FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE QUEEN
The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, The Dresser and the Wardrobe is a new behindthe-scenes book written by Angela Kelly, the monarch’s official dressmaker and friend.
1 IF THE SHOE FITS
Kelly, who has dressed the Queen since 2002, wears in the monarch’s new shoes. “The Queen has very little time to herself and not time to wear in her own shoes, and as we share the same shoe size it makes the most sense this way,” Kelly writes.
2 HER MAJESTY AND MR. BOND
It didn’t take the Queen long to accept the offer to appear in a James Bond skit for the London 2012 Olympics. “She was very amused by the idea and agreed immediately. I asked then if she would like a speaking part. Without hesitation, Her Majesty replied: ‘Of course I must say something. After all, he is coming to rescue me,’ ” Kelly says.
3 TOP-SECRET HATS
The Royal Ascot is always a highlight in the social calendar. But it’s not just the horses that punters lay wagers on ... the colour of the Queen’s hat has also become a thing. In order to throw off anyone looking for an inside scoop, Kelly started laying out decoy hats in the palace.
4 PROTOCOL EXCEPTIONS
Claims that the Queen abandoned royal protocol by returning former first lady Michelle Obama’s hug in 2009 were simply wrong, Kelly says. “In reality, it was a natural instinct for the Queen to show affection and respect for another great woman, and really there is no protocol that must be adhered to,” she writes.
5 THE ROYAL CHRISTENING GOWN
What was the secret to recreating a replica of the royal christening gown, first seen on James, Viscount Severn, in 2008? Tea ... and not for drinking. “To make sure it looked authentic we dyed it in Yorkshire tea (the strongest, as we all know),” Kelly writes of the piece.