King Charles was reportedly “dismayed” to learn his mother had given her close collaborator Angela Kelly permission to write a series of books focused on her life with the Queen, it has been claimed. Royal commentator Richard Kay described Her Majesty’s move as “unusual” as he analyzed the close connection between the late monarch and her dresser.
In an op-ed for the Daily Mail, the newspaper’s editor-in-chief wrote: “Charles was dismayed when Miss Kelly, now a 70-year-old grandmother, received the unusual permission to write a series of books about her life with the Queen, which is said to have a offered a unique insight into the “true and enduring bond” between the two women.
“Although the books were limited to Angela’s area of expertise – namely the Queen’s wardrobe and clothing – and were mostly harmless, Charles was appalled by some of the informal photos used to illustrate them, including one of the Queen sitting on a chaise longue with feet up.”
Mr Kay also told a source that the then-Prince of Wales’ concerns centered on “protecting both the dignity of the Queen and the Crown”.
The insider, described as a friend, went on to claim that the new monarch has been “even more determined to defend her reputation and her legacy” since the Queen’s death.
Miss Kelly first met the Queen and her husband Prince Philip in 1992 when the royal couple was in Berlin on an official visit.
Born in Liverpool, she was the housekeeper of Sir Christopher Mallaby, the British ambassador to Germany at the time.
Her Majesty’s stay in Berlin was an opportunity to meet Miss Kelly, who was later contacted and offered her a position as a dresser at the Palace.
Three years after being hired, the talented assistant was promoted to senior wardrobe.
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The close relationship she had with the Queen was exemplified in 2001 when the late Sovereign made Miss Kelly her first-ever personal assistant.
As the Queen’s dresser, Miss Kelly’s responsibilities included buying what the late sovereign needed for her outfits and designing some of them.
In her second book, entitled The Other Side Of The Coin: The Queen, The Dresser And the Wardrobe, Miss Kelly shared a few anecdotes, including how she recreated the Honiton lace dress used for decades by members of the company for royal christenings .
In the same book, published in 2019, Miss Kelly added that she also broke in the Queen’s new shoes to ensure the late monarch was always as comfortable as possible.
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In an updated edition of the book published in May, the royal assistant also revealed that she became the queen’s hairstylist during the coronavirus lockdown.
The first book written by Miss Kelly was published in 2012, entitled Dressing The Queen.
It focused on Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee wardrobe.
Her Majesty’s aide-de-camp has rarely given interviews out of respect for the Queen’s privacy.
However, she once gave an insight into her conversations with the late head of state: “We are two typical women. We discuss clothes, makeup, jewelry.”
Miss Kelly was one of the Queen’s loyal staff, staying at Balmoral Castle in her final days before her death on September 8th.
The Queen was reportedly contemplating Miss Kelly’s future after the end of her reign as she is said to have allowed her dresser to remain at her Windsor home for life.
On Monday, Miss Kelly attended the state funeral at Westminster Abbey, sitting alongside two other close associates of the Queen – Paul Whybrew, nicknamed Tall Paul, and Barry Mitford.
The former served for decades as the Queen’s backroom page, even appearing in the sketch Her Majesty filmed with Daniel Craig for the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony.
In 1982, he was among the first to support the Queen after Michael Fagan entered her bedroom without triggering security.
Mr. Mitford, on the other hand, was the serjeant-at-arms of the late sovereign.
