Purple is a color that has long been associated with royalty, wealth, and power. While there are many shades of purple, royal purple is the specific tone that has historically been used by kings, queens, emperors, and nobles to demonstrate their status and authority.
The History of Royal Purple
The association between royal purple and royalty stems from ancient times. In antiquity, purple dye was extremely rare and difficult to produce, making purple colored garments significantly more expensive than common clothes. As purple clothing was affordable only to the very wealthy, the color purple became linked to royalty.
One of the first known uses of purple as a royal color was in ancient Phoenicia, located in modern-day Lebanon. Here, the Phoenicians discovered that a species of sea snail known as the spiny dye-murex could be used to produce a vibrant and lasting purple colored dye. As the dye was incredibly challenging and costly to manufacture, it became associated with prestige and reserved for royal use.
Later, during the Roman Empire, the color purple maintained its imperial associations. The Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus decreed that only members of the imperial family could wear garments dyed with Tyrian purple, a sought-after purple pigment sourced from the Phoenician city of Tyre. Roman senators and other high-ranking officials wore stripes of Tyrian purple on their togas to demonstrate their status and rank.
Royal Purple in Medieval and Renaissance Europe
In medieval Europe, purple retained its regal status. Because purple dye was still challenging to produce, sumptuary laws restricted common people from wearing purple garments. Only rulers and nobility were permitted to dress in purple.
During the Renaissance, purple continued being used to signify royalty and nobility. European kings and queens wore purple robes and garments as a symbol of authority. For example, Queen Elizabeth I of England frequently wore purple gowns with gold embroidery in her royal portraits.
The actual shade of purple worn by Renaissance nobility varied somewhat based on availability of dyes. However, it tended to be a rich, deep purple that clearly stood out from common clothing.
How is Royal Purple Made?
So what gives royal purple its distinctive regal color? Historically, royal purple was made using natural dyes sourced from sea snails of the family Muricidae, commonly known as murex or rock shell.
Specific species used included:
- Bolinus brandaris (spiny dye-murex)
- Hexaplex trunculus (banded dye-murex)
- Stramonita haemastoma (red-mouthed rock shell)
To produce the dye, the snail shells are broken, revealing a gland that secretes the purple fluid. It takes roughly 10,000 murex snails to yield only 1 gram of purple dye, which is why the color was so prohibitively expensive.
The resulting hue from different murex species can range from a reddish purple to a more bluish purple. Mixing dyes from multiple species results in the most ideal rich, deep royal purple.
Modern Royal Purple
While natural murex dyes are still occasionally used for historically accurate textile restoration, most purple shades today are created using synthetic dyes. This makes vibrant purple clothing and fabrics far more affordable and accessible.
Pantone 19-3815 TPX is one modern commercial dye formulation designed to replicate the look of royal purple. This deep purple shade has strong blue undertones.
Another close approximation of historical royal purple is Pantone 268 C, a deeper, slightly redder tone.
| Pantone Code | Hue |
|---|---|
| Pantone 19-3815 TPX | Deep blue-toned purple |
| Pantone 268 C | Deep purple with subtle red undertones |
Modern substitutes make classic royal purple more affordable. However, many corporations and institutions still use the original labor-intensive murex dyeing process to create luxury purple fabrics for ceremonial robes, academic regalia, and other special textiles.
Royal Purple in Modern Culture
Despite its historic royal affiliations, purple is popular in modern fashion, design, and branding. Light to medium purples appear frequently in women’s clothing and accessories. Deeper purple shades are widely used in home decor, particularly paired with gray.
In many creative fields, purple connotes imagination, spirituality, and mysticism. Purple is also strongly associated with fantasy and magic, making it popular for media products targeting younger audiences.
Examples of iconic purple brands and characters include:
- Cadbury chocolate
- Yahoo!
- Barney the dinosaur
- Nickelodeon
- Milka chocolate
- Hallmark
- Willy Wonka
Royal purple specifically maintains connections to luxury branding. For instance, Crown Royal whiskey uses a regal purple color scheme and name to convey premium quality.
In some contexts, royal purple retains political and ceremonial significance. University faculty may wear deep purple academic robes. Politicians, clergy, or judges may don purple sashes or ribbons for formal state occasions.
Conclusion
While royal purple originated as a color exclusively for emperors and kings derived from extremely precious dyestuffs, it remains an elegant, compelling shade in the modern world. The color maintains associations with luxury and ceremony, even as it has become more widely embraced in fashion and popular culture.
From ancient Phoenicia to the present day, royal purple’s rich, beautiful hue and aristocratic history ensure it continues being beloved and admired.