As more and more people condemn the use of fur for fashion, the fur-free movement has seen many fashion houses ditch real fur for faux and has seen the increase of bans on fur farming and even sales in states like California in the US and now, it seems, Her Majesty is following suit.
As Queen Elizabeth’s official dresser Angela Kelly reveals in her new memoir, the monarch is going fur-free for the first time, saying she opted for faux fur to keep her warm from 2019 onwards.
Writing in The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, The Dresser and The Wardrobe Angela, who has worked for the monarch for 25 years, says: “If her Majesty is due to attend an engagement in particularly cold weather, from 2019 onwards fake fur will be used to make sure she stays warm.”
Queen Elizabeth wears a fur shawl during a visit to Bruhl, Germany in 1965. (Image: Getty)
When approached for comment, Buckingham Palace confirmed the Queen was going fur-free, telling The Telegraph: “As new outfits are designed for the Queen, any fur used will be fake.”
However, this new attitude towards fur will only extend to new garments made for The Queen, and she still may wear items from her extensive fur collection including coats, shawls and of course her ceremonial robes like the ermine fur-lined Robe of State worn on coronations.
The Queen’s decision has been welcomed by animal rights groups, with the Executive Director of Humane Society International Claire Bass telling The Telegraph: “We are thrilled that Her Majesty has officially gone fur-free.
“Queen Elizabeth’s decision to ‘go faux’ is the perfect reflection of the mood of the British public, the vast majority of whom detest cruel fur, and want nothing to do with it.”
Adding, “Our Head of State going fur-free sends a powerful message that fur is firmly out of fashion and does not belong with Brand Britain.”
The Queen wears one of her many fur hats during a visit to Bristol, England in 2005. (Image: Getty)
The news is just one of the many revelations and personal anecdotes shared by Angela in her memoir – a book that was given the Queen’s blessing – including the prank she played on the Queen during a royal visit to Sydney which resulted in the Queen joking to her she was “sacked”.
She also revealed she breaks in all of Her Majesty’s shoes and that the replica of the historic royal family Honiton christening gown got its authentic-looking colour from something slightly unconventional – Yorkshire tea!
