Which colour is known as the colour of royalty, and why has it earned that status?

If you think the royals did not go gaga over a colour, then you’re wrong, as they chose the colour purple to define royalty. Created from the desiccated glands of sea snails, this colour was not just any hue, but it was the shade of history, luxury, and regality. This shade ties to kings and queens, dating back centuries when even the colours were reserved for the upper and lower crust.The Persian king Cyrus adopted a purple tunic as his royal uniform, and next, many Roman emperors seized this colour from their citizens and imposed a death penalty. In the Byzantine Empire, rulers wore flowing purple robes and signed their edicts in purple ink, and their children were also described as being ‘born in purple hues’. But what was the real reason behind this choice?The real reason for purple’s regal reputation is a simple case of supply and demand. The purple dye trade was centred in the Phoenician city of Tyre, which is now in modern-day Lebanon. This shade mainly comes from a species of sea snails, which are known as Bolinus brandaris and were exceedingly rare. Their worth became like the weight of gold, where one was required to harvest it, crack open the snail’s shell, extract a purple-producing mucus, and expose it to sunlight for a precise amount of time. It merely took 250,000 molluscs to yield just one ounce of usable dye, making it only available for the royals. However, the result was pleasing, as a vibrant and long-lasting shade of purple looked absolutely iconic. When everything changed!The royal class’s monopoly on the purple shade finally waned post the fall of the Byzantine Empire in the 15th century. However, the colour became available for all in the 1850s, when the first synthetic dyes were introduced in the market. Over time, purple also became important in the religion segment, where the Catholic Church used it during Advent and Lent, representing preparation, prayer, and reflection. It is still linked with imagination, creativity, spirituality, and wisdom. So, if you have a purple ensemble in your wardrobe, take a look back at its evolution journey and feel blessed to have this luxurious shade.