How to Pack Like the Queen: Duplicate Outfits, Personal Handlers, and Custom Tea
Royal Luggage for Prince Charles and Princess Diana being unloaded during a royal tour in Australia, circa 1983. Getty Images
Here in the fashion community, we often hear editors lamenting about packing for a month abroad to attend the shows. (Our recommendation? It’s all about layers!) But what happens when royals need to embark on a diplomatic mission where every hair needs to be in place and every garment perfectly wrinkle-free?
It was reported today that the Queen has a packing strategy that could rival Rihanna’s in terms of clothing and preparation. According to the Daily Mail, when the Queen travels, her personal assistant Angela Kelly makes sure that every outfit is duplicated just in case there is an accident (or wardrobe malfunction? As if!). She is also known to include her secret hair gel that keeps every strand in place, hat pins in case she encounters gale force winds, Malvern still water for her journey, and of course plenty of tea (she has her own special blend created for her by Twinings).
As for her luggage? Her multiple suitcases and hat boxes are always outfitted with colored tags that denote their intended location. This has long been a royal custom. (See above for what it looked like when Princess Diana left town.)
With the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge heading to the Big Apple next month, what can we expect that they will bring? We asked Susan E. Kelley, of WhatKateWore.com to weigh in.
Yahoo Style: What do you anticipate that Kate Middleton will bring to New York?
Susan E. Kelley: Any royal heading out for travel away from home always packs those things needed for “Plan B,” when a backup or contingency plan has to be implemented. That includes having things needed to cover any unforeseen circumstances, such as the spilled cup of coffee on a dress or unexpected weather events, like heavy winds or torrential downpours. I wouldn’t expect Kate to have every dress and coat in duplicate as the Queen does when she travels, but there will certainly be items on hand to cope with any fashion or hair emergency, including extra dresses. Extra shoes would be on that list, and possibly coats of different weights for this trip, required because of New York’s ever-changing weather and the winds that sweep in and out of the city’s skyscrapers. That infamous wind will boost the need for extra hair products, although Kate will not be outside for extended periods of time as she would be on a formal royal tour. Because this is a working visit, the couple won’t need to engage in those walkabouts we see when they are officially visiting UK and Commonwealth countries.
YS: Who is her stylist and what are the things she favors for Kate’s long trips?
SEK: I don’t believe Kate has a stylist. Reports that longtime personal assistant Natasha Archer has been hired or named as such seem off the mark to me; Ms. Archer has been traveling and working with/for the Duchess since 2011. It’s likely she acts as a buffer between designers and the Duchess, helping to procure pieces for Kate to try on, perhaps even suggesting new designers for Kate to consider, as well as sharing her opinion on how things look, but I don’t think she is acting as any more of a formal stylist than she did when traveling with the Duchess on the North American tour. My guess is that the Duchess continues to act as her own stylist, weighing input from people like Ms. Archer and her private secretary, Rebecca Deacon, along with insight from close friends and family members.
YS: How many bags do you anticipate Kate will bring when she comes to New York next month?
SEK: Look for the Duchess to have a bit more baggage than the average business travel carries for a three-day trip, quite a bit more. Not only will there be multiple suitcases, there will be garment bags for Kate’s dresses, including a full-length garment bag carrying Kate’s gown for Tuesday night’s gala dinner at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. That will be a serious party frock, perhaps from Alexander McQueen or Jenny Packham, or possibly an American designer. And we can’t forget that all-important case carrying Kate’s cosmetics, as well as those items Amanda Cook Tucker, Kate’s hair stylist, will need to keep Kate’s trademark locks looking elegant for all of the events on the schedule. I wouldn’t necessarily be on the lookout for a hat box, the trip’s agenda doesn’t have any engagements that shriek “hat required,” although it’s possible we could see Kate in a chapeau from one of he go-to milliners like Jane Taylor.
