Queen Elizabeth’s signature make-up trick for timeless glamour that Kate Middleton’s never used

Queen Elizabeth’s signature make-up trick for timeless glamour is something that we’ve not seen the Princess of Wales use.

• The late Queen Elizabeth used to be a huge fan of red and dark pink lipstick but the Princess of Wales hasn’t been pictured wearing these shades.
• She prefers a more neutral lip look whilst Queen Elizabeth evoked the glamour of 1950s Hollywood stars who wore red lipstick.
• This royal news comes as Kate Middleton made a rogue incognito appearance at a music festival. 

The Princess of Wales’ fashion choices are often showstoppers, but it’s not just Kate’s dresses or her favourite summer shoes that attract people’s attention. Many of Kate’s make-up and skincare products have achieved iconic status amongst royal fans. From her love of rosehip oil to the Clarins Lip Perfector, the future Queen Consort reportedly has a mix of more affordable and high-end products in her collection. Though amongst all of them something seems to be missing that was essential for the late Queen Elizabeth’s signature make-up trick. 

It helped her achieve a sense of timeless glamour throughout her life but it’s something the Princess of Wales has never used publicly herself. Whilst Queen Elizabeth opted for a subtle and fresh make-up look when it came to her base, the late monarch was a fan of a bold lip.

Her Majesty was regularly pictured throughout her 70-year reign wearing red or dark pinky-red lipstick. These bold shades were so associated with Queen Elizabeth that British make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury even named her “rosy crown-jewel pink” Matte Revolution lipstick The Queen “in homage to Her Majesty”.

Whether she was watching the Royal Windsor Horse Show near Windsor Castle, undertaking an official visit or even attending a state banquet, these were her shades of choice. There was also potentially a nostalgic element to Queen Elizabeth’s signature make-up trick as red in particular was a hugely popular lipstick shade choice for Hollywood icons in the 1950s. 

Marilyn Monroe - whom Queen Elizabeth met in 1956 - was famously often seen in red lipstick, as was Elizabeth Taylor. The Queen was crowned in 1953 and it’s claimed she had a custom lipstick colour made for her big day that was “deep, ruby red with soft undertones” to match with her Robes of State, as per The Express.

However, whilst her choice to wear bold lipsticks that bring to mind glamorous screen stars and vintage glamour created a timeless quality to her make-up, it’s not something the Princess of Wales has done. From the early years of her relationship with Prince William to now it seems that red or deep pink shades aren’t really her cup of tea, if pictures taken throughout this time are anything to go by.

She’s consistently only been pictured wearing nude, subtle pink or lip glosses, even from as far back as 2006. Since Queen Elizabeth enjoyed wearing brighter shades it looks like it wouldn’t have been against royal protocol so perhaps the Princess of Wales simply prefers to keep her lips neutral. Instead, Kate prefers to make more of a statement with her eye make-up and is said to have done her own make-up for her wedding day, including her eyeliner.

For Prince William and Kate’s wedding, the senior royal reportedly wore Bobbi Brown’s Sandwash Pink lipstick. Although it wasn’t a vibrant shade like Queen Elizabeth used to wear, it was a very versatile and wearable option that looked absolutely stunning and very *her*.