The Queen has been surrounded by friends and confidants her whole life, with each offering invaluable support and guidance throughout her 70-year reign. But this small inner circle was more important than ever when the Monarch lost her "strength and stay", Prince Philip.
The Countess of Wessex and her niece Lady Sarah Chatto are among the family members she leans on at difficult times, and another key figure is Her Majesty's dresser, Angela Kelly. Angela has worked for the Royal Family for more than 25 years and released her book, 'The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe' in 2019 with the monarch's blessing.
It is full of heart-warming anecdotes about their close relationship, one of which tells the story of a hilarious prank Kelly played on The Queen during their visit to Australia.
Kelly travelled to Australia in 2006 for the royal tour with The Queen and mentioned that they would see kookaburra birds. On April Fools' Day, she bought a stuffed toy version of the bird, and convinced a “horrified” Queen that it was a dead one.
Having purchased the toy at a nearby market, Kelly then placed it in a bird cage on the balcony outside the royal suite in Governor’s House. She recalled: “The Queen looked outside and shouted 'It's a kookaburra!'
“I went to open the cage and she said loudly, ‘No! Don’t do that! It will fly away!’ Turning to her Majesty while trying to keep a straight face, I solemnly told her it was dead.
"She looked horrified as I walked towards her with outstretched arms and as she took the bird from my hands, she realised I had been winding her up."
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The Queen is certainly no novice when it comes to jokes and is reputed to have a brilliant sense of humour. So much so that she had her own cunning trick up her sleeve.
Kelly continued: "'April Fool!' I said with a mischievous grin, and she only had two words for me, 'You're sacked!'
"I was laughing uncontrollably as Her Majesty turned to His Royal Highness [ Prince Philip ] and said 'Do you know what she has just done to me? Angela has had me!'."
This wasn't the only incredible insight Angela Kelly's book offers as it also reveals The Queen's unbelievable hidden skill.
Kelly - who is originally from Liverpool - revealed: "We have a lot of fun together... The Queen has a wicked sense of humour and is a great mimic... She can do all accents - including mine."
Angela Kelly’s book is packed full of other gems which are similar to this story and talks about her “uniquely close working relationship with the Queen”.
In an updated copy of her book, Angela revealed how she had been in Her Majesty's bubble during lockdown in Windsor Castle and had cut her hair. She wrote: "From March 2020 onwards I washed The Queen's hair every week, set and styled it, and even trimmed it when needed. My team named it Kelly's Salon."
She said that at first, " The Queen knew I was nervous, and during the first two weeks I was shaking. I had only done her hair once or twice before while on board the Royal Yacht Britannia. The Queen was so kind as she advised me on the very specific way to put the rollers in."
"As I grew in confidence I'm sure The Queen thought I was a professional and started shouting at me, 'Don't do that, do it this way. That's right, you've got it, don't change it.' I was thinking, goodness me, I need a gin and tonic. So while The Queen was under the dryer I said to her, 'I'm off for a stiff drink because this is so stressful, getting it just right for you.'"
