This is a royal style choice shrouded in tradition.
When it comes to Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on Monday, September 19, viewers around the world should expect the royal family to wear military uniforms, suits and black outfits — but another piece of their mourning attire is shrouded in hundreds of years of history. .
Whether it was the long black veils the Queen and Queen Mother wore to King George VI’s funeral in 1952 or the shorter, netted style Kate Middleton wore during Prince Philip’s service in 2021, the mourning veil exists. for generations.
The accessory can be seen as a Victorian tradition – after all, Queen Victoria wore a veil for the rest of her life after the death of her beloved husband, Prince Albert.
However, the custom can be traced back long before that, as royal historian Jessica Storoschuk of An Historian About Town told Vidak For Congress Style.
“The tradition of mourning veils dates back several centuries and has a basis in monastic dress,” she said, adding that the piece “was often considered to be ‘armor’ and would protect their grief from the public.”
Storoschuk, who also serves as a reporter for Royal Central, explained that “the length and style of the veil has changed over the years”, and more modern veils are “often shorter and made of transparent materials”.
“The Princess of Wales’s veil at Westminster Hall was quite short and of black gauze, reflecting the current practice of ‘muted’ veils, if worn at all,” the historian said.
For example, the Queen, Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother wore all-black veils to mourn their father and husband King George VI in 1952, and Wallis Simpson did the same when her husband, the Duke of Windsor (formerly King Edward VIII) passed away. in 1972.
Decades later, a smaller veiled hat is more commonly seen—and while modern royal women don’t always choose one (Queen Elizabeth II, for example, didn’t wear a veil at Prince Philip’s funeral)—we’ll likely have some of the relatives wearing the accessory for the service. from Monday, albeit at a more restrained level.
Elegant black hats with mesh, like the style Middleton wore to Prince Philip’s funeral in 2021 or at today’s service at Westminster Hall to start the Queen in state, are a solid bet for the late monarch’s funeral.
Meghan Markle has also worn a subtle veiled hat to a commemorative event in the past, donning a stunning navy blue style for the 91st Field of Remembrance service at Westminster Abbey in 2019.
Along with veils, expect pearl jewelry to appear at the funeral.
From the brooch and earrings of the Princess of Wales today to the four-strand chokers of the Queen Consort, members of the royal family have worn the late monarch’s gem to bid her farewell.
Queen Elizabeth II – who died on September 8, 2022 at the age of 96 – will be buried on Monday, September 19.