What 40 Iconic Celebrities Wore To Meet The Queen

What would you wear if you got to meet the Queen? Elbow-length white gloves and a gown? A red leather jumpsuit? Jeans? Turns out, all of the above – and more – have been donned by some of the famous faces who've had occasion to bow or curtsy before Her Majesty. So, who wore what? Read on to find out…

1. Kirk Douglas went with a classic

You can’t go wrong with a tuxedo — a fact that Kirk Douglas seems clued up on based on what he wore to meet the Queen back in 1952. The actor slipped on a crisp, black suit to greet Her Majesty at the London premiere of Because You’re Mine, and looked every part the suave Hollywood hunk. He didn’t actually star in the movie, but we’re sure Elizabeth didn’t mind dishing out the extra handshake.

2. Lady Gaga leathered up

Lady Gaga is arguably known as much for her wacky red carpet fashions as for her musical talent. But we’d bet that event planners for the 2009 Royal Variety Performance expected Gaga to show up in something a little more run-of-the-mill. Instead, the songstress rocked up to meet Elizabeth II in a red leather jumpsuit. Gaga’s matching eye makeup was the cherry-hued fruit atop her bold getup.

3. Jayne Mansfield took it down a notch

Jayne Mansfield rose through the Hollywood ranks for her acting… and for her many publicity stunts, including planned wardrobe malfunctions. Still, even she bundled up when it came time to meet the Queen of England. Her long-sleeved dress was a drastic change from her usual style, which often accentuated the features that made her a major sex symbol in the 1950s and ’60s.

4. Cliff Richard goes glittery

Naturally, Cliff Richard met the Queen in an outfit befitting one of the top-selling musical artists of all time. Not one to shy away, The rock’n’roll icon wore a gold-sequined blazer with a black shirt underneath. The glitzy jacket just happened to go well with the Queen’s beige frock. A match made in fashion heaven.

5. Carey Mulligan hit the curtsy, even in sky-high heels

Meeting a monarch calls for different behaviors from male and female subjects. Men can get away with just a bow of the head, while ladies have to pull off a slightly more complex curtsy. Luckily, Carey Mulligan nailed her required move back in April 2013. And what’s more, she managed the whole thing while wearing platform pumps with eye-wateringly high stiletto heels.

6. Julie Christie showed glove to the Queen

Embellished gown? Check. Just enough sparkling jewelry? Check. Long white gloves? Check. Actress Julie Christie was nearly a mirror image of the Queen when they met in 1966. Not one to be overshadowed, the monarch had on a glittering tiara and sash, but, other than that, their glamorous looks were very much in tune.

7. Elton John went pink

It would be confusing to see Elton John show up anywhere in an understated outfit. So, when he signed up to perform at the Queen’s 2012 Diamond Jubilee celebration, he arrived in style – his typical, ostentatious style, that is. Over a black shirt and matching pants, he wore a glittering fuschia jacket.

8. Lovelace Watkins showed off his sideburns

It was no coincidence that American singer Lovelace Watkins got to meet the Queen. He received a special invitation to perform in 1971 after his booming voice shot him to success in Europe. Like many other men on this list, the musician opted for a classic tux, but he made the look his own with a dramatic set of sideburns.

9. A feathered frock for Cybil Shepherd

At first glance, Cybil Shepherd appears to be leaning back with delight as she meets the Queen in this 1979 photo. Turns out, she was pregnant, but she didn’t let her extra-large baby bump stop her from showing up in style. Take a close look at her gauzy, translucent caftan: you’ll see feathers and beads dangling from the garment.

10. Daniel Craig kept it classy

As we’ve mentioned, men only have to lower their heads when they meet the Queen. This image captures actor Daniel Craig mid-bow – and, based on the smile on her face, he’s clearly nailing it. Or maybe she was just a bit excited to be at the premiere of his film Casino Royale; the 2006 flick was the 21st movie in the James Bond franchise.

11. Joan Collins looked shell-shocked

Wardrobe-wise, Joan Collins certainly looked the part in her glittering jacket and sleek bodycon dress. Unfortunately, no amount of sequins could hide the look on their faces. It seems as though the pair ran out of small-talk conversation starters. Canapé anybody?

12. Shirley Bassey didn’t hold back

You’ll notice that lots of stars go down the demure, classic, muted route when meeting the Queen. Welsh songstress Shirley Bassey opted for the opposite in 2005. She donned a glittering red halter dress with beaded straps down the back and a feathered bottom, to boot. Take that, Queenie!

