National Post (National Edition)
THE QUEEN’S BRA-FITTER OPENS UP, THEN LOSES SUPPORT OF ROYAL FAMILY.
LONDON • The former owner of a luxury British bra maker that supplied lingerie to Queen Elizabeth II says the company lost its royal warrant after she wrote a book disclosing details of fittings at Buckingham Palace.
June Kenton said Rigby & Peller lost its right to display the royal coat of arms in 2017 after she mentioned the royals in “Storm in a D-cup.”
While Kenton said she never discusses what happens in a fitting room, the book recounts her first meeting with the monarch and her trepidation about being ushered into the royal bedroom.
The Daily Mail reported that the contentious passage in the book contained details on the Queen being half dressed as she was fitted for lingerie in front of her pet corgis.
“Her Majesty calmly flicked on the main light switch, looked out of her window and said she hoped it wouldn’t rain as she had 8,000 people coming for tea,” Kenton wrote in an excerpt published by the Daily Mail.
“Eight thousand! All I could think was that if I were her, I’d be busy cutting sandwiches rather than bothering with a bra-fitting. However, even the grandest ladies in the land need to be well-supported.
“Her Majesty’s thoughts were obviously elsewhere as she ordered the dogs be brought in from outside and only then did we settle down to the business in hand.
The book also offered intimate details about fittings with Princess Diana, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret.
“For Royalty, I always did the fittings,” Kenton continued. “One of our most loyal customers was Princess Margaret, who never wore lingerie or swimwear that wasn’t Rigby & Peller.
“She often travelled to her Caribbean island home on Mustique, and was particularly fond of the boned Lollobrigida look (made famous by the Italian star Gina Lollobrigida) when it came to swimsuits. I thought them old-fashioned and on one visit to Kensington Palace, I dared to bring along several lovely, Lycra swimsuits and cover-ups.
“Princess Margaret wasn’t impressed. ‘I could not wear those,’ she sneered. ‘They’re synthetic.’ ”
The 82-year-old Kenton says losing the warrant “absolutely killed” her and that she regrets “not being wise enough” to omit mention of the royals in her autobiography.
The company was not available for comment Thursday.