When she went to Buckingham Palace to receive an MBE from the Queen, Brown wore a deep pink skirt suit in a sleek 1930s cut with a matching hat – the colours, naturally, had been chosen to match the hue of the MBE bow. Brown was a meticulous dresser and was often photographed in sailor-neck suits that were reminiscent of Diana in the Eighties – although perhaps it was the princess (a self-described fan of EastEnders) who was inspired by the actress.

Less likely to be following the goings-on in Albert Square was the famously snobbish Duchess of Windsor. Although her look – immaculately tailored skirts and jackets, belted silk dresses, clip-on earrings and pearls – lived on in Brown. Lady Gaga, however, had no such qualms. When the singer met Brown on the Graham Norton Show in 2013, she clutched her cheeks in delight as Brown lifted the hem of her striped dress to reveal a pair of scarlet tights underneath.