Buckingham Palace has never known such a box-office success. ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ is the hottest ticket in town and the most visited exhibition in the Royal Collection Trust’s history. The display of hundreds of the late Queen’s dresses and other garments was scheduled to run from April to October 2026. Due to popular demand, the exhibition has been prolonged until April 2027. ‘We are delighted to extend its run, ensuring that even more people from across the UK and around the world will have the chance to experience this once-in-a-generation tribute,’ explained Tim Knox, Director of the Royal Collection.

It’s been a long time since a president touched the hearts of the French

It’s been a long time since a president touched the hearts of the French

In reporting the extension, the French newspaper Le Figaro said it was proof that ‘Queen Elizabeth II continues to fascinate as much as ever’. Nowhere more so than in France. My daughter visited the exhibition on the first Saturday of this month and reported that the King’s Gallery was teeming with French tourists. The exhibition has been heavily plugged in the French media, from newspapers to radio and television stations.

So fascinated are the French by the late Queen that they even run their own exhibitions. The city of Caen hosted a tribute to Elizabeth this summer in the Abbey of Saint-Étienne (founded in 1063 by William the Conqueror), which was a roaring success. ‘Elizabeth II: Return to William’s Abbey’ in Caen offered what Paris Match described as a ‘unique retrospective on the woman who has come to symbolise elegance and enduring legacy’.

The exhibition........

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