Liverpool is the birthplace of many famous individuals, including a host of beautiful and talented women. One of them is the fashion designer and dressmaker Angela Kelly, who served as the personal assistant and senior dresser to Queen Elizabeth II. Read more about the success story of this Liverpool native on the liverpoolka.com website.
A Glittering Career
Angela Kelly was born in Liverpool in 1957. After leaving her family home and her native city, she began working as a dresser and personal assistant to Queen Elizabeth II in 1993. This Liverpool native was responsible for the Queen’s wardrobe and jewellery, ensuring Her Majesty’s image was perfectly suited to every event and occasion she attended.
It was Angela Kelly who created the replica of the royal christening gown. The original was commissioned by Queen Victoria for the christening of her eldest daughter. Since 2008, royal babies have worn the replica created by our very own local talent for their christenings.
Kelly also selected Queen Elizabeth II’s outfits for the wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, to Kate Middleton, and for many other significant events.
In 2019, Angela Kelly announced that the Queen would no longer wear real fur, opting for faux fur instead.
This Liverpool native also founded the fashion label ‘Kelly and Pordum’ and, with the Queen’s permission, has published three books.
About the Style of Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II always delighted the public with her outfits. Historians have noted that Her Majesty had a very clear idea of how she should look.
At the age of 20, the then-Princess Elizabeth was introduced by her mother to the designer Norman Hartnell, who created for her a full skirt with a nipped-in waist. This look was completed with furs and a diamond tiara.
Hartnell also designed the Queen’s wedding dress and her coronation gown. In fact, for the coronation, the designer created not one, but eight different dress designs. Elizabeth II selected her favourite elements from each, and from these, the final gown for the new Queen was created.
Hardy Amies also collaborated with the Queen. He designed an entire wardrobe for her tour of Canada in 1951. The look was sophisticated, restrained, and elegant.
It goes without saying that every item the Queen wore was custom-made. Before the 2020 pandemic, Elizabeth II attended around 300 events each year, and a unique outfit was required for every occasion, as Her Majesty could not wear off-the-peg clothing like ordinary citizens. The public eagerly anticipated and discussed each of the Queen’s outfits.
Angela Kelly, along with other members of Her Majesty’s team, planned everything down to the last detail. The hats had to flatter her features and add a little height, fabrics were specially tested to ensure they wouldn’t be lifted by the wind, and her shoes had to be practical, with a low heel. It is said that Angela would even break in the shoes to ensure they were comfortable for Her Majesty.
For every outfit, the stylists had to have a matching umbrella that harmonised with the colour scheme of her clothes. This meant that even London’s rainy weather couldn’t spoil the Queen’s elegant appearance.
Angela Kelly worked with Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 30 years. It was a close and productive collaboration, admired for decades by people in Britain and around the world.
Being Her Majesty’s stylist and personal assistant was no simple task. It required strength, patience, skill, responsibility, and professional expertise from our Liverpool native. And it’s a pleasure to know that someone from our city was instrumental in creating the elegant, restrained, and sophisticated image of Elizabeth II.
We hope you found this article informative and that it has given you some food for thought.
Did you know that one of our own was the personal stylist and assistant to the Queen? Which of her outfits did you like the most? Let us know in the comments on our social media.