Putting the Queen in Dancing Queen - former royal dresser reveals 'relaxed' Elizabeth II used to sing and dance to ABBA

In the world of royalty, one doesn’t just wake up and put together an outfit. Royal dressers have been the norm for centuries, and continue to this day. It’s a privileged position and, as was the case with former royal dresser Angela Kelly and the late Queen Elizabeth II, it’s also one that fosters closeness and confidentiality.

Indeed, in a moving new interview, Angela has recalled the time she spent with the late Queen, calling her "my best friend." Ahead of what would’ve been Queen Elizabeth's 100th birthday, her close confidant of nearly 30 years described how special their bond was and the regular ABBA song and dance parties they enjoyed.

"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," she told Vanity Fair.

The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe by Angela Kelly | £20 (was £25) at Amazon

Having been one of the Queen's closest confidants for nearly three decades, Angela Kelly details life with Her Majesty. She reflects on what it was like for them during the pandemic as well as to witness her devotion to service first hand - all while finding time for light and laughter behind closed doors.

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Angela added, "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."

Angela's official title was Personal Assistant, Adviser and Curator to Her Majesty The Queen, and perhaps a telling sign of just how deeply the trust between the pair ran can be inferred in the Queen approving of Angela writing two books about her.

Famously not one for explaining or complaining, Angela authored two books while carrying on working with Her Majesty right up until her death in 2022. In fact, the former dresser was one of the rare few who assisted the Queen during the pandemic when her staff was slimmed down as they all isolated together.

Elsewhere in the interview, Angela recalls how "fun" work could be with Her Majesty, and what she was like when she was simply allowed to be a "cool granny".

She revealed, "Fittings were fun. The queen loved seeing the clothes being made from the beginning to the end, seeing the material. She liked the pastel and deep colours but she preferred people to focus on her speeches rather than her clothes. Though she was not fashion-led, she still knew she had to look the part."

Of summers spent in Balmoral, Angela remarks, "It was just a normal loving family to be quite honest. If the Duke [Prince Philip], or whoever was cooking, burned 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."

Today, Angela lives with her family in Sheffield and ahead of would've been the Queen's 100th birthday on 21st April, Angela still thinks of her "every day".

"We both knew we had trust, loyalty, and understanding. The queen was my best friend and I miss her every day," she declared.