Queen Elizabeth II Steps Out In Purple Hat And Matching Coat, Visits New Crossrail Service

Queen Elizabeth II stepped out for an engagement in an edgy bold purple hat and a matching dress Tuesday. She visited the construction site of the new Crossrail service at Bond Street. She unveiled a plaque that revealed the new route across London will be called the Elizabeth Line in her honor, and will feature a bold purple color scheme.

The queen, who is known for her love of colorful, pastel shade dresses and her head-turning style with fabulous hats, color-coordinated her ensemble for the occasion. The 89-year-old British monarch wore a bright purple coat and matching hat for the tour. Her ensemble was by her in-house couturier Angela Kelly.

The queen's purple wool crepe dress with matching coat and hat is a royal re-wear. She last wore the outfit to meet the Walking with the Wounded team along with prince Harry at Buckingham Palace in November 2013.

She accessorized with pearl earrings, a two-string pearl necklace and a jeweled brooch.

Elizabeth, who will celebrate her 90th birthday in April, wore a pair of black loafers, gloves and carried a small matching handbag. She completed her look with a slick of pink lipstick. The queen was all smiles as she met the construction workers.

She was joined by transport secretary Patrick McCloughlin and Mayor Boris Johnson who came up with the idea to name the £15billion ($2.2 billion) route after her. “Queen Elizabeth has given extraordinary service to this country over an unprecedented period and it is entirely right that she should be honored with a living tribute that will last for centuries,” said the mayor.

Elizabeth saw the work being carried out on the ticket hall, platform and tunnels, and was presented with a commemorative “Elizabeth” plaque. She also met with staff working on construction at the station. More than 225,000 passengers are expected to pass through every day once the station becomes operational.

The route will officially open as the Elizabeth Line in December 2018, when the Crossrail service starts running through central London. It is a befitting tribute to the British royal who became the first reigning monarch to travel on the tube when she opened the Victoria line in 1969. Meanwhile, the Jubilee line was officially opened by the queen’s son Prince Charles in 1977 and was named to mark the Queen’s 25 years on the throne.