Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle’s wardrobe choices often have us hitting the ‘buy now’ button on dresses and shoes in seconds but we’re now lusting over the Queen’s must-have accessory.
For decades, Her Majesty has been photographed carrying bags designed by luxury accessory brand Launer London, thanks to their sturdy box shapes and short handles.
Ahead of the royal’s 94th birthday on April 21, the brand has launched three of its styles in a range of colour ways.
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The bags include the Judi, the Lucia and the Encore, which range from £1,040 to £1,550, and are available to buy from the brand’s website.
Each of the special edition designs is stamped with the phrase ‘royal edition’ and the royal coat of arms on a leather plaque inside.
In 1968, the Queen awarded the brand The Royal Warrant, which is a sign of quality and patronage. In 1992, the royal visited the Launer factory in honour of a milestone birthday and in support of her love of the company’s designs.
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‘Her Majesty is quite possibly the most photographed woman in the world and usually always carries a Launer bag with its recognisable signature structured shape,’ a statement about the royal warrant reads on the brand’s website.
It has widely been believed that the Queen likes to use her handbag to give secret signals to her staff during public events.
For several years, royal experts have claimed that when Her Majesty wants to wrap up a conversation, she slyly switches her handbag from one arm to another to notify her staff that she wants help moving on.
While the Queen is a huge fan of Launer, other members of her family have shown their allegiance to several other luxury goods designers in recent years.
Meghan Markle has shown a love for designs from the likes of Everlane and Strathberry, while her sister-in-law Kate Middleton is often seen carrying styles from Mulberry, Aspinal and Smythson.
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Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
