In an unprecedented move, The Queen’s most trusted confidante is releasing a book about her time working with the Monarch, with her blessing.
The book, announced on Monday, is written by Angela Kelly, The Queen’s personal advisor and senior dresser, and is called The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, The Dresser, and the Wardrobe.
“This book documents the unique working relationship between Her Majesty The Queen and the woman who has been her personal advisor and senior dresser for more than two decades: Angela Kelly,” Samantha Cohen, The Queen’s former private secretary said in a statement released by HarperCollins.
“It gives a rare glimpse into the demands of the job of supporting the Monarch, and we gain privileged insight into a successful working relationship, characterized by humour, creativity, hard work, and a mutual commitment to service and duty.”
Kelly previously released a book called Dressing The Queen: The Jubilee Wardrobe, which chronicled her work in designing outfits for The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
“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,” read Dressing The Queen’s outline.
HarperNonFiction editorial director Katya Shipster said in the statement that “We are extremely proud to be Angela Kelly’s publishers for this beautiful book; this project has been a labour of love for a whole team of people at HarperCollins.”
Shipster says the book will contain photographs from Kelly’s personal collection, and well as stories of working with The Queen, and how the wardrobe comes together.
“The work undertaken by Angela and her team is to ensure that anyone in the same room as The Queen will be awestruck, and the way they deliver this reaction is incredibly detailed and clever. The book, and its many gorgeous photographs, sheds light on all of this, as well as the history of Angela’s role, but more importantly and interestingly on the extraordinary working relationship between Her Majesty and one of her most trusted employees, giving us a personal glimpse of the other side of that famous image on every British coin.”
The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, The Dresser, and the Wardrobe on 29 October through HarperCollins, who holds the rights for world release in all languages. Kelly also narrated the audiobook for The Other Side of the Coin, which will be released the same day.
