London Fashion Week: The Queen sits front row for the first time

The Queen of the United Kingdom took her seat next to the Queen of fashion

The Queen and Anna Wintour sitting front row at London Fashion Week (Rebecca English)

The Queen, a longtime fashion icon herself, has now joined the ranks of celebrity and fashion A-listers as she sat front row at London Fashion Week for the first time.

Seated next to the iconic Vogue editor Anna Wintour, the Queen took her place front row at the Richard Quinn show, looking quite at home.

Dressed in a light blue Angela Kelly tweed dress and matching jacket, adorned with blue Swarovski crystals, black gloves, and a matching black purse, the 91-year-old monarch proved she was a natural, despite this being the first time sitting in the coveted front row.

It was a day of firsts, as the Queen attended the show prior to handing out the first ever Queen Elizabeth II British Fashion design award to designer Richard Quinn.

Created to award a British designer annually as an acknowledgement of the role the fashion industry plays in society and diplomacy, the award will be given to emerging designers who show exceptional talent and originality, in addition to demonstrating value to the community.

The award was originally thought up by Angela Kelly - personal advisor to Her Majesty and the designer who created the egg-blue ensemble the Queen wore - as a way to acknowledge emerging designers.

In the works for the last two years, this is the first year that a recipient has been named - and received the hand-produced award designed by Kelly.

After she had finished viewing the show alongside Wintour, who never removed her dark sunglasses, the Queen then presented Quinn with the award for his contribution to the fashion community.

As an emerging designer already well-known for his prints, the designer’s efforts have not gone unnoticed - globally, as well as by Her Majesty.

Designer Richard Quinn was the first recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II award for fashion design

Now an annual recognition, the award, which is inspired by the Queen Elizabeth rose, will be given to designers selected by the BFC, in collaboration with the Royal Household, and presented by a member of the Royal Family.

As for Fashion Week, we hope this was the start of a brand-new tradition for the Queen.