When considering the most timeless royal fashion icons, Princess Kate and the late Queen Elizabeth II top the list. Queen Elizabeth was well-known for her colorful coats, matching hats, and her iconic handbag, and while Princess Kate was once Queen of the Clutch, she has adopted the late Queen’s penchant for a top-handle bag in recent years. Monica Marriott-Mills, a Luxury and Royal Fashion Content Creator at @themonicaway, shares that “throughout history there have always been key bag shapes and styles that have remained consistently popular,” and the top-handle bag favored by the royals is one of the most timeless.
It turns out, these iconic handbags have a little-known secret history, and it's all about women gaining more independence. “Top handle bags first came into fashion in the late 19th and early 20th century, during the major shifts in women’s independence and thus, daily life,” explains Marriott-Mills. “Originally, handbags were mainly just for functional purposes, but as women began to travel more, work, and move through public spaces independently, bags became seen more as visible style accessories rather than just for the functionality of carrying things.”
“The top-handle design emerged as the most practical solution,” Marriott-Mills explains. “Easy to carry, structured but also suitable for formal dressing and expressing one's style.” The balance of practicality with style made the design popular from its inception. “It's this hybrid and sweet spot of being both aesthetically pleasing and functional, that lends itself to being so timeless.”
“By the mid 20th century, top-handle bags were firmly established as a wardrobe staple, as worn by Hollywood stars like Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly.” Monica mentions the iconic Hermès Kelly bag, the ultimate top-handle bag named after Grace Kelly. “They became associated with polish, status, and craftsmanship—visually pleasing but practical.”
“Unlike the trend-led bags that come and go these days, the top-handle design barely ever changes from that of those we can see from the 1920s and 1930s onwards,” says Marriott-Mills. Indeed, Queen Elizabeth’s handbags from the 1950s look strikingly similar to Princess Kate’s handbags in the 2020s. Monica Marriott-Mills explains that this “lends to its timelessness and popularity over the decades.”
“The Royals are often seen as a ‘constant’ for the public. By consistently wearing recognisable styles and brands, it can be seen to instill an air of reliability and steadiness to her onlookers,” she explains. “It's refined but it's also highly functional and appropriate for everyday life. It's this versatility that truly makes it a timeless bag style.”
