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British Royals

One of Elizabeth II’s most striking style moments brought back unexpectedly by Royal Family

By
3rd July 2025

With 70s style starting a revival this summer, the Royal Family has joined the trend and recalled one of Queen Elizabeth II’s most striking looks from that decade.

As King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived at St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh to unveil a stone memorial to the late Monarch, they released some photos of Elizabeth II at the famous church. And leading the pack was an almost forgotten image taken in 1977.

The photo shows Elizabeth II arriving at St. Giles for the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. She wore a full length white satin coat dress with very 70s style lapels. The double breasted coat has a slightly flared skirt and full length sleeves. The late Queen also wore one of the most impressive tiaras in her collection for this important meeting, choosing the all diamond Queen Alexandra kokoshnik.

It’s an eye catching look and very of its time.

The photo was one of a series chosen by the Royal Family to mark this special occasion when The King unveiled the stone which will form a permanent memorial to Elizabeth II at St. Giles where her coffin lay in rest before departing her Scottish realm for the final time.

The simple tribute is placed in the floor of the cathedral and is dominated by her cipher, EIIR. On either side of that are her dates 1926 – 2022 and beneath is a brief inscription which reads ”lay here 12-13 September 2022′ recalling the two days when her coffin rested there and thousands filed past to pay tribute.

King Charles appeared visibly moved during the dedication ceremony. In 2022, one of his first duties as king in Scotland was to stand as part of a royal guard of honour at his mother’s coffin in St. Giles. In 2023, he returned to the Cathedral for the Presentation of the Honours of Scotland when the country’s crown was shown to him.

After the dedication service, the Revered Dr. Scott Rennie, Minister of St. Giles, said ”It has been a great honour and privilege to welcome Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla back to St Giles’ for such a special event as we commemorate the late Queen Elizabeth, who visited the cathedral many times, with the Dedication of the Memorial Stone.”

King Charles and Queen Camilla made the tribute as they began Royal Week in Scotland which has also seen them host a garden party at Holyroodhouse.

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About author

Lydia Starbuck is Editor in Chief at Royal Central and the main producer and presenter of the Royal Central Podcast and Royal Central Extra. Lydia is also a pen name of June Woolerton who is a journalist and writer with over twenty years experience in TV, radio, print and online. Her latest book, A History of British Royal Jubilees, is out now. Her new book, The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr, will be published in March 2024. June is an award winning reporter, producer and editor. She's appeared on outlets including BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio and has also helped set up a commercial radio station. June is also an accomplished writer with a wide range of material published online and in print. She is the author of two novels, published as e-books. She is also a marriage registrar and ceremony celebrant.