Throughout her reign of more than six decades, Queen Elizabeth II has chosen outfits for countless occasions, from meeting foreign dignitaries to attending royal weddings and christenings. So, when it comes to accessorizing, it makes sense that she favors versatile, classic pieces that can pair with almost anything.

Case in point: this black handbag, which she has worn regularly for at least 50 years.

The bag pairs well with white gloves, another favorite accessory of the queen. Stuart C. Wilson / Getty Images

As the U.K.'s Daily Express recently pointed out, the queen has been rocking this handbag since the late '60s. The purse with a distinctive metallic embellishment near the top was made by Launer, a British brand that has produced several of the queen’s favorite handbags over the years. (When it comes to umbrellas, she aims to match it to her outfit.)

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She carried the bag when she met President Richard Nixon and Pat Nixon in 1970.

She sported the handbag when she met President Nixon in 1970. Bettmann Archive

She also sported the purse when she greeted President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton at Buckingham Palace in 2000.

It was apparently the queen's go-to bag for meeting presidents. Tim Graham / Getty Images

The bag was the perfect accessory for her cheerful, checked ensemble at the Gold Cup race meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse in 2003.

Queen Elizabeth also casually carried the bag at England's Cheltenham Racecourse in 2003. UK Press / Getty Images

And she carried the bag during an event in London in 2004.

The queen and her trusty bag were spotted out and about in 2004, when the queen opened the Tanaka Business School at Imperial College in London. Tim Graham / Getty Images

Besides being practical and stylish, Queen Elizabeth’s beloved handbag may also come in handy for sending secret messages. According to royal historian Hugo Vickers, the queen sometimes uses her handbag to get out of awkward social encounters.

When she is out and about, she typically carries her handbag over her left arm. However, if she switches the bag to her right arm, it’s a subtle hint to her staff that she would like to be rescued from the current conversation.

She wore her trusty Launer bag on her left arm when she met French president Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, in 2008.

The queen carried the handbag when she met French president Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, in 2008. Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

She also carried the bag as she reviewed the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery in London’s Hyde Park in 2017.

The bag works well with almost any daytime outfit. Chris Jackson / Getty Images

The purse was even immortalized in an official royal portrait of Queen Elizabeth, unveiled last year.

The beloved handbag was even captured in an official portrait of the queen in 2018. Heathcliff O'Malley / AFP-Getty Images

A classic accessory never goes out of style, and the queen's go-to handbag is now part of royal history!