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It may seem unbelievable, and yet Tanya Rose Simpson, invited by the royal family to Balmoral Castle in 1979, remembers the very strict dress code imposed by the Windsors.
If you thought staying with the British royal family was a spontaneous affair, or that all it took was investing in a simple elegant dress, think again. The dress code imposed on family members also applies to their guests, whoever they may be. According to Tanya Rose Simpson, a public relations professional in the UK, up to 12 different outfits are required. This is what she told Amanda Wakeley, host of the Style DNA podcast, on July 22nd. Invited by Prince Edward to Balmoral Castle and the Sandringham estate in 1979 when she was only 14 years old, she remembers the extraordinary dress code.
Guests of the British royal family: an outfit for every moment of the day
It was in an interview with Amanda Wakeley that Tanya Rose Simpson reminisced about her time with the royal family. A classmate of Prince Andrew at Gordonstoun boarding school, she was invited to spend a few days with the British royals after Christmas. Before her departure, she received a letter with very specific dress instructions. “I was to stay for four days. So I needed four evening dresses, four breakfast outfits, four tea outfits, and hunting gear including Barbour jackets and Wellington boots. As I didn’t own any of that, we had to buy it all,” she recalled. This amounted to about ten different outfits suited to the various times of day. She also mentioned feeling very intimidated, as she was staying in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Anne, Princess Diana, and Charles III, then still Prince of Wales. The dress code wasn’t the only thing that struck the teenager , as she also recounted how the women would gather in a lounge after meals, leaving the men to their own devices. A rather outdated custom, but one that accurately reflects the strict rules and codes imposed on members and guests of the Crown.
