Queen's bra-fitter loses royal warrant after book upsets Buckingham Palace

  12 January 2018    Read: 1204
Queen's bra-fitter loses royal warrant after book upsets Buckingham Palace
The company which provides the Queen’s lingerie has lost its royal warrant after its former owner published her autobiography.
Rigby & Peller, a luxury underwear firm founded in London, has held the official royal warrant since 1960, meaning it fits lingerie and underwear for several past and present senior female members of the royal family, including the Queen, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret.

The warrant was withdrawn shortly after June Keaton, who fitted bras for the Queen during the 1970s and 1980s, released a book called “Storm in a D-Cup”.

Ms Kenton published her autobiography in March 2017 which gave details of her role as the official “corsetiere” to the Queen, when she would regularly visit Buckingham Palace.

She said it was an “unbelievable” decision as there was “nothing” in the book to “be upset about”.

She told the BBC: “I'm very sad Buckingham Palace took exception to the story - it's a kind and gentle story about what went on in my life.

“I only ever said I went there, not what happened. I have never, ever spoken about what I do there with her, or the Queen Mother or Princess Margaret.

“I think it's unbelievable. It's just upsetting at the end of my life, but what can I do. I can't fight with Buckingham Palace and I wouldn't want to, but it's hard.”

The luxury bra fitter said she would never reveal details of what went on during the fittings; all she had revealed in the book was that she had visited the palace.

Ms Kenton, who has worked in the lingerie industry for 60 years, said: “I've been honourable throughout my life - it's unbelievable they don't like the book, there's nothing in it that they could remotely be upset about.

“It's a sweet story of a corsetiere. I probably should have submitted it to them but I didn't think anything would be required.”

She said she had first been told by someone in Buckingham Palace that they did not like the book around six months ago.

The 82-year-old bought the luxury bramaker with her husband in 1982 for £20,000 and sold the majority stake in the business for £8m in 2011 – though she remains on the board.

The Royal Warrants Association denied the loss of the status had anything to do with the publishing of the book, telling the BBC that 20 to 40 warrants are cancelled every year with a similar number granted.

Royal warrants are granted to named individuals whose companies have provided services to the royal household with goods or service for at least five years out of seven.

This entitles them to display the royal coat of arms. It is not available for members of professions such as banking, law or journalism.

Harrods is famously one of the companies that lost its royal warrant in 2000.

The Palace said the reason for the withdrawal was a “significant decline in the trading relationship” between the department store and Prince Philip.

The Queen, Prince Philip and Prince Charles are the only members of the family who can grant warrants.

Read original article on the Independent.

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