On June 5, 1961, Queen Elizabeth II welcomed President John Kennedy and his wife Jackie to Buckingham Palace. This was nothing unusual, as heads of state from all over the world had visited before. However, there was tension between the two women.
At the time, Queen Elizabeth was 35 years old, with 3 of her 4 children already born. She had been traveling a lot in the past year, visiting countries like Canada, Cyprus, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Iran, Ghana, and the United States. It had been a very busy period for her, and she wasn’t thrilled about having to meet Jackie Kennedy, especially since their relationship wasn’t friendly.
The queen had been hurt by some unkind comments from Jackie, who criticized her style, calling it too old-fashioned. Jackie Kennedy, known for her elegance and charm, was raised to be the perfect aristocrat, despite not having a noble title, something many wealthy American families desired.
The British press was excited about the arrival of the presidential couple, which only added to the pressure on Queen Elizabeth. She knew she couldn’t compete with Jackie’s style, so she decided to focus on what made her unique: royalty.
She called upon famous designer Sir Norman Hartnell to help her and commissioned a special ball gown just for the occasion. The dress was elegant yet fairytale-like, made of Royal Blue tulle, and became known as “The Cobalt Dress.” She paired it with white satin gloves and carefully chosen jewelry, including diamonds and sapphires.
With a dress like that, Jackie Kennedy would have looked out of place at such an event, considering her role. Despite being criticized for her old-fashioned style, Queen Elizabeth managed once again to shine in her own way, proving she could still impress.
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