Billions of people across the world focused on the Queen last weekend as she celebrates her Diamond Jubilee with a majestic 1,000-strong river pageant.

As the star of the spectacular, the Queen made sure to live up to the expectations of her loyal subjects and fans as she stepped on to the Britannia launch to take her to the royal barge wearing a stunning silver and white coat and hat trimmed with dozens of Swarovski crystals.

The Queen’s resplendent outfit has been a year in the planning and was designed by her Majesty’s long-serving in-house couturiére, Angela Kelly. The coat, its matching dress and the hat were made by Kelly’s small in-house Buckingham Palace team. The colour scheme was chosen to stand out against the red, gold and purple hues of the royal barge, The Spirit of Chartwell, on which the Queen enjoyed an hour-and-a-half-long voyage.

The outfit, created from white bouclé and threaded throughout with silk ribbon, is embroidered with gold, silver and ivory paillettes and embellished with Swarovski crystals to reflect the sparkling water of the River Thames. The neckline of the outfit is finished with a silk organza frill which also runs the length of the garment.

The Queen’s hat featured a sculptural brim, with a sweeping upward curve, echoing the waves of the water, with the crown of the hat made of the same material as the coat. Details on the beautiful headpiece include feathers hand-dyed in Buckingham Palace by one of Kelly’s team, a sprinkling of yet more crystals and swathes of pleated ivory organza.

— Daily Mail