13. Dick Van Dyke and Sean Connery knew the secret

Sean Connery knew his way around a suit – he played James Bond, after all. But perhaps more surprisingly, Dick Van Dyke had clearly learned how to rock a tux as well. Both actors got to meet the Queen in their finest duds while attending the 1967 London premiere of You Only Live Twice.

14. Yoko Ono kept her shades on

Yoko Ono has had one constant accessory throughout her decades in the spotlight: sunglasses. She wears them whether they’re a wraparound pair of shades or circular lenses like her late husband John Lennon’s iconic glasses. And she didn’t even ditch them when she met the Queen in 2002, proving that she’ll wear them no matter what.

15. Ginger Rogers met the Queen – fur real

A dancer as good as Ginger Rogers would have no problem dipping into the customary curtsy when greeting the Queen. She clearly had no issue with finding a glam enough outfit to mark this 1969 occasion, either. Fred Astaire’s on-screen dance partner wore a fur-lined white dress and flashed the royal with a million-watt smile.

16. Bette Midler picked the color of royalty

Purple has long been a color associated with royalty. Age-old rulers loved the hue’s richness so much that they barred their subjects from wearing it at all. Luckily, Queen Elizabeth doesn’t enforce that rule, or singer Bette Midler would have been in trouble for rocking this purple sequined gown for her moment with the monarch in 2009.

17. Enrique Iglesias dressed down

It’s nearly impossible to imagine the Queen wearing jeans. It is also hard to picture someone wearing denim in front of Her Royal Highness… that is, until you see this photo of Enrique Iglesias. In 2007 he wore this very casual getup to meet the monarch after appearing in that year’s Royal Variety Performance.

18. Marilyn Monroe glammed up

Marilyn Monroe became one of Hollywood’s most lucrative and marketable stars in 1953, and three years later she met the Queen of England. The Gentlemen Prefer Blondes starlet stuck with a glamorous Hollywood style when she met the monarch, pairing a glittering gown with matching gloves that almost reached her shoulder.

19. Angelina Jolie had the perfect hemline

She’s dipped into a curtsy in this photo, but it’s still clear that Angelina Jolie chose the perfect length of skirt for her moment with the Queen. Just look at those nearly parallel hemlines. It’s no wonder the actress went with such a classic look, either. She went to Buckingham Palace in 2014 to accept an honorary damehood for her charitable work.

20. Hand it to Catherine Deneuve

Wearing gloves to meet the Queen is a common choice – you’ve already seen a handful of stars on this list who chose to do so. French actress Catherine Deneuve joins the ranks of gloved greeters, although her pair is so well-matched to her top that you can barely see the separation under the glittery red cuff.

21. Katie Couric did her homework

American journalist Katie Couric clearly did her research before attending a 2012 garden party at Buckingham Palace. British women – especially those in high society – will wear headpieces called fascinators to weddings and other social gatherings. And that must be why she chose her cream-colored accessory, topped only by the Queen’s peachy top hat.

22. Judi Dench kept it casual

Judi Dench didn’t just meet the Queen – she received the Insignia of a Companion of Honor, given to Brits with special distinction in the eyes of the monarch. To mark the occasion, the actress wore a v-neck navy dress, a few gold bangles, and a cropped copper hairstyle. Simple, yet effective.

23. Halle Berry donned a dress

Halle Berry went for an embroidered gown and long black gloves to meet the Queen, an elegant look for a noteworthy occasion. The Oscar-winner – alongside Pierce Brosnan in a classic tux – got the chance to shake hands with the monarch after she attended the premiere of their James Bond flick, Die Another Day in 2002.

24. Kylie Minogue went bold in gold

You might think that meeting the Queen requires a subject to cover up. Kylie Minogue refuted that notion, though, when she popped a curtsy back in 2012. The singer wore a jazzy gold gown with a torso cut-out and a thigh-high slit – a sassy foil to the Queen, who unsurprisingly was looking far more demure in a silver frock.

25. Will.i.am defected to the other side

The royal family held the 2012 Diamond Jubilee to honor the Queen’s 60th year on the throne. Rapper Will.i.am met the monarch and performed for her party in a very interesting getup, especially for an American. The jacket he wore looked awfully familiar to the red coats so famously worn by the British in the Revolutionary War.

26. Gina Lollobrigida took it down a notch

Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida gained fame across Europe in the 1950s and ’60s as both a skilled actress and a sex symbol. But when she met the Queen in 1955, the screen siren went for a glam-yet-demure look. Her gown featured a sweetheart neckline, bedazzled belt with a bow and, last but not least, a pair of white gloves.

