A stunning royal dress which dates back to 1902 is set to go on display for the first time in 30 years. The dress, which was worn by Queen Alexandra for her coronation hasn’t been on display for 30 years, with it last being displayed at Kensington Palace between 1993 and 1994. However, royal fans will be delighted to know that the historic outfit will be part of the Royal Collection Trust’s Edwardians exhibition, which opens to the public at The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace on Friday, 11 April.

The ornate gold dress is not only physically stunning but also played a very important role in inspiring future generations. Ever conscious about her appearance and the messages she sent to the public, Queen Alexandra made a key request for her Coronation gown which has since been replicated in the dresses of the likes of Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Camilla.

However, Queen Alexandra - who was widely recognised for her fashion sense - instead wanted her dress to be designed by the female-led Parisian fashion house Morin Blossier and to feature thousands of tiny gold spangles which would sparkle in the light.

Most importantly, King Edward VII's wife wanted the dress to include the national emblems of Britain - rose, thistle and shamrock - which was a royal first. This inspired a tradition that continued to this day, with every coronation dress since having these emblems on, including Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and Queen Camilla’s in 2023.

The Royal Collection Trust explains that 40 needle-workers in Delhi spent five months embroidering Alexandra’s gown’s gold net before it was sent to Paris to be laid over cloth of gold and made into the final gown. The dress is so fragile that it has taken more than 100 hours to prepare it for display.

It will be among more than 300 works from the Royal Collection that go on show at The King’s Gallery on Friday.

Many royal fans will be excited to see Queen Alexandra’s dress as it was seen by some as the start of a new royal era following Queen Victoria’s 40 years of mourning. While the coronation was pushed back as King Edward VII required emergency surgery for appendicitis, it did eventually take place on August 9, 1902.

Exhibition curator Kathryn Jones said: “While it has darkened over time, Alexandra’s choice of a shimmering gold fabric would have been incredibly striking at the coronation; there are descriptions in contemporary newspapers of moments in the ceremony where the Queen appears in an extraordinary blaze of golden light, the dress glowing in the new electric lighting.

“It’s a powerful example of Edward and Alexandra’s attempts to balance tradition and modernity as they stood on the cusp of the 20th century: a shining moment of glamour before the world was at war.”