Angela Kelly - The Other Side of the Coin

I now know that my tendency to be forthright was a breath of fresh air for many of my colleagues, but it took me quite some time to learn the right approach when it came to expressing myself. In fact, I even became known as AK47 and The Queen’s Gatekeeper, which I take as a compliment as it demonstrates my determination to be taken seriously.

Even now, after twenty-five years, I still admire The Queen as a strong, powerful woman and I find great inspiration not only in her courage, but also in her humility and gentle humour. She has taught me so much over the years and has always encouraged me to stay true to myself while being open to the opinions of others, even if I don’t share them. I know that her guidance has made me a better person, and for that I am eternally grateful.

The Queen and King Yang Dipertuan Agong of Malaysia during the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.

BACK TO FRONT

OR FRONT TO

BACK?

I’ve learned countless new skills and techniques during my years working for The Queen. Even now I face new challenges when it comes to creating Her Majesty’s outfits, but I always keep one thing in mind on a day-to-day basis: to trust my instincts. I learned this valuable lesson soon after I joined the Royal Household, and one memorable occasion will stay with me as a reminder of how important it is to speak up.

A year after Peggy Hoath retired, in the autumn of 1995, I was promoted to Senior Dresser. Peggy had worked for The Queen for over thirty-five years, and knew all the tricks of the trade. Her standards were so high that I thought I would never be able to reach them. But I listened and learned, and everything she taught me is still carried out to this day.

Then, in 1998, although I wasn’t yet in charge of designing The Queen’s wardrobe, I did assist in choosing appropriate outfits for each occasion. We were planning for Her Majesty’s upcoming tour of Malaysia, where she would be closing the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. As the weather is so warm over there, it was decided that Her Majesty would wear a dress but no jacket or coat, and she chose a vibrant deep coral for the outfit and matching hat. Designs were drawn up and a brief was sent to the milliner. Sketches were done for the hat and, due to Her Majesty’s busy schedule, the hat was delivered at the last minute. Her Majesty didn’t have a chance to try it on and I didn’t have a chance to look it over before it was packed up.

On the day of the ceremony, I was helping Her Majesty get ready and went to take the hat out of the box in which it had been carefully packed. As soon as I had it in my hands, I knew, deep down, that it was not going to suit The Queen. With a commanding shell-like brim and a very large flower on the reverse, it was certainly an interesting and beautifully made piece, but I had a gut feeling that it would not complement the outfit or enhance Her Majesty’s features. I was also very aware that The Queen was going to give a speech that would be broadcast live on television and that the world’s media would be paying close attention, as always, to what she was wearing.

As the morning went on, I became increasingly worried, so I decided I had to raise my concern and face the consequences later. So, I waited for The Queen to come into the dressing room, took a deep breath, and said, ‘Your Majesty, I don’t think you should wear this hat. It is not the right design for you and it won’t suit you.’ A long silence followed before she eventually looked up and said, ‘Well, it’s a bit late now. What else can I wear? I must wear it.’

Although I admired her pragmatic approach, I was insistent. I told her I had been examining the hat from all angles and that it would be better worn back to front. The Queen couldn’t believe that this would work. I told her that, if she did not believe me, she should consult The Duke of Edinburgh, as he always tells her the truth. At this point, I left the room feeling somewhat terrified, as you can imagine.

Before long, Her Majesty called me back. She had consulted His Royal Highness and, after an amusing conversation, in which I imagine The Duke didn’t hold back, The Queen had decided to wear the hat the wrong way around, as I had suggested. She was, however, very concerned that the milliner might be upset. I told her not to worry and that I would think of an explanation for when we returned to London.

I remember feeling so relieved and proud when Her Majesty stepped out onto the stage to deliver her speech that day. The press admired her outfit: the hat had a wonderful 1940s feel to it, with the large flower sitting high at the top. During The Queen’s speech, I was holding my breath – not because I was concerned for her but because I was eager to hear whether she was happy with her last-minute decision to turn the hat. Sure enough, when she came to see me after the event, she greeted me with a lovely smile. No words were needed. It was in moments like these that I knew Her Majesty and I would make a great team. I was so proud that I’d voiced my concern, and I think The Queen appreciated it, too.

So, dear reader, what do you think? Was it back to front, or front to back? Or, in fact exactly the right way around?

Top: The ‘front’. Bottom: The ‘back’, but so much more stylish.

The Queen and Pope John Paul II during a State Visit to the Vatican in 2000.

MEETING HIS

HOLINESS

THE POPE

After the incident with the back-to-front hat at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony, I became more determined to speak up when it came to matters of Her Majesty’s wardrobe. I had worked so hard to familiarise myself with what Her Majesty liked to wear and, crucially, what was appropriate for The Queen to wear to any given engagement. However, speaking up and being heard wasn’t always easy, as one particular incident taught me.

It was the year 2000 and Her Majesty was due to travel to Rome on a four-day State Visit. I wasn’t yet responsible for attending recces ahead of such trips, so it was the Private Secretaries who on their return outlined the provisional engagements that The Queen would be attending. On one day Her Majesty would be meeting with His Holiness the Pope, after which there would be a private engagement, and so they suggested The Queen would be fine to wear a normal day dress for both events. Straight away, I knew this would be a mistake. Whenever Her Majesty had visited the Pope previously she had always, without fail, worn a long black dress, a beautiful diamond tiara and a long mantilla lace veil. Having been brought up Catholic, I knew instinctively that a day dress simply would not be appropriate and so I expressed this to the Secretaries, who made it clear that my advice wasn’t welcome.

Feeling ignored and patronised, I decided to discuss the matter with Her Majesty directly. I told her that the Private Secretaries had advised that she should wear a colourful day dress to meet with the Pope as it could then also be worn to her next engagement. I insisted that this would not be appropriate for meeting with His Holiness. As always, The Queen listened, however, once she had discussed the matter again with her Private Secretaries, they still insisted that a colourful day dress should be worn. In response, I asked her to go back to the Secretaries and ask them to do their homework. I considered it to be bad advice. I sensed that Her Majesty was starting to feel torn as to whose advice to take.