Ever since the Queen's death was announced last Thursday, TV broadcasters and contributors have been appearing on screen dressed in all-black attire to show their respect to the late monarch.
And following King Charles' declaration of a period of national mourning, that will last until one week following Her Majesty's funeral on September 19, the Royal Family has also been sticking to an all-black dress code.
Last weekend the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex greeted mourners outside Windsor castle, all wearing dark-hued clothes, and the King and Queen Consort and other members of the Royal Family also adhered to black clothing as a mark of respect.
Ordinarily, black is rarely worn by members of the Royal Family, who prefer to reserve the colour for periods of mourning, one exception being Remembrance Sunday, another a sombre occasion.
For Monday's funeral, according to Debrett's, certain members of the Royal Family will be expected to wear black, as per the strict dress code observed at state funerals.
"An all-black formal dress code is always respected. Ladies wear black knee-length dresses, or coats, black hats, and may also wear face-covering veils," the site explains.
Male mourners, on the other hand can either: "wear military attire, or – as was the case at the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh – black morning coats with medals."
There's little doubt that black has become custom attire for funerals and periods of mourning, and of course the current period of mourning for the Queen is no exception, but where does the tradition stem from?
Historians have traced the very earliest tradition of wearing black at funerals to the Roman Empire, when a person's death would be marked by switching a normally white toga for a black one.
More recently, the tradition of wearing black at funerals, in the UK at least, is believed to have been inspired by Queen Victoria.
"The colour black has long been connected with death however the tradition of wearing black at the time of mourning is strongly believed to have become fashionable in the time of Queen Victoria," explains Jeremy Field, managing director of C.P.J. Field, funeral directors who arranged the funerals for Queen Victoria and the Duke of Wellington.
"She famously wore only black following the death of her consort Prince Albert."
According to a blog post by Kirsty Salisbury, end of life worker and podcaster, when Queen Victoria's beloved husband Prince Albert died in 1861, she wore black at the funeral, and continued to wear black mourning veils for the remaining 40 years of her life.
As the monarch was considered something of a style icon, the British upper-class aspired to be like their Queen, adopting her clothing choices when in mourning as something of a status symbol.
Eventually, during the Victorian era, black clothing during periods of mourning became common practice, with official rules brought in specifying how long black attire should be worn for.
"After that, widows were regularly seen in black for one-two years after the death of their spouse," adds Field.
"A significant proportion of the ritual and ceremony still observed in funerals is derived from the Victorian period."
It is a tradition still largely practiced today thanks, in part, to the colour's association with sombre feelings.
"The colour black can be reflective of the desolation we feel when someone we love dies," Field explains.
"To some, it can feel wrong to seem exuberant in such circumstances. Wearing black or sombre clothes signifies that the wearer is in mourning and would appreciate patience and kindness."
Of course, while black remains the traditional colour of choice for many mourners, some funerals across the UK are becoming decidedly more colourful.
"While it has been seen over time to be a sign of respect to avoid colourful clothing to a funeral and around others who are grieving, fashions are changing, with the emphasis on trying to celebrate that the person has lived rather than mourn the fact that they have died," explains Field.
And one way of doing that is introducing more colour to the dress code.
A recent survey, by Co-Op Funeralcare, revealed that over a third (37%) feel that funerals are generally too sombre and should be more uplifting.
With that in mind, over a fifth (22%) of respondents would like mourners to move away from traditional black attire, preferring attendees to dress in bright colours. This compares to only 13% who now prefer a darker dress code.
According to Marie Curie, this shift away from black could also reflect our increasingly multicultural society; in Hinduism, for example, white is the traditional choice of colour to wear to a funeral.
The Royal Family hasn't always stuck steadfastly to the all-black rule either.
In 1938, the Queen Mother wore a white dress to her mother’s funeral to counter the sombre mood of impending war.
"The ultimate masterclass in making mourning dress into a regal fashion statement came in 1938, when Queen Elizabeth's mother, the Countess of Strathmore, died weeks before a pivotal royal tour to France," Matthew Storey, curator at Historic Royal Palaces, told The Telegraph.
"More than a mere charm offensive, this was the king and queen's first foreign visit since the abdication of Edward VIII and came as the prospect of war loomed gravely over Europe. A black wardrobe simply wouldn’t do, as it was imperative to come bearing optimism."
And for Prince Philip's memorial service royals eschewed the traditional black to pay a touching tribute to the late Duke of Edinburgh by wearing the same shade of dark green, the late royal's livery colour.
It has been revealed that news reporters were able to change so quickly into black outfits, as presenters always have black outfits on standby for sombre occasions, such as the death of a senior royal.
Similarly, royals have to be prepared for possible tragedy when they travel overseas, packing a black outfit with them in their luggage.
This custom actually seems to have been put in place after the death of the Queen’s father, King George, in 1952.
When news broke that her father had died, the then-Princess was on a royal tour with Prince Philip in Kenya and was rumoured not to have a black outfit with her to arrive home in.
She reportedly had wait for it to be delivered directly to her plane when she landed back in the UK before she could disembark.
Since then, royals are thought to have been encouraged to pack a black outfit when travelling in case there is a death in the family or another sombre event, which they must be seen to show respect for.
