Queen Elizabeth's Aide Just Revealed the Secret Cleaning Tip That Keeps the Royal Family's Jewels So Shiny
If you have ever wanted your jewelry to look just as shiny as that of royalty, a new secret from a source close to Queen Elizabeth can help make your dream a reality. According to Angela Kelly, the aide and dressmaker to the Queen, her royal highness's jewelry is cleaned with a combination of gin and water. In her new book, The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, The Dresser and the Wardrobe, Kelly explained exactly what she does to keep the Queen's diamonds and other precious gemstones in their very best, most sparkly shape.
Getty / Ute Grabowsky
Her secret? Two ingredients you probably already gave in your kitchen: gin and dishwashing soap. "A little gin and water come in handy to give the diamonds extra sparkle—just don't tell the jeweler!—and a drop of washing-up liquid and water will get rid of any hairspray stains," Kelly explained.
While the tip is helpful for anyone looking for an innovative way to clean their prized jewels in a pinch, Kelly notes that an occasional deep cleaning is always important. She says that the monarch's jewelry still requires a thorough cleaning every now and again, and they turn to the professionals when this is the case. "The Queen's jeweler will give the stones a deep clean when necessary, so for me it's just a matter of a quick polish and they're sparkling once more," Kelly said.
Kelly shared more than just her royal-approved advice for cleaning jewelry. She also divulged how she assists the Queen in her day-to-day jewelry-wearing routine. The aide lays out the royal's primary jewelry—including the diadem, earrings, necklace, watch, bracelet, and rings—on Queen Mary's former tray and polishes them. She also mentioned that she preps for the Queen's events by choosing her jewelry the day prior. Kelly mentioned that it is to, "save myself time in the morning, and also in case there are any changes to the program."
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