The grand opening

The exhibition was opened on 28 August 2015 – what would have been Princess Lilian's 100th birthday. The Queen gave a vivid, personal opening speech.

"We recognise her in the exquisite pastel shades. In the elegant cut. And in the fine details. This is where we find the distinctive sparkle in her eye."

A princess ahead of her time

"Princess Lilian was closely involved in the creation of her clothes. The exhibition allows us to follow the creative process through sketches and correspondence with the designers she worked with. The results can be seen in the treasure trove of craftsmanship displayed here today in the Pillared Hall. In many ways, this high quality work is closely aligned with today's ideals of sustainable design. Here, too, Lilian was a princess ahead of her time."

Images: The Queen and The Prince Couple at the opening of the 'Designs for a Princess – The Lilian Look!' exhibition in 2015. Photos: Alexis Daflos, Henrik Garlöv. Detail of an evening dress. See the full dress on the Designing the 'Lilian look' page. Photo: Sanna Argus Tirén.