“The Queen was my best friend and I miss her every day” Angela Kelly finally speaks out
Angela Kelly, Queen Elizabeth II's closest confidante and personal dresser for almost three decades, has broken her silence in a rare interview. As a unique Buckingham Palace exhibition spotlights her creations, Kelly shares candid memories of a remarkable royal bond.
Opening up isn’t usually Angela Kelly’s style. So when the woman who spent nearly 30 years at the late Queen’s side describes Her Majesty as “my best friend”, it’s enough to catch anyone’s attention. Now 68, Kelly is no longer shuttling between palace wardrobes and royal events — she’s just settling into a quieter life near Sheffield after being, as she puts it, “cut off” from Windsor. But that doesn’t mean she’s left the memories behind. As the world gets ready to celebrate what would have been Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday, Kelly offers a rare glimpse behind royal doors, swapping protocol for stories that speak of trust, laughter, and even a few disco moves courtesy of ABBA.
Behind the royal glamour: friendship, laughter and ABBA singalongs
Angela Kelly was more than just a dresser; she shaped the public image of Queen Elizabeth II, designing some of her most iconic outfits and, more importantly, becoming a fixture in her personal life. Their partnership began almost by chance, with a serendipitous meeting in Berlin in 1992. Back then, Kelly was working as a housekeeper for the British ambassador. By 1993, she’d accepted the role that would define her career — and her life.
"Every morning the queen would listen to the Terry Wogan show on Radio 2. When the song Dancing Queen came on she loved it, and both of us would dance. The Queen would move from side to side and sing."
This wasn’t the only highlight of palace life, though. Kelly remembers moments far from the grand stage.
"Her Majesty loved singing and had a good voice. I didn’t. I’d get carried away and be dancing all round her like I was at a disco, and the queen would tell me to ‘move over’ because I can’t sing and we laughed. They were moments to cherish, to see the queen so relaxed."
Family, farewells and a new chapter far from Windsor
The image of a reserved monarch melts away in Kelly’s recollections of Easter holidays at Windsor.
"The family would visit and she loved being granny. Her Majesty took her great-grandchildren out riding or walking. She did barbecues and fun things and she always washed the dishes, even when she was entertaining the prime minister. It was just a normal loving family, to be quite honest. If the duke, or whoever was cooking, burnt the burgers she’d just laugh. As long as they had extra to put back on, and as long as all the family were fed and watered, that was all right. The Queen was just full of energy and a really cool granny, to be honest."
Despite three decades of trusted service and friendship, Kelly’s ties with the Palace weren’t immune to royal change. Following the Queen’s death, she lost her “grace-and-favour” cottage on Windsor estate. On social media, she bid farewell:
"Getting ready to say goodbye. I am moving at last to my new home which I will be able to call My Home at last."
King Charles did offer her a new house in the Peak District, not far from Sheffield — proof perhaps that the royal circle never forgets those who served it loyally, even if the transition still stings.
Angela Kelly’s story is hitting a new note this April with the Buckingham Palace exhibition ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’, where six of her famous creations will be on show for the monarch’s centenary week. For Kelly, these gowns are stitched memories, the legacy of a relationship built on more than fabric.
"We both knew we had trust, loyalty, and understanding. The Queen was my best friend and I miss her every day."
Their closeness wasn’t without controversy. In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry labelled Kelly as a “troublemaker” following a spat before his wedding to Meghan Markle over a tiara fitting. Yet, for Kelly, it’s the shared laughter and trust she remembers. As for the books she has penned with the Queen’s approval — ‘Dressing the Queen: The Jubilee Wardrobe’ and ‘The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen’ — they offer even more stories, with a third volume still waiting in the wings.
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Queen's best friend opens up in rare interview after being 'cut off' from Palace
