BACK IN THEIR 1999 five-man heyday, Westlife were invited to play the Royal Variety Performance in the Birmingham Hippodrome – a big deal given their debut single had only come out earlier that same year.

Like all the acts, they got to meet the Queen backstage – look at them there, resplendent in all white:

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Brian McFadden – still a member of the band, of course, as Bryan – must have been in nostalgic mood yesterday, because he shared a photo from the meeting.

And the caption is self-deprecating and devastatingly accurate in describing the outfits – even the Queen’s

Oh yes:

Polo necks, see through Victoria secret style shirts and a ball gown made out of wrappers from an empty box of quality street. #trendsetters

*applause*

Looking at them side by side, “a ball gown made out of wrappers from an empty box of quality street” is just about as accurate a description as you could make

@sohara1990 @sohara1990

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And the lads wearing “see through Victoria Secret style shirts” is spot on too.

There was no insight forthcoming on why Brian wore a rich polo neck and the rest of the lads opted for something lighter

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But he got to meet her in the end – and the setting is just quintessentially late ’90s

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No word on whether the Quality Street comparison was made in person.

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