The British Royal Family's Fur History: From Queen Victoria to Today

The story of royal family fur in Britain is really a story about symbols: who was allowed to wear ermine, why a coronation robe is trimmed the way it is, and how a thousand-year tradition has adapted to modern attitudes. From medieval sumptuary laws to the coronation of King Charles III in 2023, fur has marked the crown's most important moments, even as everyday royal dress has moved in new directions.

In this guide we trace that history with care, separating what is documented from what is merely repeated online, and then look at how its timeless silhouettes translate into pieces you can wear today, for women and men alike.

Ermine and the Origins of Royal Family Fur

Ermine is the winter coat of the stoat: pure white, with a small black tip on the tail. When those tails are stitched across a white ground at regular intervals, the result is the spotted pattern instantly associated with monarchy. In medieval and Tudor England, sumptuary laws restricted the finest furs to royalty and the upper nobility, so ermine became a visible badge of rank long before it was a fashion statement. It is the foundation of every royal family fur tradition that followed.

That meaning has survived. Members of the House of Lords still wear scarlet parliamentary robes edged with ermine at ceremonial occasions, with bars of ermine traditionally indicating rank. For the British royal family, fur on ceremonial dress has always been less about warmth and more about continuity: the same symbol, worn generation after generation.

Coronation Robes: The Most Famous Royal Family Fur

The best-documented royal family fur pieces are coronation robes. At her coronation on 2 June 1953, Queen Elizabeth II wore two: the crimson Robe of State on arrival and the purple Robe of Estate later in the service. According to the Royal Collection Trust, the Robe of Estate was made by Ede & Ravenscroft in deep purple silk velvet edged with ermine, and its gold embroidery took a team of embroiderers more than 3,500 hours at the Royal School of Needlework. The Trust estimates that around 27 million people in the UK watched the service on television.

Seventy years later, King Charles III chose to reuse rather than replace. At his coronation in May 2023 he wore the Robe of State and the Robe of Estate first worn by his grandfather, King George VI, in 1937. The velvet was conserved and the ermine and gold lace were cleaned and cared for by specialists. It was a quiet but telling decision: the most important royal family fur of the modern era is heirloom fur, preserved and passed down.

Queen Victoria and the Victorian Fur Wardrobe

Queen Victoria reigned for more than 63 years, from 1837 to 1901, and her era transformed how fur was worn in Britain, well beyond royal family fur on state occasions. Ceremonial ermine remained the preserve of state occasions, but fur moved firmly into everyday fashionable dress: muffs, tippets, fur-trimmed mantles and, by the 1880s, the fitted sealskin jacket that became a must-have for well-off women. London's fur auctions, long anchored by the Hudson's Bay Company, made the city one of the great clearing houses of the global fur trade.

Victoria herself spent much of her long widowhood in black mourning dress, so it is safest to say that her court set a tone of sober, high-quality materials rather than to attribute specific fur garments to her. What is clear is that the Victorian upper classes treated a good fur as a lifetime investment, a habit that survives in the way fine pieces are handed down today.

Queen Elizabeth II: Continuity, Then Change

For most of the 20th century, a fur coat or stole was a normal part of a well-dressed woman's winter wardrobe, and photographs of the young Queen Elizabeth II on cold-weather engagements reflect the fashions of her time. Her ceremonial appearances, above all the State Opening of Parliament, kept ermine in the public eye for decades.

The most important recent change came in November 2019. Following a passage in the memoir of her senior dresser, Angela Kelly, Buckingham Palace confirmed that any fur used on new outfits for the Queen would be faux. The palace was equally clear that existing garments would continue to be worn. In other words, the royal family fur policy shifted toward wearing what already exists for as long as possible, which is, incidentally, the most sustainable way to treat any natural fur. You can read more about that trade-off in our guide to real vs faux fur.

Royal Men and Fur

Royal family fur has never been only for women. Kings wear the most elaborate ermine of all at coronations, peers of both sexes wear ermine-trimmed robes, and military and ceremonial dress across the centuries has included fur caps, collars and linings. The classic menswear lesson from royal tradition is restraint: a dark, well-cut overcoat with a fur collar, or a fully lined coat in a deep natural tone, reads as authoritative rather than flashy. Our men's fur coats and jackets are cut with exactly that understated line in mind.

How to Get the Royal Look Today

You do not need a coronation to borrow from royal style. The lessons are about proportion, quality and longevity:

• Choose one statement piece. A collared long coat from our mink fur coat collection carries the same quiet authority as a formal royal overcoat.
• Use fur as a frame. A white or natural fox collar over a dark wool coat recalls the effect of an ermine edge without any costume feel. Browse our fox fur collar scarves.
• Add a structured hat. Winter fur hats have been part of cold-weather dress across Europe for centuries, and a simple fox or mink hat finishes a royal family fur look without overpowering it.
• Think heirloom. Store fur in a cool, breathable space and have it professionally cleaned. Our guide on how to care for real fur explains the routine that keeps a piece wearable for decades.

Why Royal Fur Still Matters

The modern British monarchy has moved away from buying new fur, yet the ceremonial robes that define its greatest moments are still trimmed with ermine and still carefully conserved. That tension is the heart of the subject. Fur here is not disposable fashion; it is craftsmanship meant to last for generations, worn again and again until it becomes part of history itself.

Seen this way, royal family fur offers a useful lesson for anyone buying fur today: buy less, buy well, and keep it in use. That is also how we think about fur in our own workshop. A well-made coat, collar or hat should outlast trends and be repaired, restyled and passed on, which is the most respectful way to treat a natural material.

Royal family fur: frequently asked questions

Why is ermine used on British royal robes?

Ermine is the white winter coat of the stoat, finished with its black tail tips. For centuries European law and custom reserved it for royalty and the highest nobility, so it became the visual shorthand for sovereignty. That is why coronation robes and peers' parliamentary robes are trimmed with it.

Did Queen Elizabeth II stop wearing fur?

In 2019 Buckingham Palace confirmed that any fur on new outfits made for the Queen would be faux. The palace also said she would continue to re-wear existing outfits, so older fur pieces and historic ceremonial robes stayed in use.

Did King Charles III wear fur at his coronation?

At the 2023 coronation King Charles wore historic robes first worn by his grandfather King George VI in 1937, including the crimson Robe of State and the purple Robe of Estate, both trimmed with ermine. Reusing them avoided making new ceremonial fur.

What is the royal family fur tradition today?

Today the royal family fur tradition lives mainly in heirloom ceremonial robes and older garments that are conserved and reused. Everyday royal wardrobes lean on wool coats, velvet and faux trims, while historic fur pieces are kept and cared for rather than replaced.

How can I wear real fur in a classic royal style?

Choose one quality piece in a timeless shape: a collared mink coat, a fox fur collar over a tailored wool coat, or a structured fur hat. Keep the rest of the outfit simple, invest in good storage, and wear the piece for decades, just as heirloom royal garments are worn.

At TatiFurs we have been handcrafting fur in Siatista, Greece, since 1972, using the same full-skin techniques that built the region's reputation. If the timeless lines of royal dress inspire you, explore our real fur coats and jackets, each made to be worn and treasured for decades.