Top secret dresses for meetings with James Bond, no hats after 6 pm and jackets embroidered by indigenous north Americans are just some of the Queen's wardrobe wonders revealed in a new book. Written by Angela Kelly, the Queen's personal assistant, adviser and curator, Dressing the Queen opens the door to the dressers' floor at Buckingham Palace and gives a first-hand account of working on the Queen's outfits in her Diamond Jubilee year..This magnificent book gives a detailed description of how Angela Kelly, the Queen's chief dresser/designer, works with her staff to keep Queen Elizabeth II beautiful and immaculately turned out throughout 2012, her Diamond Jubilee year. Ms. Kelly's prose and the photographs provide a peek behind the castle walls to show how fabrics are chosen, how designs are created, what fittings are like, how hats are created, and how all the queens clothes, hats, shoes, handbags, and jewels are stored. The photographs of some of the Queen's jewels are exquisite. Nothing about the Queen's appearance is left to chance. She even has umbrellas to match each outfit.
Under grey skies, more than one million people gathered for the Thames River Pageant of the 2012 Diamond Jubilee. Huddled under a sea of umbrellas, some had even spent the night there to secure prime seats. But the wait proved worthwhile. As the parade passed, there atop the splendid Spirit of Chartwell stood the Queen, resplendent against the wind and rain in a smart crystal encrusted white coat and pashmina shawl. The effect was one of breathtaking beauty, and it struck just the right note with the rain-dampened crowd, reinforcing Britain as a noble maritime nation.
Dressing the Queen reveals the careful planning and preparation that went into the Queen’s wardrobe for the Diamond Jubilee, the first such celebration since that of Queen Victoria in 1897 and made all the more momentous by London’s hosting of the 2012 Olympics. The secret to the Queen’s unfailing style is royal couturier Angela Kelly, whose team of dressmakers and milliners spent two years designing and bringing to fruition the creations seen in the events leading up to and during the Diamond Jubilee, as well as at the Olympics. In addition to presenting the right image, the Queen’s clothing must address a great many practical concerns—and all of her garments must be pristinely maintained. Of course, no outfit is complete without the perfect hat, and a chapter of the book is devoted entirely to their intricate and highly detailed creation.
Whether the day holds a historic state visit or an afternoon at Royal Ascot, the Queen commands attention wherever she appears. If you’ve ever wondered how she maintains such impeccable personal style, this well-illustrated book will answer that question and many more
One can also see that Her Majesty knows a great deal about how she wants to be presented. Her instincts after 62 years on the throne can be relied on. She has the final say.
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