Cheryl Burke says it is "cruel" to put her dog through a custody battle following her divorce from Matthew Lawrence.
Fleur East and her partner Vito Coppola received an incredible 29 points on Saturday night for their elegant American Smooth to Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid, but that wasn't enough to save the couple from the dreaded dance off. MORE: Second celebrity leaves Strictly after 'heartbreaking' dance off The couple performed their routine again alongside Richie Anderson and Giovanni Pernice, who ended up leaving the show after three of the judges, Anton du Beke, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Rev
Golden Retrievers, Greyhounds and Staffordshire Bull Terriers are among the top dog breeds to benefit your mental health, new research has found.
Back in the 1950s, a swathe of New York’s West Side referenced in Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story was swept away by the ruthless urban planners of the time (led by Robert Moses, the obsessive subject of David Hare’s new play Straight Line Crazy) to create space for the gleaming white art temples of Lincoln Center. The complex was to house a new Metropolitan Opera, the New York State Theater, a further theatre, and a symphonic concert hall that aimed to replace Carnegie Hall, then in danger o
This exclusive playlist is scientifically proven to improve your running. Here, a sports psychologist explains how these 16 tracks map to your running sessions.
Buying a pair of running shoes is just the start of a fun training journey, we promise! Here are the 25 best women's running trainers to shop right now
David Beckham has been open about suffering from anxiety, which he said stemmed from his battle with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). READ: David Beckham's adorable morning with daughter Harper will melt your heart The former footballer has his own way of managing his mental health struggles, explaining to the Sunday Times Magazine in 2014 that one of his favoured coping mechanisms was to play with his children, Harper, Cruz, Romeo and Brooklyn, once they returned from school each day. WATCH
Whoopi Goldberg wants "as many people who want to have some fun" in 'Sister Act 3', including rapper Nicki Minaj, singer Lizzo, and actress Keke Palmer.
The Princess of Wales looked immaculate as ever to record a special programme with BBC Radio 1's Newsbeat on Monday ahead of World Mental Health Day. LOOK: 7 best pieces in Kate Middleton's affordable jewellery box Proving her effortless elegance, the 40-year-old royal donned a fitted blazer with structured shoulders, an inverted lapel and fit-and-flare waistline. Princess Kate looked incredible in black cigarette trousers, complementing her feminine silhouette with a fitted ecru-hued bodysuit.
John Frieda and Crisis believe that all of us should be treated with dignity and have the opportunity to fulfil our potential. However, people experiencing homelessness are often denied these basic needs. MORE: Charlotte Tilbury x The Prince's Trust's life-changing project To try and change this, the two organisations are working together to ensure that people facing homelessness have access to the support that they need to build their confidence and help unlock their potential. John Frieda is s
James Jordan wasted no time heaping praise on his "beautiful wife" Ola on the couple's 19th wedding anniversary. READ: Inside Prince Harry's relationship with 'amazing' mother-in-law Doria Ragland The former Strictly Come Dancing star took to Instagram to share a throwback photo of the couple which showed James with long blonde hair that fell past his shoulders. He wrapped his arms around Ola, who wore a twinning white T-shirt, her dazzling engagement ring and brunette hair and bangs – a far cry
Louis Tomlinson has vowed to watch 'The Voice' after Niall Horan was named as a new coach.
Over the years, the four younger royals have led the way by speaking about their own mental health.
She's been twerking at the Emmys and winning at the MTV VMAs, and on 23 Sept., Lizzo kicked off her "The Special Tour" in Florida. As the singer continues to make waves in the US, fans in the UK might have been feeling as though they'll never get a chance to see the "Juice" star in real life.
'TMZ' reports that emergency medical services were called to Brandy's home on Oct. 11. Sources close to the situation say Brandy is believed to have had a seizure and was taken to a Los Angeles hospital. Brandy is reportedly still in the hospital but is expected to recover. Her parents have been by her side the entire time. It is not yet known what may have caused the seizure. The 43-year-old singer took to social media on Oct. 12 to give her fans an update.
Khloe Kardashian has confirmed that she recently had a tumour removed from her face.
Confirming previous reports from BANG, Harrison Ford is joining the MCU.
Sure, it's not even Halloween yet – but with Amazon launching a second Prime Day on October 11-12, it's a great time to start your Christmas shopping. (Or, you know, you shopping.) RELATED: Amazon has launched a Christmas shopping event - these are the deals to shop now You don't even have to wait until the official Prime Day to start your shopping, either. Amazon and its partners are already leaking out early access Prime Day deals, in anticipation of an official Early Access Prime Day event on
Since launching her eponymous fashion brand in 2010, Sally LaPointe has become known for electric, neon-adjacent monochrome looks that pack a punch. That said, for a while now, the New York-based designer had noticed that customers were buying her downtown cool garments in shades of cream and white for an unexpected occasion: weddings. “Not just like the wedding [day],” she tells Refinery29. “But everything around the wedding, so rehearsal dinner, the brunch after, and bachelorette.” With that i
Late-night hosts discuss the 10th and potentially final House committee hearing on January 6 and look back on ‘season one’ of the investigation