A new memoir from Queen Elizabeth II’s royal dresser is unearthing little known facts about England’s longest reigning monarch.
Angela Kelly’s new book, “The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe,” gives insight into the lesser known side of the queen, including her sartorial preferences.
With the queen’s permission, Kelly documented intimate moments of her 25-year career working with the royal, offering never-before-seen photos of the queen throughout the years.
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Scroll on to see five facts about Queen Elizabeth II from her dresser’s memoir.
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1. The Queen Has Decoy Hats
Image Credit: Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock For big royal events, especially the Royal Ascot, Kelly puts on display a number of “decoy hats” at Windsor Castle to deter the staff from placing bets on which color the Queen would wear.
“They are different colors and styles and are on display for a reason,” she wrote. “Anyone who happens to pass the room will see those hats. They are not hidden behind a closed door and no secret is made of them.”
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2. The Queen’s Dresser Breaks in Her Shoes
Image Credit: Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock The Queen has a busy schedule, so busy that Kelly is tasked with breaking in her own shoes.
“As has been reported a lot in the press, a ‘flunky’ wears in Her Majesty’s shoes to ensure that they are comfortable and that she is always good to go,” Kelly wrote. “And yes, I am that ‘flunky’.”
Kelly states that she has the same shoe size as the Queen, which makes breaking in her shoes easy.
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3. The Queen Does Her Own Makeup
Image Credit: David Bailey The Queen has long preferred to do her own makeup, only enlisting makeup artist Marilyn Widdess to assist when she makes her annual televised Christmas message.
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4. The Royal Christening Robe Was Dyed With Tea
Image Credit: REX/Shutterstock Queen Victoria commissioned the royal christening robe in 1841, which was worn by 62 members of the royal family.
In 2004, Queen Elizabeth sought to recreate the robe in order to preserve the original, giving the task to Kelly and dressmaker Barbara Buckfield. The two took nine months to recreate the infant robe, dying lace from Italy in cold bowls of Yorkshire tea.
Here the Duchess of Cambridge holds Prince Louis, who is wearing the christening robe in 2018.
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5. The Queen Is Going Semi Fur-Free
Image Credit: Terry Harris/Shutterstock Kelly revealed that Queen Elizabeth is taking part in the growing fur-free movement, stating: “If Her Majesty is due to attend an engagement in particularly cold weather, from 2019 onwards fake fur will be used to make sure she stays warm.”
A spokesperson to Buckingham Palace confirmed the news to Harper’s Bazaar, elaborating that although she won’t acquire any new fur, she is not retiring her older pieces that contain real fur.
“As new outfits are designed for the queen, any fur used will be fake,” the spokesperson said. “We are not suggesting that all fur on existing outfits will be replaced, or that the queen will never wear fur again. The queen will continue to re-wear existing outfits in her wardrobe.”
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