Queen Elizabeth II’s ‘best friend’ opens up on her bond with late monarch in new interview

Angela Kelly, who served as Queen Elizabeth II’s dresser for more than a quarter of a century, has opened up about the late monarch’s private moments in a new Vanity Fair interview.

The 68-year-old, originally from Liverpool, revealed that the Queen couldn’t help but sway whenever ABBA’s iconic track “Dancing Queen” played on BBC Radio 2 during their morning routines.

“When the song came on, she loved it, and both of us would dance,” Ms Kelly recalled. “The queen would move from side to side and sing. Her Majesty loved singing and had a good voice.”

Ms Kelly admitted she would get “carried away” dancing around the monarch “like I was at a disco,” prompting Elizabeth to tell her to “move over” because of her poor singing voice.

Angela Kelly, who served as Queen Elizabeth II’s dresser for more than a quarter of a century, has opened up about the late monarch’s private moments in a new Vanity Fair interview.

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The former royal aide described these as “moments to cherish,” adding that the Queen was “a really cool granny.”

Beyond the formal duties, Ms Kelly painted a picture of Elizabeth’s surprisingly hands-on approach during family gatherings at Balmoral Castle.

The monarch would roll up her sleeves and tackle the washing up after barbecues, even when hosting the Prime Minister, according to her former dresser.

“If the Duke, or whoever was cooking, burned the burgers, she’d just laugh,” Ms Kelly said. “The queen was just full of energy and a really cool granny, to be honest.”

Beyond the formal duties, Ms Kelly painted a picture of Elizabeth’s surprisingly hands-on approach during family gatherings at Balmoral Castle.

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The interview also offered a glimpse into the late sovereign’s festive preferences, with Ms Kelly noting that Elizabeth favoured “fluffy chicks and chocolate eggs” when decorating for Easter.

These domestic details reveal a monarch who relished ordinary family pleasures alongside her constitutional responsibilities.

Ms Kelly’s journey through the Palace hierarchy began in 1994 when she joined as an assistant dresser, eventually rising to become the Queen’s personal assistant and senior dresser by 2002.

The pair developed a close bond built on shared interests, with Ms Kelly once noting: “We are two typical women. We discuss clothes, make-up, jewellery.”

Their relationship extended beyond professional duties, with Ms Kelly describing the “great banter between us” during her Vanity Fair conversation.

Elizabeth increasingly trusted her dresser’s judgement on fashion matters, eventually granting her complete creative freedom when assembling outfits for royal engagements.

Ms Kelly brought contemporary touches to the monarch’s wardrobe, most memorably adorning a pair of 3D glasses with Swarovski crystals shaped into the letter Q during a Canadian film demonstration in 2010.

Ms Kelly concluded the interview with an emotional tribute, describing Elizabeth as “my best friend and I miss her every day.”

The former dresser, who now resides in Sheffield, remained at the Queen’s side until her death on 8 September 2022.

In September 2024, Ms Kelly revealed she had told the monarch “I love you” and kissed her goodbye in her final moments, though she remained uncertain why she felt compelled to express those words.

“Every anniversary will still break my heart,” she wrote in a poignant Instagram tribute marking two years since Elizabeth’s passing.

Her decades of devoted service were formally recognised in March 2023 when she was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order as part of special “Demise” awards bestowed personally by the King.