Queen Elizabeth II made a bold sartorial choice when the wedding of her third child, Prince Andrew, took place 39 years ago, that she never made again. The late Queen famously wore a shade of blue to the first weddings of her three eldest children, Princess Anne, King Charles, and Prince Andrew, as well as her sister, Princess Margaret’s wedding.
In 1960, the late monarch went for a light blue ensemble to attend Princess Margaret’s wedding to Antony Armstrong-Jones, who later became the Earl of Snowdon. The monarch then wore a royal blue shade for the Princess Royal’s wedding to Captain Mark Phillips in 1973.
In 1981, she opted for blue again, this time in a bright shade, for then-Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer’s lavish wedding.
Five years later, the Queen chose blue again, this time in a periwinkle shade, to attend the wedding of her third child, Prince Andrew to Sarah Ferguson.
However, after all the first marriages of her children, as well as her sister’s, ended up in divorce, the late monarch was not seen attending a wedding in blue ever again.
Blue is a shade favoured by royals regularly. Queen Camilla is known for her love of the colour, while the Wales family are regularly seen sporting it at various events.
However, the late monarch opted for different colours when attending other weddings after 1986.
People Magazine previously reported that the late Queen’s fondness for the colour blue “proved to be a bad omen”.
The outlet wrote: “Blue seemed to be a favourite hue of the Queen when she was a guest at a close family member’s wedding…even though it turned out to be a bad omen.”
In 1992, when the Princess Royal married her second husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, the mother of the bride wore a forest green ensemble.
For the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh’s (then the Earl and Countess of Wessex) wedding in 1999, the late Queen opted for a lilac outfit, and while she didn’t attend the civil ceremony of King Charles and Queen Camilla in 2005, she did show up in ivory at the religious blessing and reception afterwards.
For her grandchildren, Prince William and Prince Harry’s wedding in 2011 and 2018, she opted for bright yellow and lime outfits, respectively.