The Queen's dresses go on display at Buckingham Palace

For a Commonwealth tour, Her Majesty’s wardrobe is meticulously planned by the Queen’s dresser and designers. The climate is a consideration, and the colours of the fabrics should allow the Queen to be clearly visible among large crowds Photograph: Sarah Lee

The dresses are on display under the geographical areas in which they were worn Photograph: Sarah Lee

Everything is meticulously checked as the final stages of preparation for the take place Photograph: Sarah Lee

An evening dress, designed by Norman Hartnell, worn in Lagos on 2 Febrary 1956 during a tour of Nigeria. The dress is made of cream duchesse satin with embroidery of pearl, beads, sequins and looped bugle beads on the bodice Photograph: Sarah Lee

On the first day of a a six-week tour of India and Pakistan in 1961, the Queen and Prince Phillip attended a banquet given in their honour. The Queen wore a duchesse satin evening dress in ivory and emerald green – the national colours of Pakistan Photograph: Sarah Lee

Evening dress worn for the state opening of parliment in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1963. Designed by Norman Hartnell. The scissor-shape skirt is cut into two pieces to reveal an embroidered panel Photograph: Sarah Lee

Evening dress worn for a state dinner at Rideau Hall, Ottawa, 30 June 1967, during the tour of Canada. Bodice edged with maple leaves and berries Photograph: Sarah Lee

On several occasions throughout the Silver Jubilee tour in 1977 in New Zealand, the Queen wore this green and white floral silk day dress, with a matching hat Photograph: Sarah Lee

This day dress was designed in 1995 by Maureen Rose Couture, for when the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Durban, South Africa Photograph: Sarah Lee

This day dress was designed by Kelly & Pordum in 2003 for a visit to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Abuja, Nigeria. The hat was designed as a complementary item Photograph: Sarah Lee

The Queen's hats are also on display in the exhibition, this one was worn with the red dress seen behind, designed by John Anderson as a day dress in 2005 Photograph: Sarah Lee