The coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camila on 6 May at Westminster Abbey is reason to rejoice for a local girl from Hooghly. Reason! She holds a special place in the ceremony as she has designed the queen’s dress and a broach for the king, to be worn for the evening.

Priyanka Mallick will be participating at the royal ceremony, virtually, even though she has an invite to be present personally. Making India proud, Priyanka was initially asked to design for the queen but later also asked to suggest for the king something unique.

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The designs were confirmed after correspondence with officials from Buckingham Palace for the last six months. Priyanka had also done Queen Elizabeth’s crown design earlier (tiara), which Queen Elizabeth II of London wore during platinum jubilee celebration to mark the 70th year of accession of the queen Elizabeth II.

“They have supported me in reaching my designs to the royal couple. My designs, descriptions and thought process were much appreciated,” said the Hooghly girl.

The designer, who works from her workshop in Hooghly’s Badinan village has got online degrees from Milan, Italy and Harward and Stanford University, USA. A member of Royal Commonwealth Society of UK, she has got an appreciation letter too from the royal office. Talking about her designs and the dress Queen Camila will wear, Priyanka Said, “Red rose is the symbol of England.

It is also a symbol of purity and feminism, themes on which the queen has been working on.

The Queen’s dress is like petals of red rose with my butterfly signature in it. The rose petals and butterflies are designed all over the dress and fascinator hat and heels symbolize the beauty of Her Majesty.

For the butterfly brooch for King Charles III, I have taken inspiration from the colours of the cosmos. The idea is to show that the powers of the cosmos are with the King. Let the coronation bring in positive transformation from the dark times.”

Though the designs are by Priyanka, the production will be done locally with her inputs. “I have been in constant touch with the stylists and workers in London on how to recreate the designs,” said the designer, who has also sent in her message to London’s church of England for the King after being asked for it.