The November issue of British Vogue is available via digital download and on newsstands from Tuesday 18th October
British Vogue magazine is honoring the death of Queen Elizabeth with a blank royal purple cover.
The fashion magazine’s November issue cover has no photos and the words “Her Majesty the Queen,” along with “1926-2022.”
Releasing blank covers is a tradition for the magazine when a monarch dies. In British Vogue‘s 106-year history, they also commemorated the deaths of King George V in 1936 and King George VI in 1952 a similar fashion.
The magazine explained their choice of using the color purple for the tribute: “The hue has famously been associated with royalty since ancient times, with natural purple dye historically among the most expensive. In the 16th century, Elizabeth I refused to allow anyone except her innermost circle to wear purple, while Elizabeth II made her way through Westminster Abbey during her Coronation in a Robe of Estate composed of more than 22 meters of purple velvet. See, too, the Imperial State Crown that rested on Her Majesty’s coffin during her funeral, which features a purple cap lined with ermine.”
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In the February 1936 issue, the first with a cover dedicated to the death of a monarch, the magazine said, “This opening page of Vogue, which is accustomed to reflect the events of our special sphere, must now enlarge its scope to reflect the event which has blotted out all others in any sphere – the death of His Majesty King George.” Vogue dedicated its front of book to the late monarch, describing him as “a member of the Services, a devoted farmer, a skillful yachtsman, a lover of horses [and] an expert gun.”
However, the issue also reported the latest fashion trends in “quiet good taste.”
When she became Queen in 1952, Vogue honored Queen Elizabeth by writing, “The keynote of her character is a perfectly transparent sincerity: sincerity of purpose [and] sincerity of devotion to her duty.”
Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Queen Elizabeth II
Several weeks after Queen Elizabeth died on Sept. 8, it was revealed that the record-breaking monarch died of old age, according to a document published by National Records of Scotland.
Queen Elizabeth‘s daughter, Princess Anne, is listed as the informant of her death. Anne previously said in a statement, “I was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest Mother’s life.”
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Buckingham Palace announced the death of Queen Elizabeth at age 96 in an official statement. “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” the statement read.
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CHRIS JACKSON/AFP via Getty
Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth‘s husband of 73 years who died at age 99 in April 2021, also died of old age, according to his death certificate.
