Photo: The Royal Collection Trust / Elisabeth Sandmann Verlag / Getty Images
Welcome to the yard tailoring!
Actually, these doors are open only to the court cutters and the Queen (86). Others have a look hidden in the yard cutting shop. But now, Angela Kelly, 60, the manager of the clothing workshop has unlocked the secret and takes us on an exclusive journey through the Queen's wardrobe .
At evening events, Queen Elizabeth prefers to wear five-centimeter-high shoes. These are mostly handmade, just like their entire wardrobe from hat to handbag.
Since 1994, Angela Kelly is one of the royal dressmakers, now she runs the clothing workshop. In total, there are three seamstresses and a milliner, who dresses the Queen for the approximately 300 events a year.
In the evening wear of Queen Elizabeth, it may like to sparkle and sparkle, which is not overlooked in their dresses. Still, the queen is frugal and cost-conscious about her clothes, says Angela Kelly in her book, "The Queen's Wearing." That's why the court tailor uses fabrics from her own warehouse as often as possible. It contains many gifts that have accumulated over the years on domestic and foreign travel.
Clothes, costumes, shoes, handbags, hats, gloves, handkerchiefs, jewelery - all of this can be found en masse in the royal wardrobe . Even a large selection of umbrellas can be found there. The models are all transparent, but in different colors. So there is to each outfit of the Queen also the color matching umbrella. No question, you should always carry an umbrella in the UK.
But the tasks of the court tailors are not only the designing and tailoring of the clothes but also the packing of the royal suitcases for traveling. Before that, of course, the Queen will discuss in detail which important events are coming up. For the different occasions, the court tailors then look out for several complete outfits - from hats to shoes. So the Queen has the opportunity to make a selection on site.
("The Queen wears" by Angela Kelly, Elisabeth Sandmann Verlag, 2012, ISBN: 978-3938045763, 29, 95 Euro)
