Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II, can now add another accolade to her already many titles. She is now the longest reigning monarch and has been on the throne for a wildly impressive 63 years, The Daily Mail UK reported. The humbling fact that she has served the Commonwealth of Nations for this long has also put something else in the spotlight: her shoes.
Yes, the Queen has access to whatever pair of shoes that may strike her fancy. Yes, she can be at the forefront of fashion, if she chooses. But what is most amazing is her fidelity to one pair of shoes. These shoes, since the beginning of her reign (and even before that), have been a staple in the royal court.
The Queen's footwear is the responsibility of an entire team of people and one of them is even dubbed "Cinders," or the one who breaks in the Her Majesty's shoes. The Queen prefers one style of shoes only but, of course, in different colors. She is not an Imelda Marcos. Not by a long shot.
Her "work" shoes are painstakingly created by Anello & Davide of Kensington, West London. Only the finest calf leather is used and the royal choice is typically black patent leather adorned by a brass clasp or small bow. Over the decades, she has gone through literally hundreds of pairs of the same shoes.
The process of creating a pair fit for a queen begins with the "last" which has the Queen's exact foot measurements. A clicker or leather selector then picks out the material for the shoes. A closer sews the upper portions and adds stiffeners. Finally, a maker adds the bottom parts, the soles and heels.
The Queen's "Cinders," then walks around the newly created shoes to break them in. She, obviously, has the exact same foot size as the monarch. Ankle-high beige cotton socks are to be used when testing the shoes and can only be used on carpets. Footmen Ian and William take care of her shoes including airing, polishing, and storage in silk or cotton drawstring bags.
The Queen has recently opted for a 2 ¼ inch heel but has used higher heels in her younger days. She has used these in everything from official State visits, charity balls, and even children's parties. She learned of Rayne, the original maker of her shoes, from the Queen Mother who also patronized Rayne. In the years since Rayne closed shop, the Queen sourced out one of his employees, secured the last, and now leaves the responsibility to Anello & Davide.
