a sequel.

Most of the book examines the abdication, this time comparing and contrasting the public images of the reigning and abdicated couples. The interconnections between both sides of the family were surprising - many of the same designers, jewelers, and photographers created opposing personas which still shape the way we view them all these years later. Picardie wanders through the years, cherrypicking an interesting item - a dress, a necklace, etc - and doing a deep dive, examining the biography of the designer, the events surrounding its creation, and the situations it was worn in.

The approach highlights Picardie's strengths, her background in the fashion world and her personal connections lend her writing a confidential tone and familiarity that prevents confusion over what she doesn't cover as she bounces between the couples and the years. I would have liked more focus on one or the other, between either couples or courts and couture. There are too many interesting threads here, all deserving their own book - the surprising overlap in careers between fashion designer and resistance work is something I'd like to see more of.

[Jennie]

This book was well written and had some interesting history that I didn't previously know and I liked that aspect of it. Otherwise, this was a strange book. It was kind of all over the place in terms of the chapter structure and who/what was being written about and the fashion aspect was really just listing a bunch of the outfits that some of the royal family wore. The connection of fashion and history was a bit half connected. Also, the author's bias was a bit too clear especially when concerning the former King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson. There was a lot of "they sympathized with and met many Nazis; they were rude, entitled, and thought King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were dowdy and boring; but they were chic and fashionable and regretted that they weren't powerful anymore so they were okay people!" Which is overall just an insane take on their behavior. I did like that there were a lot of pictures, but there wasn't consistently a picture to match the description of some outfits and jewels the author spent a lot of time talking about which felt odd. Overall, I'd call this more of a flanker book to read if you wanted to learn more about the Windsor family. There's plenty other books that are more informative and consistent concerning history and character.

[Catherine Jeffrey]

Well researched and full of little snippets of information. I did expect it to concentrate more on the fashion of the late Queen given the cover picture.

[Well of Lost Books]

An unexpectedly wild and utterly fascinating read.

I picked this up expecting crowns, gowns, and the occasional royal fashion disaster. I was not prepared for couture to moonlight as diplomacy, propaganda, and espionage.

Fashioning the Crown is far more than a history of what the royals wore. It explores how clothing shaped public perception, reinforced power, influenced international relations, and even provided the perfect cover for spies. It's a fascinating reminder that fashion has never been just about looking good—it has always been about sending a message.

[False]

Read this knowing I am not reviewing the book but rather leaving notes and asides to remind me of my readings year to year. Much of my prolific reading was lost from childhood on, but perhaps today’s children can use the tools now available and be more vigorous in their record keeping.

Author Justine Picardie had access to some amazing resources in her researching this book. Her years spent with investigative journalism pays off as she attacks the subject of fashion, not just sourcing the garments themselves, but also family history of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Battenberg families, the major players in the royal household up through the Coronation of Elizabeth II. You cannot overlook the women who came before Elizabeth and how they own tastes carried forth in contemporary times, not just their fashions but their jewels, their roles in the Royal Family and how things can change for that person in a blink--from Queen to Queen Mother to the Dowager Queen. Anyone who has watched the television series "The Crown" should remember a bedridden Queen Mary lecturing a serving girl on those identifiers when she says "Which Queen?" (Which was beautifully played by Eileen Atkins.)

From the birth of the house of Windsor in 1917, its leading women - Queen Mary, the Queen Mother, the Duchess of Windsor and Queen Elizabeth II - faced the perils of abdication and assassination, revolution and the rise of fascism, the threat of invasion and all-out war. Their sartorial decisions, alongside those of their royal husbands, projected power and perpetuity, diplomacy and defiance. There is a surprising amount of attention given to Wallis Simpson and how her relationship with the heir apparent, her divorces, her questionable past (which people still comment on these many decades later.) The fascist right in Britain and cuddling up with Hitler.

In this cinematic story of espionage and exquisite couture, Justine Picardie reveals the undercover lives of the creators behind the facade - including Hardy Amies, Cecil Beaton, Norman Hartnell and Edward Molyneux - and traces the ways in which visual iconography safeguarded the monarchy, even when their reign seemed to be hanging by a thread. Drawing on research conducted in the Royal Archives and her own experiences at Balmoral, Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace, Picardie explores the family feuds and international conflicts that challenged the Crown, and how royal fashion has long been wielded as a weapon.

Princess Diana was such a fashion icon in her own time, it is surprising that the author ended the book with Elizabeth II. I learned just a few months ago in reading a biography of Pamela Churchill Hayward Harriman, that La Grande Courtesean of her age would hang around Wallis the Duchess of Windsor for etiquette tips and fashion advice. One of the few women that Wallis let into her life. I read an interview with the author just a few days ago where she stated she bypassed Diana by choice as she thought it would throw the theme and balance of the book off--given her fashion growth and popularity. Probably a good call.

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews]

Thanks to Edelweiss and Pegasus Books for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Fashioning the Crown is just the sort of book on the Royal Family that I love. It’s a look back at the females in the family and how the dressed and who dressed them. The years covered include Queen Victoria, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, and Queen Elizabeth II. Of course, no mention of the Queen Mum would be complete without a comparison to the Duchess of Windsor. And that’s what made the book for me.

