The Queen's Regalia — What Does It All Mean?

The blue sash is worn on state occasions such as a banquet or wedding — as well as for Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee portrait. Most countries have some sort of ancient honor system, with recognition given to those who have held public office or contributed to national life in some way, and these honors are represented by the universal insignia of a sash pinned with some sort of jeweled hardware to hold it in place. This is why at royal weddings you will see assorted royals from different countries all wearing different colored sashes — they are all wearing the national honor regalia that they have been awarded. Most sashes are worn from right shoulder to left hip, but Britain's Most Noble Order of the Garter sash is worn from left shoulder to right hip. Established by Edward III in 1348, the Order is made up of the Knights and Ladies of the Garter, and they are personally chosen by the monarch, who is the head of the Order. The garter is thought to represent the strap that attached two pieces of armor together, and therefore is a symbol of unity.

Pinned at the right hip, the garter badge is a hanging gold charm and features a depiction of St. George (the patron saint of the Order) and the dragon.

Pinned at the left breast, the eight-pointed diamond star contains a blue enamel garter (belted strap) with a St. George's cross set in the center with 13 rubies.

Unlike the sash and bling, the cloak, hat, and collar are only worn on Garter Day. This is held every year on the first Monday of Royal Ascot week in June, when the Order gathers together for church and lunch. The dark blue velvet cloak is lined with white taffeta and fastened with a tassel around the neck. The queen's is stitched with a Garter Star, but all the others feature the St. George's cross encircled by the garter. A dark red velvet hood is also attached but never used (that we know of).

Worn around the neck, over the mantle, and fastened with white ribbons on the shoulders, the collar is made up of alternate solid gold knots and red enamel roses and hung with a pendant of St. George on horseback slaying the dragon.

The black velvet Tudor-style bonnet is stitched with white ostrich feathers and black heron feathers and — just in case anyone forgot — is also pinned with a badge of the St. George's Cross circled by the garter.

Historically, Royal Orders have only been awarded to women — probably as an alternative to military-related hardware that was presented to the males of the family. Royal Orders are given privately as a thank you for support and dedication to the monarch and are worn at state occasions. The insignia of the Royal Order always incorporates a miniature portrait of the ruling monarch painted onto an oval of ivory, surrounded with diamonds, topped with a Tudor crown, and pinned onto a colored ribbon. In the UK, it has always been a different-color ribbon for every monarch, and the white one that the queen wears was bestowed upon her by her grandfather George V.

The rose-pink one that the queen wears was given by her father, George VI. Meanwhile, the queen's Royal Order is a shade of yellow officially known as "chartreuse" and worn by the likes of Princess Anne; Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall; and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

At assorted state occasions honoring other countries, the queen will wear the sash from the highest honor that has been bestowed to her from that country — and she has a truckload of them. So when she hosted Nelson Mandela in 1996, she wore the Order of Good Hope — the highest honor bestowed upon her by South Africa. Comprising the green and gold sash and worn with the gold star, it was awarded to her the previous year by Mandela himself for promoting good relations with his country.