Why the Queen always wears gloves

Queen Elizabeth II is renowned for her love of rainbow co-ords, ladylike handbags and trusty courts.

But Her Majesty’s regal wardrobe wouldn’t be complete without a collection of Buckingham Palace-approved gloves.

Yesterday, the 92-year-old attended Epsom Derby in a lilac-hued look and proved that even in the summer heat, she never fails to pull on her trusty accessories.

But why does the Queen always finish her polished aesthetic with a box-fresh pair of gloves?

Royal commentator, Richard Fitzwilliams, told Yahoo Style UK, “The Queen wears a hat and carries a handbag on engagements and gloves are essential to complement them. They are part of her style, the ‘look’ we have associated her with which is formal.”

He added: “Also, given the need to shake hands so often they are useful as protection and to stop the spread of infections. You could say wearing gloves on official engagements was part of royal protocol but it doesn’t have to be followed on every occasion.”

But who’s behind the Queen’s now-famous gloves?

James Brookes, Royal Central‘s Director of Communications, revealed: “They’ve been made by Cornelia James Ltd since 1947 and the company got their royal warrant for their work in 1970. Fabric-wise, they’re made from brushed cotton so rather soft, but the company have said they’ve gone for a slightly lighter fabric more recently. Something I’m sure will be appreciated when the weather is very warm like it was at the Derby this weekend!”

And you can always trust Her Majesty to be prepared, as he added, “It’s likely The Queen carries a spare pair or two in her handbags so they can be discreetly changed if they become a bit too dirty throughout the day.”

Though one member of the royal family regularly tossed the rule book aside on regal engagements.

Princess Diana graced the headlines back in 1987 when she famously removed her gloves to shake hands with an AIDs patient while on a hospital visit.

The move not only broke royal protocol but simultaneously shattered the misunderstanding that you could catch the disease through hand-to-hand contact.

But wearing gloves is just one of many unwritten rules of etiquette that the royal family must adhere to.

For instance, now that Meghan Markle is formally known as the Duchess of Sussex, she must learn to follow a list of regal rules from donning tights on public engagements to eschewing bold nail polish in favour of a more subtle hue.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for non-stop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyleUK.

Read more from Yahoo Style UK:

The Queen has a previously unseen photograph of Harry and Meghan

Can you spot the Queen in this crowd?

The Queen of colour-coordinating: 20 of Her Majesty’s most impressive matching looks