Late Queen's Fashion to Go on Show at Buckingham Palace

The exhibition is to show off some 200 items of clothing queen Elizabeth II wore over the course of her 96 years. Chris Jackson / Chris Jackson Collection/Getty Images/AFP/File
The exhibition is to show off some 200 items of clothing queen Elizabeth II wore over the course of her 96 years. Chris Jackson / Chris Jackson Collection/Getty Images/AFP/File
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Late Queen's Fashion to Go on Show at Buckingham Palace

The exhibition is to show off some 200 items of clothing queen Elizabeth II wore over the course of her 96 years. Chris Jackson / Chris Jackson Collection/Getty Images/AFP/File
The exhibition is to show off some 200 items of clothing queen Elizabeth II wore over the course of her 96 years. Chris Jackson / Chris Jackson Collection/Getty Images/AFP/File

Buckingham Palace will next year host an unprecedented exhibition highlighting the fashion legacy left by the late queen Elizabeth II during her 70-year reign.

"The wardrobe of her late majesty is a snapshot of a very long life, a life of duty, and in so many ways it's a time capsule," said UK designer Erdem Moralioglu.

"It captures a very specific and important moment in history."

The exhibition "Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style" will display some 200 items of clothing she wore over the course of her 96 years, half of which have never been exhibited before, the Royal Collection said in a statement Tuesday.

There will also be some sketches, some with annotations by the designers and even the late queen herself.

Moralioglu, along with fashion designers Richard Quinn and Christopher Kane, will contribute pieces to the exhibition which opens at The King's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, in April.

Elizabeth's style and her promotion of British culture had "a huge impact on British fashion," said Quinn.

"The ultimate stamp of approval: she always shone a light on British designers, highlighting the relevance and significance of British fashion across the world."

Kane added that "her garments tell the story of Britain and its changing identity through fashion".

Among the items on display will be an apple-green evening gown designed by Norman Hartnell and worn for a state banquet given at the UK embassy in Washington in 1957 for then president Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The queen's wedding dress and her coronation gown, both also designed by Hartnell will be on view, along with a bridesmaid's dress she wore in 1934.

There will be practical tailored pieces from the queen's private wardrobe including riding clothes and distinctive scarves.

One unusual item is a clear plastic raincoat made by the couturier Hardy Amies in the 1960s, which was "strikingly modern for the era," the Royal Collection said.

"Queen Elizabeth II's wardrobe was a masterclass in symbolism, tailoring and British craftsmanship," said curator Caroline de Guitaut.

Tickets for the exhibition, which will run from April 10 to October 18, 2026, go on sale from Tuesday.

Elizabeth died in September 2022.



H&M's Q1 Profit Grows More Than Expected, Sees March Sales Up 1%

FILE PHOTO: A Swedish flag hangs outside a business on a street of the old city of Stockholm, Sweden, February 24, 2024. REUTERS/Tom Little/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A Swedish flag hangs outside a business on a street of the old city of Stockholm, Sweden, February 24, 2024. REUTERS/Tom Little/File Photo
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H&M's Q1 Profit Grows More Than Expected, Sees March Sales Up 1%

FILE PHOTO: A Swedish flag hangs outside a business on a street of the old city of Stockholm, Sweden, February 24, 2024. REUTERS/Tom Little/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A Swedish flag hangs outside a business on a street of the old city of Stockholm, Sweden, February 24, 2024. REUTERS/Tom Little/File Photo

Swedish fashion retailer H&M reported on Thursday a slightly bigger rise than expected in December-February operating profit, and predicted March sales would be up 1% in local currencies.

"Towards the end of the quarter our well-received spring collections contributed to a positive sales trend, which also continued into March," CEO Daniel Erver said in a statement.

Operating profit in H&M's fiscal first quarter, ⁠which includes the key ⁠Christmas shopping period, rose for a third consecutive quarter to 1.51 billion crowns ($162 million) from a year-earlier 1.20 billion and a mean forecast in an LSEG poll of analysts of 1.39 billion, on an organic sales decrease of 1%.

The rival ⁠to Inditex in January flagged that local-currency sales in the first two months of the quarter were down 2%.

According to Reuters, H&M said it is closely monitoring developments in the Middle East and the implications for global trade.

"With good flexibility in the supply chain and a low proportion of air freight, there are opportunities to adapt the flow of goods to changed conditions," it said. "Middle Eastern markets account for a ⁠small portion ⁠of the company’s total sales and the markets are operated through franchise partners."

On February 28, the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iran. Iran has in response launched strikes against Israel, US bases and Gulf states.

It has attacked vessels and infrastructure throughout the Gulf region and effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, hitting global supply chains and causing soaring energy costs, raising concern over war-driven inflation and potential impact on consumer demand.


Next Says UK Sales Have Held Up Since Iran War Started

Women tour a popular outdoor shopping mall in Beijing, China, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Women tour a popular outdoor shopping mall in Beijing, China, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
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Next Says UK Sales Have Held Up Since Iran War Started

Women tour a popular outdoor shopping mall in Beijing, China, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Women tour a popular outdoor shopping mall in Beijing, China, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

British clothing retailer Next has not seen a noticeable drop off in UK sales since the US-Israeli war on Iran started at the end of February, its boss said on Thursday.

"Eight weeks, ⁠including the war ⁠weeks, have been good in the UK," CEO Simon Wolfson told Reuters after Next published full-year ⁠results.

He said sales in the Middle East, which account for about 6% of the group's annual turnover, fell "dramatically" in the first few days of the war and demand remains "suppressed.”

Wolfson said if ⁠Next ⁠did have to raise prices around June or July to make up for higher costs caused by the war, the increases would only be 1% to 2%.


Primark to Open First Dubai Store

A woman speaks on her mobile phone as she browses a shop for new clothes ahead of the start of the Eid al-Fitr festival in Dubai on March 16, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
A woman speaks on her mobile phone as she browses a shop for new clothes ahead of the start of the Eid al-Fitr festival in Dubai on March 16, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
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Primark to Open First Dubai Store

A woman speaks on her mobile phone as she browses a shop for new clothes ahead of the start of the Eid al-Fitr festival in Dubai on March 16, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
A woman speaks on her mobile phone as she browses a shop for new clothes ahead of the start of the Eid al-Fitr festival in Dubai on March 16, 2026. (Photo by AFP)

Budget fashion retailer Primark has confirmed it will press ahead with opening its first Dubai store on Thursday despite the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran, during which the emirate has been hit by Iranian missiles and drones.

Primark, owned by London-listed Associated British Foods, and its ⁠franchise partner Alshaya ⁠Group will open the store in Dubai Mall.

Primark and Alshaya plan to open two more stores in Dubai - at City Centre ⁠Mirdif in April and Mall of the Emirates in May.

Dubai's malls have seen a sharp fall in visitors since the Iran war began, reflecting a collapse in tourism.

Primark and Alshaya plan to open stores in Bahrain and Qatar by ⁠the ⁠end of the year.

Primark entered the Middle East with a store in Kuwait in October last year.

As of the end of January, Primark traded from about 475 stores in 18 countries across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and the US.