Skip to main contentSkip to footer
Camilla Parker-Bowles wearing a black dress and emerald choker© Alan Davidson/Shutterstock

Rare look into Queen Camilla’s 'London girl' fashion before she became royalty

The wife of King Charles had a wildly different aesthetic in her twenties

Georgia Brown
Senior Lifestyle & Fashion Writer
February 8, 2024
Share this:

Queen Camilla's style evolution from London socialite to the wife of King Charles has seen her go from casual city girl into a respected royal style icon.

One thing that has always remained clear is the Queen's ability to maintain a quiet sartorial profile, reflecting her decades of devoted service to the Crown by the King's side. 

Before the days of her bespoke Dior dresses and long-lasting relationship with British designer Bruce Oldfield, Camilla, née Shand, was just like any Londoner in her twenties - experimenting with bold colours and flirting with fit-and-flare silhouettes. 

Here, see Queen Camilla's cool-girl looks worn before she became a member of the Royal Family.

Prince Charles Talking to Camilla Parker Bowles at a Polo Match, Cirencester Park, Britain - July 1975© Shutterstock

The cherry red polo shirt

In her 20s, it seems Camilla dressed just like any other twenty-something London girl in summer - pairing denim with a coloured polo-shirt and adding a leather saddle bag for good measure.

Camilla Parker Bowles at a Petrol Station, Britain - 1991© Clive Postlethwaite/Shutterstock

The cool-girl cargo skirt

Cargo trousers and cargo skirts have seen a major renaissance as part of the Y2K fashion  revival. A pre-royal Camilla Parker-Bowles wore hers with a V-neck t-shirt, caramel-hued loafers and chunky gold hoops.

Queen Camilla wears a strapless dress at Windsor Horse Show Ball in 1992© David Hartley/Shutterstock

Camilla's glittering strapless dress

All eyes were on Camilla in 1992 when she stepped out in Windsor wearing a glittering strapless gown, complete with a sweetheart neckline and billowing Gothic skirt. 

The future royal teamed her evening wear with a blinding emerald choker fastened by a trio string of pearls.

Camilla Parker Bowles wearing a pink floral dress© Clive Postlethwaite/Shutterstock

The Barbie pink floral dress

Camilla was a bold beauty in this hot-pink floral dress during a balmy summer day in 1992.

The cool-girl gingham blazer© Shutterstock

The cool-girl gingham blazer

A true city girl has at least three blazers in her wardrobe. The boldest in Camilla's collection was this fitted, cropped gingham number that paired perfectly over a crisp blouse, epitomising 'Tenue de Ville' dressing.  

Camilla Parker Bowles wearing a green knit jumper in 1995© Keith Waldegrave/ANL/Shutterstock

Camilla's country bumpkin knitwear

Growing up, Camilla's parents split their time between their 18th Century country house in East Sussex, and their London townhouse in South Kensington - so she has always been a country bumpkin at heart. 

This photograph taken in '95 shows Camilla's off-duty style, rocking an oversized forest-green cable knit jumper with straight-leg jeans and walking boots.  

The Prince Of Wales & Camilla Parker Bowles Attend A Party At The Ritz In London. © Julian Parker

Camilla's royal girlfriend debut

When Camilla made her public debut as the then-Prince of Wales' girlfriend at a party at The Ritz in 1995, she did so in a Bardot black dress that rocked the nation. 


Camilla Parker Bowles Arrives At Gatwick Airport After A Ba Flight From Delhi. Her Flight Was Delayed By An Hour.© Nick Skinner/Daily Mail/Shutterstock

The 'means business' Gatwick look

Making a case for khaki tones, Camilla's airport outfit worn to London Gatwick in the 1990s was effortlessly feminine and polished.

The trusty A-line midi skirt© Clive Postlethwaite/Shutterstock

The trusty A-line midi skirt

The versatility of the midi skirt ensures it remains firmly in our wardrobes all year round. Camilla seemed to think so too, as she rocked an A-line navy skirt with a flattering V-neck blouse during a summer's day in the city.  

Camilla Parker Bowles Visits The Hairdressers.picture Shows Her Sporting A Shorter Blonde-tinted Coiffure Ready For Her Birthday Party That Is Being Given For Her By The Prince Of Wales. © Parker/Jones/Daily Mail/Shutterstock

The power suit and ballet flats

Proving a power suit never goes out of style, Camilla's sand-hued trouser suit look can be seen on all of London's It-girls today. Giving her daytime look a luxe feel, Camilla teamed her corporate get-up with contrasting toe-cap ballet flats.

Sign up to Royal Style and discover the latest royal fashion moments

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.

More Royal Style

See more