Not only the bright shades and characteristic silhouettes contribute to the steadfastly demonstrated style and poise. Few of the late Queen Elizabeth’s outfits are complete without one of her timeless Launer bags.
Elizabeth has worn various models created by the British brand to almost every royal engagement throughout her 70-year reign. She is even holding one of the bags in her last photo taken at Balmoral two days before she died aged 96.
The royal family’s relationship with Launer dates back to the 1950s, when the Queen Mother made her first purchase. She gifted a Launer bag to her daughter, who in turn quickly became a loyal customer.
The company, founded in 1940 by Sam Launer, received a Royal Warrant in 1968. Gerald Bodmer, chief executive of Launer, told MailOnline: “There is no doubt that our association with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth has allowed our handmade bags to become the talk of the town. We are extremely proud of the enduring relationship Queen Elizabeth has with Launer, which has helped make the bags instantly recognizable style icons to a global audience.”
Elizabeth owns a number of Launer designs in black, such as Travita (her most common style), Sophia, Violetta, Madelaine, Royale, Bellini, Encore and Jubilee. Her Majesty also has quite a few bags in the brand’s signature white color. The royal’s bags are custom-made with longer handles so they don’t catch on her clothes or get in the way of a handshake. They come with a mirror, matching bag and glasses case.
The bags are commissioned each year by the Queen’s designer, Angela Kelly. For both women, it is important that Her Majesty’s trademark handbags are made in the UK. For special occasions, the brand has a smaller version of the bag, such as the Lisa design that the Queen wore to Prince William and Kate’s wedding in 2011.
Gerald Bodmer, who acquired the company in 1981, previously revealed that the monarch “doesn’t feel fully dressed without her handbag”. Towards the end of Elizabeth’s reign, he made his designs lighter to ensure they were comfortable for her.
Launer’s CEO confirms he gave the Faith bag to Queen Elizabeth for her 85th birthday in 2011. A departure from her usual style, this evening bag is crafted from shiny silver leather, featuring a solid silver emblem embellished with zircons.
Although classic bags are quite expensive, they were worn by Elizabeth for decades. She wears each bag countless times to engagements and prefers to have them repaired if there’s a problem rather than shelling out money for new models.
For example, a bag that was first spotted on her arm in 1970, during a meeting with President Nixon, was seen again in 2017 reviewing the Royal Horse Artillery of the King’s troops.
According to several royal experts, Queen Elizabeth’s handbags served both as a finishing touch to her look and as a means of signaling to her assistants when she wanted conversations to end. For example, moving her purse from her left hand to her right hand while engaged in a conversation indicates her willingness to end the discussion.
Likewise, placing her purse on the table during dinner suggests the royal will be ready to leave in five minutes. The most significant cue, however, is when she places her bag on the floor. This was interpreted as a sign that the queen was not enjoying the conversation and wished to be rescued by her lady-in-waiting.
Given the heightened security measures her staff must have put in place, using hidden signals with a bag is not only polite, but also extremely practical.
– Grandma, can you stick your nose in a Coca-Cola bottle? – No, where did you come up with it? – Dad said you’re lying…
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