How Queen Elizabeth’s dresser caused her to break royal protocol with ‘very unusual suggestion’ during visit to honour indigenous community

Renowned for her vibrant fashion sense, Queen Elizabeth II understood the powerful role clothing could play in diplomacy and cultural respect.

She worked closely with her Personal Assistant and Senior Dresser of 25 years, Angela Kelly, to create outfits that were not only stylish but also deeply thoughtful and culturally sensitive.

Her wardrobe was often a tribute to the country or community she was visiting – whether through a symbolic colour choice, meaningful embroidery or a carefully selected piece of jewellery.

A memorable example of this was during her June 2010 visit to Canada, when she met with members of the Mi’kmaq, an indigenous community known as the ‘People of the Dawn,’ celebrated for their exquisite beadwork.

In her book Dressing the Queen, Angela Kelly recounts the honour of collaborating with the Mi’kmaq for this special visit.

‘In recognition of their unique beading skills, I asked the Chiefs if the oldest generation of skilled women would like to embellish the yellow jacket that I had planned for the Queen to wear on the occasion of her visit.’

This suggestion was highly unorthodox as Elizabeth’s outfits were usually kept confidential until the moment of their debut.

However, Ms Kelly felt that making an exception was entirely justified.

Renowned for her vibrant fashion sense, Queen Elizabeth II understood the powerful role clothing could play in diplomacy and cultural respect

She writes: ‘This was a very unusual suggestion, since the Queen’s outfits are normally kept secret for maximum impact on the day, but I felt it was the right decision, as their knowledge of beading goes back hundreds of years.’

After the tour discussions, Ms Kelly and her team returned to London, where they created a design for the collar and cuffs of the Queen’s jacket. The fabric was then sent back to Canada for the Mi’kmaq artisans to adorn.

Their response was enthusiastic. ‘They took enormous pride in being asked to undertake this work and returned it to us quickly for the final making-up,’ Ms Kelly shares.

The result was a beautifully unique garment that reflected both royal elegance and indigenous craftsmanship – a meaningful gesture of mutual respect.

To complete the look, the Queen wore a special maple leaf brooch, offering a patriotic nod to Canada.

This particular piece, showcased for the first time on that visit, featured a spray of enamel maple leaves edged with diamonds.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh embarked on an eight-day tour of Canada, starting in Halifax and ending in Toronto.

A memorable example of this was during her June 2010 visit to Canada with Prince Philip

Elizabeth met with members of the Mi’kmaq, an indigenous community known as the ‘People of the Dawn,’ celebrated for their exquisite beadwork

Before the trip, the Queen’s senior dresser Angela Kelly asked the Chiefs if the oldest generation of skilled women would like to embellish the yellow jacket that Elizabeth would wear

The result was a beautifully unique garment that reflected both royal elegance and indigenous craftsmanship – meaningful gesture of mutual respect

Despite being greeted by light showers, Queen Elizabeth remained characteristically composed and elegant, wearing a classic trench coat, wide-brimmed hat and  transparent umbrella, trimmed in the same cheerful yellow as the jacket she would later reveal

The weather did little to dampen the Queen’s spirits – her face lit with a radiant smile that reflected her genuine delight at being in Canada

The visit coincided with the centenary celebrations of the Canadian Navy and the marking of Canada Day – an occasion rich in national pride and pageantry.

Despite being greeted by light showers, Queen Elizabeth remained characteristically composed.

She stepped off the plane wearing a classic trench coat, teamed with a wide-brimmed hat and a transparent umbrella, trimmed in the same cheerful yellow as the jacket she would later reveal.

The weather did little to dampen the Queen’s spirits – her face lit with a radiant smile that reflected her genuine delight at being in Canada.