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Secrets of Queen's Closet

Cool Queen

"Horse sweat, men perspire, and ladies gently simmer," went the old expression, and now, one of the Queen's dress designers, Stewart Parvin, has indeed confirmed that Her Majesty does not perspire.

"We always choose fabrics that don’t crease, we go to extra lengths to line them so they don’t. I am somebody who creases all their clothes. I’m always hot, the Queen is very lucky, she doesn’t crease her clothes (because) she doesn’t glow. If you are a cold person your clothes don’t crease,” Mr Parvin, who has worked for the Queen for 11 years, said in an interview published in the (paywalled) Sunday Times yesterday.

Parvin also revealed the Queen has an assistant to wear in her new shoes and prevent chafing during public duties.

"(The shoes) have to be immediately comfortable . . . she does get someone to wear them. The Queen can never say 'I'm uncomfortable, I can't walk any more.' She has the right to have someone wear them in."

Parvin also revealed that the Queen's clothing choices at public events are entered on a database with each item codenamed (one of her favorites is a yellow outfit named “Buttercup”) before entering it onto a computer spreadsheet along with the time, date and engagement where it was worn.

The entry also lists the jewelry and accessories that allow her to “mix and match”, ensuring she always appears to be wearing a new outfit.