When Meghan Markle officially joined the royal family, it quickly became clear that she would not be enlisting a glam squad for her routine press obligations: A close confidante of the Duchess of Sussex told People that aside from the royal wedding, when Markle tapped makeup artist and longtime friend Daniel Martin for help, the former actress does all her own makeup.
One might assume that, given the fact that the royal family is constantly in the public eye on a global scale, on-call makeup artists — with ironclad NDAs — would be the norm for Markle, Kate Middleton, and certainly Queen Elizabeth II. But according to a new book by Angela Kelly, who's worked as the Queen's royal dresser for 25 years, the Queen of England does all her makeup all by herself 364 days a year, with the sole exception of her annual televised Christmas Day broadcast (when she calls upon TV makeup artist Marilyn Widdess).
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In the book, titled The Other Side of the Coin: the Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe, Kelly writes: "You might be surprised to know that this is the only occasion throughout the year when Her Majesty does not do her own make up."
The Queen may not be gearing up to produce the first official royal beauty vlog any time soon, but we do have some ideas about the brands she keeps stocked at Buckingham Palace. Her Majesty has been rumored to be a huge fan of Clarins, specifically the French cosmetics brand's classic Hand and Nail Treatment Cream, to keep her hands soft while waving and shaking hands with diplomats from all over the world. And in her purse, you're likely to find a red lipstick by Elizabeth Arden — an American brand that seems to have earned the Queen's hard-won approval.
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