The One Thing Queen Elizabeth Never Leaves Home Without
Everyone needs their own security blanket and Queen Elizabeth is no different.
Her Majesty is known for having her favorite things, like her Launer handbags (there are reportedly 200 in her personal collection) and her Barbour jackets (to keep warm on those rainy weekends at Balmoral and Windsor). But there is one particularly personal item that is always close by whenever Queen Elizabeth leaves Buckingham Palace—her baby blue fleece blanket. According to a Palace source, "Her Majesty's blue blankets are always kept in the car no matter what. Each time she leaves Buckingham Palace for an official engagement, a staffer fetches a fresh blanket to ward off any chill. She's quite fond of them."
The Queen has been spotted many times with her ubiquitous blue blanket covering her legs, as she did riding in her Rolls-Royce with Prince Philip on the way to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding. Last year, when she and Kate visited Kings College, eagle-eyed royal watchers noticed the women were sharing her Majesty's favorite blue blanket in the back of the car. It was a very sweet gesture, marking the first time the two women made an official appearance without other members of the royal family present.
The Queen has also been spotted wrapped up in various tartan wool blankets over the years. She is never without a warm throw when she attends the Annual Braemar Gathering in Scotland, a short distance from Balmoral every September. Her Majesty is a patron of the Highland games event and, when sitting with members of the royal family—often Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall are at her side—she is usually bundled up in an assortment of colorful blankets to protect her against the elements.
While the provenance of the various blankets remain a mystery, fans of her majesty's cozy habit can pick up their own royal wrap at Buckingham Palace's website and gift shop, which offers several styles—including a suitably regal dog blanket. However, fans won't find a copy of Her Majesty's blanket available; some things are so luxurious, they're only fit for a Queen. Read on to see the Queen traveling with her blanket through the years. And for more fun facts about Her Majesty, check out 13 Secrets About Queen Elizabeth Only Royal Insiders Know.
Diane Clehane is a New York-based journalist and author of Imagining Diana and Diana: The Secrets of Her Style.
2013
Queen Elizabeth doesn't go anywhere without her blue fleece blanket. Here she is leaving St. Mary Magdalene Church after a Sunday morning service in Sandringham around Christmastime in 2013. And if you want to know about Christmas with the royals, check out 15 Royal Christmas Traditions That You Need to Know About.
2014
Again, here's the Queen heading home after attending a Sunday morning service at St. Mary Magdalene Church, with her blue fleece blanket in tow. And for more up-to-date information from Best Life, sign up for our daily newsletter.
2019
In the summer of 2019, Queen Elizabeth II headed to Crathie Kirk near Balmoral for a Sunday church service with her blanket and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. And for more on the countess, check out Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Is Poised to Take the Spotlight Post-Megxit.
2020
No one could have predicted what was to come for the Queen in 2020. Here she is after another Sunday morning service at St. Mary Magdalene Church in January 2020, amid the turmoil behind the scenes as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided to step back from their roles as senior royals. And for more on the Queen and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, check out Harry and Meghan Could Lose Their Titles Over New Tell-All, Says Insider.
