• A new definition of the term 'power front row': Britain's Queen Elizabeth II sits next to 'Vogue' Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour as they view Richard Quinn's runway show before presenting him with the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. Yui Mok / Reuters
    A new definition of the term 'power front row': Britain's Queen Elizabeth II sits next to 'Vogue' Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour as they view Richard Quinn's runway show before presenting him with the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. Yui Mok / Reuters
  • Queen Elizabeth sat front row at the 28-year-old designer's show - he's known for employing unusual headgear on the red carpet. We wonder if we'll see floral helmets at the upcoming royal wedding? Neil Hall / EPA
    Queen Elizabeth sat front row at the 28-year-old designer's show - he's known for employing unusual headgear on the red carpet. We wonder if we'll see floral helmets at the upcoming royal wedding? Neil Hall / EPA
  • Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour showed her commitment to wearing sunglasses indoors by maintaining her signature look even when sitting next to Great Britain's Head of State. Reuters
    Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour showed her commitment to wearing sunglasses indoors by maintaining her signature look even when sitting next to Great Britain's Head of State. Reuters
  • Queen Elizabeth II presents Richard Quinn with the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design on February 20, 2018 in London. Getty Images
    Queen Elizabeth II presents Richard Quinn with the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design on February 20, 2018 in London. Getty Images
  • This almost looks like an exaggerated homage to The Queen's Balmoral fashion. Tolga Akmen / EPA
    This almost looks like an exaggerated homage to The Queen's Balmoral fashion. Tolga Akmen / EPA
  • Definitely regal and The Queen appears to be loving it. AFP
    Definitely regal and The Queen appears to be loving it. AFP
  • The young Richard Quinn was dubbed 'one to watch' by The New York Times last year. This was not fake news. AFP
    The young Richard Quinn was dubbed 'one to watch' by The New York Times last year. This was not fake news. AFP
  • Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, 91, wore black gloves for her first-ever London Fashion Week front row appearance. Reuters
    Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, 91, wore black gloves for her first-ever London Fashion Week front row appearance. Reuters
  • Anna Wintour certainly sealed her status as fashion royalty by sitting next to The Queen during the show. EPA
    Anna Wintour certainly sealed her status as fashion royalty by sitting next to The Queen during the show. EPA
  • The monarch viewed Richard Quinn's runway show before presenting him with the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. Getty
    The monarch viewed Richard Quinn's runway show before presenting him with the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. Getty

The Queen sits front row at London Fashion Week - in pictures


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The Queen of England, 91, has sat front row at London Fashion Week for the first time ever.

The British monarch - in many ways a style icon herself (particularly when it comes to twinsets) - sat next to Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour during young British designer Richard Quinn's show.

Quinn is known for his use of bold patterns, and for his runway practice of covering model's faces with, often floral, scarves or other coverings.

The Queen was spied smiling throughout the show, but chose not to clap her glove-clad hands at the end of the show - she did appear to point out a look that she particularly liked however, as you can see at the start of this Twitter video:

The British Monarch was at the show to present Richard Quinn, 28, with the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design - the new award aims to highlight the role that fashion plays in both society and diplomacy.

One thing is for sure - the award, and Queen Elizabeth's front-row attendance, helped to distract from the big shows to shine a light on fresh British talent.

Last year, The New York Times dubbed Richard Quinn as "one to watch". Last year, he was awarded a variety of accolades, including prizes from H&M and Liberty London. He's also given back: opening a textile print space in Peckham, London that is at an attainable price point for other young designers and students.

"Throughout your reign you have embraced fashion, using its power of diplomacy to communicate understanding between cultures and nations," the British Fashion Council's chief executive Caroline Rush told the Monarch and the even'ts audience yesterday.

"Having visited the exhibition of your wardrobe at Buckingham Palace, we learnt that you had to challenge some of the norms, some of the dress codes that had been designed for men, making us in awe of how you have reflected the changes in our society."

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