Queen Elizabeth Never Left The Palace Without These Essential Purse Items
Queen Elizabeth’s look was iconic, naturally. You had the colorful coat, the stylish hat, and of course the black purse. But that purse piques interest. What did she keep in there? What could the monarch of the United Kingdom possibly have needed to carry around with her? The answer might just be surprising to you.
Hundreds of handbags
First of all, you weren't likely to see the Queen carry the same purse twice in a row. According to Phil Dampier, the author of What’s in the Queen’s Handbag? And Other Royal Secrets, the monarch owned around 200 of them. Each one was carefully crafted for her by the U.K. company Launer.
The Queen’s favorites
The Queen had been Launer’s best customer for decades, and she was almost certainly the most illustrious. She ordered a bespoke design from them, plus a couple of favorite models on top of that, according to those in the know. These were the Traviata and Royale bags that Launer produces.
The Traviata
As you can probably guess, though, those bags weren't necessarily accessible to the average person. Buying one would require most of us to save for quite a while. The Traviata design, crafted from black patent and calf leather, would put a buyer back $2,500. But it’s still Launer’s bestselling bag and is bought all over the world.
Royal endorsement
And it’s thanks to the Queen that Launer’s now an international company. Her endorsement of the bags – she gave them a Royal Warrant in the late 1960s – naturally made Launer a hugely successful brand. She wasn't even the only royal who uses them, either. According to Launer’s website, the Duchess of Cornwall and Charles are also big fans.
