The Platinum Jubilee: the Coronation Dress of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II; Emblems

Sketch | Hartnell

https://www.royal.uk/platinum-jubilee-central-weekend

An excerpt from the autobiography of Sir Norman Hartnell, KCVO (1901-1979), designer and dressmaker to the British royal family, regarding the Coronation dress of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the emblems represented thereon.

  • England. The Tudor Rose, embroidered in palest pink silk, pearls, gold and silver bullion and rose diamonds.
  • Scotland. The Thistle, embroidered in pale mauve silk and amethysts. The calyx was embroidered in reseda green silk, silver thread and diamond dewdrops.
  • Ireland. The Shamrock, embroidered in soft green silk, silver thread bullion and diamonds.
  • Wales. The Leek, embroidered in white silk and diamonds with the leaves in palest green silk.
  • Canada. The Maple Leaf, in green silk embroideries, bordered with gold bullion thread and veined in crystal.
  • Australia. The Wattle flower, in mimosa yellow blossom with the foliage in green and gold thread.
  • New Zealand. The Fern, in soft green silk veined with silver and crystal.
  • South Africa. The Protea, in shaded pink silk, each petal bordered with silver thread. The leaves of shaded green silk and embellished with rose diamonds.
  • India. The Lotus flower, in mother-of-pearl embroidered petals, seed pearls and diamonds.
  • Pakistan. Wheat, cotton and jute. The wheat was in oat-shaped diamonds and fronds of golden crystal, the jute in a spray of leaves of green silk and golden thread, and the cotton blossom with stalks of silver and leaves of green silk.
  • Ceylon. The Lotus flower, in opals, mother-of-pearl, diamonds and soft green silk.

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