Worn for official portraits taken at Clarence House, 1951. Princess Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh undertook a tour of Canada and the United States in October – November 1951 on behalf of King George VI. Hartnell’s dress, with its stylised foliate motifs, was selected by Princess Elizabeth for the portraits taken by the Canadian-American photographer Yousuf Karsh, which were released before the tour. The fichu collar of the dress was subsequently altered into shoulder straps.