ORevery morning, while having breakfast, she answered letters, examined state documents and tried on the clothes that her seamstresses prepared for her, Queen Elizabeth turned on the radio. Always the same broadcaster: BBC Radio 2. And one program in particular, that of Terry Woganone of the most iconic personalities in the history of English radio. And if Wogan broadcast Dancing Queen of Abba, the sovereign immediately interrupted her routine and started dancing.
Queen Elizabeth went wild on Dancing Queen of ABBA
To reveal it is Angela Kelly, 68 years old and historian dresser of Queen Elizabeth, who in a recent interview with the English edition of Vanity Fair he recounted several private moments of the sovereign. “When the song came on, she loved it and we danced together,” recalled Kelly, originally from the city of Liverpool. «The queen moved from side to side and sang. His Majesty loved to sing and had a beautiful voice.”
The deep bond between Elizabeth II and her beloved dresser
Kelly admitted that, following Elisabetta, she let herself get carried away a little too much, “as if I were at a disco”. And this pushed the sovereign to tell her to “step aside” and stop singing because she was out of tune. Anecdotes that confirm theto a great friendship and the profound intimacy that, in 28 years of service, had united the two women. «Every single episode is a moment to cherish in the heart», concluded the Royal wardrobe attendant.
Angela Kelly, second from right, with Queen Elizabeth and Anna Wintour. (Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth was “a sprinting granny”
This is how Angela Kelly defined the queen, also confirming the rumors that have emerged over the years: during family holidays in Balmoral, Scotlandto which the dresser she was always present, Elisabetta had no qualms about helping at the table and then washing the dishes. Even when the British Prime Minister was among the guests. And he laughed out loud when Philip burned sausages and hamburgers on the barbecue. Alongside her constitutional responsibilities, the sovereign also appreciated the simpler pleasures of her family life.
The meeting that began a long friendship and collaboration
Elizabeth had met Angela Kelly in Germany in 1992. At the time the young woman, of humble origins, was a housekeeper in the service of the British ambassador and the queen, who immediately felt a deep affinity and sympathy towards her, invited her to apply for the role of assistant to the official wardrobe clerkPeggy Hoath, at Buckingham Palace. Kelly took the advice, managed to buy a dress with the funds from the sale of her washing machine, and secured the role.
There dresser who had the power to ruin the queen’s secretaries
Having joined the service in ’94, Angela soon became the personal assistant and dresser senior of the queen. At court they immediately gave her the nickname of AK-47like the assault rifleas, as Elizabeth’s only confidant and rather ruthless in her determination to protect the sovereign, Kelly was greatly feared. If a secretary of the queen clashed with the wardrobe attendant, he was the one who paid the price, even risking his position in the palace.
Elizabeth’s style, created by Angela Kelly
The Queen allowed Kelly complete creative freedom in assembling outfits for royal engagements. And it was Angela Kelly who “created” Queen Elizabeth’s iconic style, made up of impeccable cuts and pastel colours, chosen to always stand out from the crowd. He also convinced her to show her legs a little, shortening her skirts which until then reached her ankles. “The rehearsals were fun,” she said Royal dresser, revealing that the two women chatted often and at length about fashion, makeup and jewelry. «The Queen loved to see clothes being made from start to finish, observing the fabric.”
Those pastel colors that defined the style of a mythical queen
The queen trusted Kelly blindly and wanted her by her side every time she had to choose clothes. Only with her could he relax. «She liked pastel colors and intense shades, but he preferred people to focus on his speeches rather than his clothes”, explained Angela Kelly. «He never let himself be guided by the fashion of the moment, but he knew well that he always had to appear worthy of his role».
Angela Kelly, «Queen Elizabeth’s best friend»
A few months after the death of Elizabeth II, on 8 September 2022, Angela Kelly received an important honor from King Charles, that of Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. But she could not maintain her role at court and did not become the dresser of the new queen Camilla. Instead, invited to retire, she left Windsor and now resides in Sheffield, in the north of England, light years away from Royal circles. But does not forget Elizabeth: «She was my best friend and I miss her every day».
