Queen's 'Secret Weapon' Makes 'Crown' Cameo After 'Tiaragate' Controversy

One of Queen Elizabeth II's closest aides has been portrayed in the final episode of The Crown, Netflix's hit drama charting the late monarch's reign.

Angela Kelly, a former veteran royal household member who some commentators considered to be closer to the late queen than any other member of her staff, made a brief appearance as a character in the show's series finale, having become a figure of increased public interest earlier this year when Prince Harry detailed a confrontation with her over a tiara in his memoir, Spare.

Nicknamed "Tiaragate" by the press, rumors of an alleged run-in with Kelly about Meghan Markle's wedding tiara loaned by Queen Elizabeth had circulated since 2019, but Harry gave his version of the events in his memoir, describing Kelly as a "troublemaker."

Liverpool-born Kelly began her career as a dresser to Queen Elizabeth in the 1990s and rose to become the senior staff member in charge of the monarch's wardrobe, jewelry and official orders by the end of the queen's life.

During the COVID pandemic, Kelly moved into Windsor Castle to serve the queen in the isolated team known as "HMS Bubble" and was responsible for styling the monarch's famous hair. She was even granted rare permission to publish two books about her royal work.

The aide attended the late queen's funeral in 2022, and in 2023 left her home on the Windsor Great Park estate, moving to the north of England.

Angela Kelly and The Crown

Though she is not referred to by name in the show, Angela Kelly features as a character in the tenth episode of The Crown's sixth and final season.

The episode opens with Queen Elizabeth (played by Imelda Staunton) waking at Buckingham Palace before having her clothes selected, pressed and arranged by a blonde aide with a distinct Liverpudlian accent.

Identifiable as Kelly, she talks the queen through her diary for the day in a casual manner very unlike the royal's interactions with other staff members on the show, alluding to the closeness rumored of their real-life counterparts.

The episode credits the aide as "Angela Kelly - Queen's Dresser" and she is played by actress and writer Lizzie Hopley. Hopley has a number of film and television credits, including roles in the hit TV show Luther and the forthcoming Steve McQueen movie Blitz.

Discussing her time on the show, Hopley said that both herself and Kelly shared their roots in the city of Liverpool in northwest England.

"Playing Angela was unexpected fun," she told Newsweek. "Like me, she's a Scouser born to working-class parents but then she became this secret weapon to the queen. The queen headhunted her and then forbade her to have elocution for her Scouse [a British slang term for people from Liverpool] accent, which says brilliant things about them both."

"I shot Angela's scenes with Imelda quite soon after losing the queen [who died on September 22, 2022]. For Imelda, it was a strange time and having everything so beautifully reproduced by the creative team was a haunting tribute. Working in the replica of her office felt close to experiencing Kelly's level of love and duty—all that loyalty and love poured into one woman. The queen described them as being more like sisters. What a tribute."

Reflecting on the depiction of Queen Elizabeth's closest staffer, royal commentator, Richard Fitzwilliams told Newsweek that it highlighted her as a "significant figure."

"She was highly influential whilst the queen lived and was reportedly deeply resented too," he said, alluding to reports of tensions between Kelly and other royal staff. "The cameo was not judgemental, It simply represented a significant figure in the royal household."

Newsweek approached Kelly via direct message for comment.

What Prince Harry Said About Angela Kelly and 'Tiaragate'

In his 2023 memoir, Spare, Prince Harry detailed for the first time his version of the media's "Tiaragate" scandal, which saw reports claim that he and Angela Kelly had argued over the tiara Meghan Markle was to wear at her 2018 wedding.

Harry confirmed that tensions with Kelly had arisen around this time, describing Kelly as a "troublemaker" for appearing to be deliberately uncooperative in providing access to the chosen tiara when Meghan needed it for a trial with her hairdresser.

"She was being obstructive, obviously, but for what reason? We couldn't even hazard a guess," Harry wrote of his frustration before the wedding. "I considered going to granny, but that would probably mean sparking an all-out confrontation, and I wasn't quite sure with whom granny would side."

"To my mind," he continued, "Angela was a troublemaker, and I didn't need her as an enemy. Above all, she was still in possession of that tiara. She held all the cards."

Eventually, he recalled that Kelly "appeared out of thin air" at Kensington Palace holding a "release" form for him to sign before handing over the family heirloom.

"I thanked her," he said. "Though I added that it would've made our lives so much easier to have had it sooner."

In response, Harry said that Kelly's "eyes were fire" and an argument broke out. "'Angela, you really want to do this now? Really? Now?'" he said.

"She fixed me with a look that made me shiver. I could read in her face a clear warning. This isn't over."

Kelly did not respond to the claims made by Harry in Spare, which also included the allegation that she was "skilled at planting stories" to the press during her royal service.

James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

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