The majority of the book explores the catfight between the Queen Mother and Wallis, the Duchess of Windsor. The dynamics of their “relationship” make for a juicy read. The parallel of their lives casts a glance at how each woman used fashion for political and societal reasons. There was Queen Elizabeth, the slightly round, jolly on the surface, motherly woman who dressed in pinks with frills. Then, there was Wallis, the Duchess, who was thin and angular, who wore sleek and slim clothes to accent her boyish figure. Both women also wore gobs of jewels.

The author, Justine Picardie, has the perfect resume to write this book about the fashions and how the women of the Royal Family used fashion to convey a message to the public. This exploration of this part of the Royal Family’s “secret history” was enlightening. Whole new generations of Royal Family watchers because of Netflix’s The Crown will enjoy this book.

[Kidlitter]

Deep dive into the particulars of women's fashion in the Royal family, exemplified by the work Norman Hartnell did for multiple members, especially the Elizabeths, mother and daughter. Picardie is NOT interested in later generations so no Kate or Megan gossip or even Diana but lots on Wallis. The analyses on how the Queens in the age of public consumption controlled their image with Hartnell's help to be the epitome of conservative feminine power gave me chills as a product of a split Anglo-household with differing views of royalty. My grandmother couldn't have cared lesser in working class Scotland before the war but became a quiet supporter when the then Queen toured around bomb sites, including her residence Buckingham Palace looking like a pastel stuffed chintz chair. My mum, an emigre in Canada, thrilled to the Queen's steadfast duty and continuing appearances in some very hideous outfits she wore with a pained expression. My father, an Australian artist hated the lot and ranted outside the gates of Buckingham Palace about all the art they owned that the public was barred from seeing. He thought them all grafters and us fools for putting up with them. Yet here I am reading this book and learning about Hartnell's tripe life as a designer, spy and gay around town.

[Kunni Biener]

This author never seemed to figure4 out her point. Was this a book about fashion? While the title put this last, the book was primarily about fashion, and the self-aggrandizement of the author. She was happy to point out her personal connection (through her husband) to the royal family. Only occasionally did the author talk about the connection of fashion to the image both the Queen Mother and QEII intended to convey. Honestly not worth reading.

[Stuart Miller]

An entertaining look at the British monarchy and its use of fashion to project its values to advance certain attitudes and goals. Includes some stunning Cecil Beacon photographs of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Queen Elizabeth II (unfortunately only in black and white) not to mention some stunning photos of the Duchess of Windsor in designer gowns and some fabulous jewelry.

[Tannis]

I was disappointed in this book. There was so much drivel to slog through: a whole chapter on two dolls gifted to England from France, for example. I wished for more pictures and less speculation on the sexual proclivities of various designers. Also, too much print time was given to the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson. They should not even have been in the book at all.

[Linzi]

I think this might be my favourite royal book and I’ve read a lot!! Brilliantly researched and beautifully written! I loved the detail and stories around Beaton, Amies and Hartnell and the inclusion of diary entries from key people! Wonderful!! I’d love to read a follow up book featuring more recent royals too!

[Melanie Brown]

Loved the book. Interesting the role fashion plays in society. Makes me want to find out more about Beaton, Amie’s and others mentioned.

Always interested in fashion and the monarchy so a much enjoyed read.

[Tara Behrmann]

A heavy read but very interesting. Was gifted the book (chosen by my little girl because I love all things The Queen!) and not my normal read. Very detailed, LOTS more info than I could process but immensely interesting.

[Amanda Holmes]

A lovely book full of history as well as fashion. It’s not quite what I expected but I thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless. Poignant at times and funny at others, the history mixed with how fashion shapes perception was easy to read and very interesting.

[Micky Byrd]

This was definitely a very engaging book, but focused a lot on family drama and the historical events of the family with minimal focus on the fashions of that time, which I thought would be the bulk of the material.

[Miranda Vilar Bailey]

An invigorating deep dive into the relationship between clothing and world events. The cover is misleading. Picardie largely analyzes the sartorial choices of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and Wallis, Duchess of Windsor. A fascinating study in contrasts. Ostrich feathers and spangles vs. pristine severity. Given the focus on these figures, it is surprising there is not much said about Mainbocher or Elizabeth Handley-Seymour. As the first American couturier, Mainbocher is deserving of a biography of his own. Handley-Seymour remains a shadowy figure in analyses of The Queen Mother's style. Unlike the portraits of Hartnell and Schiaparelli, one doesn't get the sense of what they were like and how they related to their clients. Compared to Picardie's previous book Miss Dior, Fashioning the Crown is more coherent, less tangential. Picardie is most effective when discussing Hardy Amies. It is in the story of Amies that the threads of couture, espionage, and monarchy coalesce and make the book come alive. Unfortunately, the photographs are in black and white, which makes the visual experience less enjoyable. Yet the main point, that monarchy evolves in response to crises, remains true.