Queen Elizabeth II is undoubtedly one of the most famous women in the world. Given her wealth and prominence, most people would assume that she has someone else do her makeup. According to Angela Kelly’s new book The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe, the queen does her makeup almost daily. However, there is one special occasion where the queen makes an exception. Here are the details behind her makeup choices.
Queen Elizabeth II’s makeup
According to Cosmopolitan, the queen is the creative force behind her style and does her own makeup, even for events that are very formal or important. The monarch makes a single exception: Christmas. More specifically, the queen hires a professional makeup artist named Marilyn Widdess to do her makeup so that she can look her best during the annual Royal Christmas Message. Widdess’ LinkedIn profile says that she has been working as a makeup artist since 1973 and has long been employed by the most well-known British television station, the BBC, as well as ITV and Sky. Refinery29 reported that Widdess has been dressing the queen for 25 years.
The tradition of the Royal Christmas Message dates back to 1932. The first of these speeches was given by King George V via radio from Buckingham Palace. King George V’s speech reflected on the ways in which technology had made communication easier, among other topics.
The queen has been delivering the speech every year since 1953, with the sole exception of 1969, when a documentary was aired in place of the traditional broadcast. The queen made world history in 1957 when she delivered the first televised Royal Christmas Message which has been televised ever since.
Royal style
The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe also reveals other aspects of the queen’s style habits. The book says that she is, in Kelly’s words, a “very modest lady.” Kelly reported that the queen often looks for new fabrics in the “bargain bucket” to keep costs reasonable.
The author recalled an incident when the queen went shopping for some fabric in Singapore. After she purchased the fabric, she realized that she could get the tax refunded. The monarch nearly missed her flight in an attempt to get her money back but was very pleased with her savings.
Kelly also revealed how the queen keeps her large collection of jewelry clean. She uses a simple combination of water and gin to make sure that the royal jewels are sparkling. Who knew that it was so easy to create such a perfect shine?
Queen Elizabeth II’s influence on a new generation of royals
The queen’s approach to beauty has been echoed by both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle. People reported that Middleton did her own makeup for her wedding day. Meanwhile, Markle’s friend David Martin has said that the Duchess of Sussex has done her own makeup every day, although she made an exception for her wedding. Martin added “She loves makeup and she’s good at it! She’s been doing her makeup herself. She’s not fussy — she’s just trying to get it on and get out the door.”
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