Over the past five seasons, Netflix’s groundbreaking series The Crown has captivated viewers with its spellbinding locations, haunting performances, and nuanced attention to detail. But perhaps most mesmerizing of all have been the series’ gorgeous costumes, which are not only gorgeous costumes that authentically represent history and protocol, but ones that are also made almost entirely from scratch. “A huge amount is required just to have the background knowledge,” costume designer Amy Roberts says of the research involved in recreating and reimagining each royal’s singular aesthetic. Makeup and hair designer Cate Hall agrees: “There is a commitment to authenticity across the board.”
That commitment to authenticity continues throughout Season 6—the last of the series—and just as anticipated, there’s an entirely new batch of astonishing looks to admire. In Part 1 (streaming now), we catch up with a freshly divorced Princess Diana as she vacations off the South of France with new boyfriend Dodi Fayed. “You ll see Diana on the yacht in the iconic swimsuits,” explains Roberts, who also notes that there will be a deliciously ’90s palette of “acid greens and bright oranges” throughout the season, creating a vivid and bright expression despite the inevitable turn of tragic events. In Part 2 (streaming Dec. 14), those vivid colors will remain, even appearing in clothing worn by the usually more subdued Queen Elizabeth as she works to reclaim the public’s affection for the monarchy after Diana’s death. “She needed to shine out like a beacon,” Roberts explains.
Of course, there are plenty of other stellar Season 6 looks to discuss—the young Kate Middleton, for one!—but that would spoil the fun. After all, this is The Crown’s final season, so you’ll want to soak up each moment as they come. To that end, here’s a look at some of our all-time favorite looks worn by Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana throughout the series, along with a few favorites from the new season for good measure—including a sneak peek at what might just be Kate Middleton’s most infamous, head-turning early attire.
Queen Elizabeth’s Polka Dot Peplum Dress, Season 1
In the inaugural season of the series, young Elizabeth’s early looks were polished yet sweet—and the brown polka dot ensemble she wore during her first solo trip to Nairobi captures that essence perfectly. Though not every look in The Crown is an exact replica, this costume stands out as a near-perfect copy of the Queen’s original 1952 ensemble.
Queen Elizabeth’s Pastel Suits, Season 3
In Season 3, Olivia Coleman’s Queen Elizabeth wears soft hues and neatly tailored skirt suits, which Roberts says depicts the optimism of the post-World War II era. “The ’60s weren’t just about mini-skirts and free love; it was an introduction of color,” she explains. “It was hugely important to introduce that. We kept the Queen in a palate of sugar-almond colors.”
Diana’s Red Spaghetti Strap Dress, Season 4
The crimson spaghetti strap tulle gown that Lady Diana wore to an event one month before her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981 is the stuff of fairy tales, signifying a pivotal moment in her evolution from regular girl to glamorous royalty. Costume-wise, Roberts focused on bold hues throughout Season 4 to show that Diana wasn’t like the rest of the monarchy. “To further emphasize the narrative of
her
versus
them,
we introduced a lot more red and black, as well as a typical ’80s shade of green,” she says.
Diana’s Revenge Dress, Season 5
It’s impossible to talk about The Crown’s most iconic costumes and not mention Diana’s famous “revenge dress” of 1994, which was originally designed by Greek designer Christina Stambolian and recreated with permission for the series. “It wasn t until Season 5 that we used black as a fashion color,” Roberts says, noting that up until this moment black was usually only worn by royals to funerals.
Diana’s Quiet Luxury Separates, Season 6
“It almost looked like a suit but they were bought separately,” says Roberts of the understated separates Diana wears in the final moments of Season 6. “It is so Diana—you totally believe it s her, even though there s no reference image of her wearing something exactly the same as that.” The look is so timeless, it also feels like it could be worn in the present day. That’s a testament to Diana’s enduring style—and to Roberts’s ability to create costumes that capture the essence of each character effortlessly without being literal. “Given how much we know of her and her image, there were of course moments where we consciously decided to stray from what she actually wore—always with an essence of truth in mind, but adapted for the purpose of ultimately telling a story rather than making a documentary.”
Diana’s Blue One-Piece, Season 6
At the height of the paparazzi’s nonstop obsession, photos of Diana could reportedly fetch up to 500,000 pounds. On a trip to the South of France, photographers hounded her relentlessly, eventually capturing her alone in a blue one-piece swimsuit staring out to sea. The image would become a haunting depiction of her final days, which is perhaps why actress Elizabeth Debicki, who plays Diana in Seasons 5 and 6, loves this look most. “That blue swimsuit is so iconic and that image of her—what we call ‘walking the plank’ and sitting at the end there—it s so iconic that, for an actor, it makes them feel completely in their character,” explains associate costume designer Sidonie Roberts, who worked with Gottex to recreate the suit so it would fit Debicki perfectly.
Kate Middleton’s Sheer Dress, Season 6
These days, the Princess of Wales is known for never failing to look prim, proper, and pulled-together. But in her pre-Windsor days as a student at the University of St. Andrews, she was known for turning heads in more risqué attire. One standout: the sheer, strapless gown designed by Charlotte Todd she wore for the school’s charity fashion show in 2002, which appears on actress Meg Bellamy in Season 6. Roberts says it was particularly fun to recreate the infamous see-through concoction from Middleton’s free-wheeling era: “University life: we re out of that palace and there s less formalities, isn t there now?”