Exploring the Royal Family's favourite sunglasses (2024)

Queen Elizabeth II first wore sunglasses in public during a royal tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1954.

She picked a pair of round tortoiseshell frames, a choice that would be considered equally chic today.

Now, the Prince of Wales is making waves with his choice of eyewear.

During a trip to Cornwall earlier this month, William opted for Finlay London's 'Marshall' sunglasses, a design he also frequently favoured last year.

Interestingly, his brotherPrince Harryhas worn the same design despite theirdeep rift.

As for Princess Anne, for years she has worn the same pair of Team GB Adidas sunglasses - demonstrating her preference for practicality over expense.

Elizabeth continued to wear various bespoke designs over the years, particularly after undergoing cataract surgery in 2018.

In later life, Her Majesty wore glasses with transitional lenses from brand Silhouette that darkened in sunlight.

Here, we explore the eyewear brands endorsed by members of the Royal Family.

Finlay London

While Prince William has recently made waves in Finlay London's 'Marshall' sunglasses, he was not the first royal to wear the British brand.

Prince Harry wore the same design to the F1 Grand Prix in Austin last October.

And a number of royal ladies are fans of the London-based label too.

Meghan Markle showcased their 'Percy' tortoiseshell shades in 2017, before she and Harry were engaged.

Meanwhile, Kate Middleton opted for the 'Henrietta' style at Wimbledon and also during her royal tour of the Caribbean with William in 2022.

Jack Brooksbank even sported a pair of Finlay London frames on his wedding day to watch Princess Eugenie walk down the aisle at St George's Chapel.

Adidas

Over the years, Princess Anne has solidified her status as fashion icon, a title that extends to her accessories.

One standout pair of specs from her collection is by Adidas.

The frameless design incorporates red polarised lenses and the Team GB logo - showing how they are more at home with athletes than royalty.

However, Anne has carried off the look on a number of occasions, including during an appearance at the 2018 Chelsea Flower Show.

Moscot

Similar to his sons, King Charles has a preference for sunglasses with transparent frames.

The monarch favours the 'Lemtosh' style by Moscot, as illustrated during his visit to Kenya in October last year.

Illesteva

Italian eyewear brand Illesteva has garnered followers in both Zara Tindall and Meghan Markle.

Meghan took the lead by sporting a striking pair of tortoiseshell cat-eye sunglasses during the 2018 Invictus Games.

Subsequently, in 2022, Zara accessorised her ensemble with a similar design at Epsom Racecourse.

Victoria Beckham

As expected, Kate attended Wimbledon 2023 in style, completing her ensemble with square-framed 'Denim' sunglasses by Victoria Beckham.

The same year, Meghan showcased navigator sunglasses designed by the former Spice Girl.

Leosun

Following in her mother's footsteps, Charlotte put on a stylish display as she watched the Wimbledon 2023 men's final.

The young royal was wearing a floral dress and pink Leosun sunglasses.

Although this design was from a previous collection, the brand experienced a 450 per cent surge in web traffic during the royal's outing.

A similar style, called Rose Fade, outsold other models three times over.

Ray-Ban

Queen Elizabeth II was the first member of the Royal Family to wear Ray-Ban sunglasses.

And several royals have followed suit by choosing eyewear from the iconic brand.

Princess Diana, Princess Beatrice, Prince Harry and King Charles have all been seen wearing them over the years.

Silhouette

After undergoing cataract surgery in 2018, Queen Elizabeth frequently wore sunglasses for practical reasons.

The late monarch favoured Silhouette glasses with transitional lenses that darkened in sunlight.

She was spotted wearing them during the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May 2022.