The grand finale of The Crown has served up some sensational beauty looks—from Princess Diana's iconic bob hairstyle and dewy make-up to Kate Middleton's sultry, kohl-lined eyes for that fashion show during her early courtship days with Prince William.
The Crown's make-up artist Cate Hall masterfully captured the Royals' beauty styles throughout the series, so we were all ears when it came to which products she had in her make-up kit on set. When it comes to lip shades suitable for royalty, Lisa Eldridge's lipstick lines reign supreme, with three of the MUA's shades chosen for Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret and Princess Diana while filming the final season.
So which were the shades of choice? Velvet Duchess, a sultry and deep garnet red, Velvet Ribbon, a vibrant, crowd-pleasing crimson red and Kitten Mischief, a buttery caramel pink were the lipsticks that made the cut for some of the most iconic scenes in the final season.
"It’s such an honour to see such fiercely talented actresses wearing my lipsticks in The Crown season six," Eldridge explained. "I’m so thrilled that the brilliant makeup team have recognised how beautifully my lipsticks perform."
Kitten Mischief for Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana
In season six of The Crown, we see a different approach to Diana's beauty looks, with softer, beachy hair and sunkissed skin for the scenes in Monte Carlo where see the Princess at her most relaxed and playful on Dodi's glamorous yacht. The evening scenes saw Diana still taking a more natural approach to makeup, moving away from more formal looks as she distanced herself from royal life.
Princess Diana's signature bronzed skin and tousled bob were always going to work better with a lighter, more luminous lip shade. So it's no surprise that Hall opted for Lisa Eldridge's Kitten Mischief for Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana. Kitten Mischief is a wearable buttery caramel pink—perfect for complementing Elizabeth's glowing complexion.
This playful shade has a luminous finish that will work for day and night. The caramel pink shade is buildable from sheer to semi-sheer, with a satin finish.
Velvet Duchess for Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II
It's no surprise that Velvet Duchess was chosen for the portrayal of the Queen herself, considering that Lisa Eldridge created this shade to resemble the red lipstick historically favoured by royalty. The Queen was known to be a fan of a bold lip from time to time, keeping things simple with timeless, classic shades with a deep red hue.
Eldridge said of the collaboration: “The journey to this moment began when Cate contacted me to discuss and test some of my lipstick shades for this series. Velvet Duchess wasn’t out yet, but I had a small batch I had mixed in the lab... and I had a feeling it could be a winner. Cut to now and I’m thrilled the makeup team confirmed that Duchess was the chosen shade!”
This deep garnet shade is everything a red lipstick should be—bold and sumptuous, with a soft, velvet finish. The formula is hydrating and long-lasting, making it an ideal choice for using on set.
Velvet Ribbon for Beau Gadson as Princess Margaret
Beau Gadson who stole the show in episode eight, 'The Ritz', joined Viola Prettejohn as a young Queen Elizabeth and Beau as Princess Margaret sneak out of Buckingham Palace to celebrate with the masses. For Margaret's vibrant make-up look, Cate chose Velvet Ribbon, a universally flattering pillar box red that's one of the brand's best sellers.
