This weekend, dresses worn and gifts given to Queen Elizabeth II during her Commonwealth tours are on display at Buckingham Palace to commemorate 60 years of the Commonwealth of Nations.
- AFP
Friday, the Queen was given a preview tour of the exhibit. At one point, she wondered if some of the gifts – such as necklaces made out of sperm whale teeth – should be shown, since today they are considered to be illegal.
Sir Hugh Roberts, director of the Royal Collection, replied to Her Majesty, “Well, I suppose Ma’am, luckily they were given to you long enough ago for that not to be, I think, too much of an issue.”
The Queen laughed and said: “I hope not, it would be awful if somebody comes round and says you’ve got to return them.”
The exhibit features 28 dresses Queen Elizabeth wore during her tours to the Commonwealth since she inherited the British throne in 1952.
“The dresses help the Queen to stand out”, said Caroline de Guitaut, Assistant Curator of the Royal Collection.
“They help her to be visible in large crowds which is why we see so many wonderful colors.
“We also see national emblems incorporated which helps the Queen to pay a compliment to the nation she is visiting and of course they are a source of great interest to the public who always want to know what the Queen will be wearing.”
Elizabeth is the most traveled British sovereign in history. She has made more than 170 visits to Commonwealth countries over the years, making it a third of her travels abroad.
This exhibit would be around until the end of September.
The Commonwealth of Nations is a scion of the British Empire. In 1949, eight countries – Australia, Britain, Canada, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka – signed the Declaration of London, and created the Commonwealth.
About a third of the world’s countries – and a quarter of the global population – are a part of it.
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