27. Frank Sinatra took a dip

Frank Sinatra didn’t star in the 1958 flick Me and the Colonel, but he certainly attended the movie’s London premiere. That’s where the crooner met the Queen, and he dressed the part – his tuxedo even featured an extra-classy set of coattails. As we can see in the photo, he also nailed his greeting, dipping into a very respectful nod.

28. The Supremes seriously sparkled

Now, this photo doesn’t feature Queen Elizabeth II, but The Supremes did meet a queen: the Queen Mother. The Motown trio decided to match when they met the monarch’s matriarch. Their gowns featured turtleneck-to-toe bedazzling, and they further frosted the look with matching diamond earrings.

29. David Beckham bared all

Even in a classic navy blue suit, soccer player David Beckham let a bit of his personal style slip out in front of the Queen in 2018. The collared shirt could only go up so high, after all. That meant the tattoos on his neck and behind his ears stuck out, but, based on her gleeful expression, she didn’t mind the sight of his ink.

30. The Spice Girls lived up to their name

You can’t call yourselves the Spice Girls and then wear something boring to meet the Queen. No, you have to bring the fire that you promised – and that’s precisely what the girl group did in 1997. Stare at this pic long enough and you’ll find high slits, low-cut tops, bright colors, smokey eye makeup, and more. The Queen seems to be enjoying it, though.

31. Liz Taylor made herself into a mermaid

The gorgeous green-to-blue ombre on Elizabeth Taylor’s gown – as well as the scalloped pattern – made the screen legend look a bit like a mermaid when she met Queen Elizabeth II in 1976. About a quarter-century later, the monarch would bestow another honor upon the actress, making her a dame in 2000.

32. Anna Wintour cracked a smile

Vogue magazine editor Anna Wintour has a reputation for being quite cold. But she had no trouble warming it up for the Queen herself when she sat next to her at London Fashion Week in 2018. Still, the fashion icon had her limits – she didn’t bother taking off her sunglasses, even for the United Kingdom’s longest-reigning monarch.

33. Paul McCartney stole Annie Lennox’s style

Annie Lennox became a style icon in the 1980s, mainly for wearing – and looking incredible in – men’s suits. When it came time to meet the Queen in 2012, though, the singer slipped into a sequined dress instead. And then she stood next to Paul McCartney, who wore a military-inspired jacket that we can totally see her wearing on any other day.

34. Helena Bonham Carter stuck to her signature style

Helena Bonham Carter is known for her eclectic style, and she stayed true to herself when it came time to meet the Queen in 2014. The actress – who played Princess Margaret on Netflix’s royal-centric series, The Crown – wore a lacy, layered black dress with lace booties, topping it all off with a shabby-chic hairstyle. Kudos to Helen for keeping it real.

35. A win for Peter O’Toole

Peter O’Toole earned his first Oscar nomination for his 1962 movie Lawrence of Arabia. But he didn’t get the gong – nor did he win after any of his other seven nods from the Academy. But he did get to meet the Queen for starring in that first major flick of his, and he looked very dapper while he did so.

36. Barbra Streisand held her hood up

Barbra Streisand’s starring role in 1968’s Funny Girl won her an Oscar and eventually gave her a chance to meet the Queen, too. Here, we see her shaking hands with the monarch at the 1975 premiere of Funny Lady, the sequel to the aforementioned flick. And Babs didn’t miss the opportunity to dazzle in a shiny, silver, hooded cape – the Hollywood version of Her Majesty’s actual tiara.

37. Russell Brand and James Blunt get extra casual

We’ve already seen a few casual looks on this list, but Russell Brand and James Blunt take the cake. The comedian and musician, respectively, met the Queen at the 2007 Royal Variety Performance while looking downright bedraggled. The show did take place in Liverpool – perhaps they both got caught in the infamous English rain before they took the stage.

38. Sally Field got the turquoise memo

Sally Field got the chance to greet the Queen at the London premiere of her 1981 film, Absence of Malice. We can’t imagine that the monarch set a dress code for the evening, but it is funny to see that she and the movie’s star chose frocks from the same color family.

39. Madonna might’ve messed up the curtsy

In the looks department, Madonna nailed her 2002 meeting with the Queen. The singer donned a midi-length black frock with a sequined skirt and went for a classic beehive-style hairdo. Still, based on her expression as she dipped into a curtsy, she might’ve messed up the move in front of the monarch. Oops!

40. Raquel Welch’s bold barnet 

We had to do a double-take when we saw this 1966 photo. At first glance, it almost appeared as if actress Raquel Welch wore a tiara in her hair to meet the Queen, which would have been an incredibly bold choice. Turns out, she just has a pearl-encrusted barrette in her hair, crowning off a dreamy, all-white look.