We’ve barely heard anything about Angela Kelly in the past two years or so. Kelly was Queen Elizabeth II’s dresser and keeper of the royal jewels. She was also known as AK-47, one of QEII’s closest confidantes, and someone more than willing to leak toxic bullsh-t against other royals and senior courtiers. In QEII’s final years, during the pandemic, Kelly was one of the few people by QEII’s side, and Kelly pursued her post-QEII agenda thoroughly. She conned a grace-and-favor home out of QEII for her retirement, and she also got the queen to “sign a letter” permitting Kelly to write books about “dressing the queen.” King Charles put a stop to all of that, evicting Kelly from her grace-and-favor home and buying her a new one far, far away from royal circles. The new home was seemingly contingent on Kelly never writing any of those books about QEII. Well, Kelly has now given an interview to Katie Nicholl at Vanity Fair, and wouldn’t you know, in the middle of the interview, an “unnamed source” pops up to smear Prince Harry and Meghan over tiaras again. This whole thing is pitiful.
A twinkle in QEII’s eye: “The queen was committed to doing her duty to the very end. Her Majesty never let anyone down. Even when she felt unwell, Her Majesty would not want anyone to know,” says Kelly in an emotional and rare interview. “As I worked alongside the queen, year after year we were getting older, but we were both young at heart, the queen still had a twinkle in her eye. The banter and mischief continued until Balmoral. When the queen passed away she was surrounded by her family. It was a shock to the nation, to everyone. It was very sad, but it was an honor to serve the queen until the very end.”
People felt threatened by AK-47: “Angela crossed a line. She was technically a servant, but she was so much more than that. She became a confidante and a trusted member of the queen’s inner circle. People felt threatened by Angela, who could be ruthless, and that went right to the top,” recalled a former senior aide. “Private secretaries fell foul of Angela—she could make or break your palace career because she had the queen’s ear.”
AK-47 was always in QEII’s dressing room & bedroom: “Every morning the queen would listen to the Terry Wogan show on Radio 2. When the song ‘Dancing Queen’ came on she loved it, and both of us would dance. The queen would move from side to side and sing. Her Majesty loved singing and had a good voice. I didn’t. I’d get carried away and be dancing all round her like I was at a disco, and the queen would tell me to ‘move over’ because I can’t sing and we laughed. They were moments to cherish, to see the queen so relaxed.”
Angela wore the queen’s priceless jewels: “I remember being quite taken aback when Angela walked into my office to discuss something with me while wearing a magnificent set of the queen’s pearls. These looked like priceless heirlooms, but Angela explained that the queen allowed this as pearls need to be close to skin to stop them from yellowing,” recalls Sir Andrew Ford, former comptroller of the Royal Household.
The tiara drama with Harry & Meghan: Meghan had been presented with several tiara options and preferred an emerald tiara, but the undefined provenance of its jewels meant it was not deemed a suitable choice. While Meghan was happy with the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau that the queen had offered her instead, tensions arose again when Meghan was told by Kelly that she was not allowed to use the tiara for a trying-on session with her hairdresser ahead of the wedding day, allegedly causing Harry to “erupt” at Kelly.
None of this happened: “Angela was very much caught in the middle,” explained a palace source. “She often took a bullet for the queen but this time Harry really went for Angela. He wanted the tiara but the queen refused to let it leave the palace two weeks before the wedding. Harry was giving Angela hell. At one point he said: ‘Let me tell you, I don’t agree with you talking to my grandmother about this.’ Angela was in tears and went to the queen saying she couldn’t take it any more. Eventually the queen said, ‘He can’t have it. I’ll deal with him. We’re having enough trouble with this wedding’.”
The pandemic: For all the globe-trotting and the hundreds of tours Kelly accompanied the queen on, their bond was truly cemented at Windsor during the COVID-19 lockdown between 2020 and 2021. Kelly was part of a team of trusted aides, which included private secretaries, pages and household staff, all isolating together within the castle grounds. With no hairdresser in the mix during lockdowns, Kelly had to master the art of the queen’s perm which she was “terrified of messing up,” she said. Kelly stayed by the queen’s side until lockdown ended, as loyal as she had always been during her decades of service.
Angela dressed the queen for her final journey: In 2022, Kelly was once again by the queen’s side during the final days and hours of the monarch’s life, which Kelly considers the ultimate honor. Kelly also dressed the queen for her final journey to Windsor. When King Charles ascended the throne, Kelly was told her services within the Royal Household were no longer required and that she would have to give up her cottage in Windsor.
Who are you going to believe, the unnamed sources whose tiara-drama stories have changed a million times in eight years, or Harry’s on-the-record account of this drama in his memoir? I believe Harry. I also think Harry was wrong to encourage Meghan to take up QEII on her late offer for a tiara – Meghan should have stuck with the original plan to wear the Spencer Tiara. Anyway, this whole interview is really tacky. It’s astounding to me that all of the royal biographers and all of QEII’s closest confidantes are pushing a posthumous version of QEII who was vindictive, petty and easily swayed by con artists like Angela Kelly. Last thing: Angela Kelly did a TERRIBLE job looking after QEII in her final years. QEII wandered around looking unkempt and poorly taken care of. Her hair was often flat and matted too. Not to mention, QEII got covid twice, right? Insane. Harry had every right to be concerned, in 2022, about his grandmother’s welfare.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Miss Angela Kelly received the Royal Victoria Order Investitures at Buckingham Palace, London, Britain – 16 Nov 2012,Image: 544105715, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 917 704 9816 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- Miss Angela Kelly received the Royal Victoria Order Investitures at Buckingham Palace, London, Britain – 16 Nov 2012,Image: 544105732, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 917 704 9816 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- Queen Elizabeth II leaves Sandringham House, which is the Queen’s Norfolk residence, after a reception with representatives from local community groups to celebrate the start of the Platinum Jubilee. The Queen came to the throne 70 years ago this Sunday when, on February 6 1952, the ailing King George VI – who had lung cancer – died at Sandringham in the early hours.,Image: 659601837, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Joe Giddens / Avalon
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- Queen Elizabeth II cuts a cake to celebrate the start of the Platinum Jubilee during a reception in the Ballroom of Sandringham House, which is the Queen’s Norfolk residence. The Queen came to the throne 70 years ago this Sunday when, on February 6 1952, the ailing King George VI – who had lung cancer – died at Sandringham in the early hours.,Image: 659601975, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Joe Giddens / Avalon
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- Queen Elizabeth II arrives to symbolically lead the lighting of the principal Jubilee beacon at Windsor Castle, as part of a chain of more than 3,500 flaming tributes to her 70-year-reign, on day one of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Over 3,000 towns, villages and cities throughout the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories, and each of the capital cities of Commonwealth countries are lighting beacons to mark the Jubilee.,Image: 696553843, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Steve Parsons / Avalon
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- Queen Elizabeth II waits in the Drawing Room before receiving Liz Truss for an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government.,Image: 719993378, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Jane Barlow / Avalon
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- Angela Kelly At the State Funeral of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,Image: 724230159, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Camera Press Rota, Model Release: no, Credit line: Mark Stewart / Avalon
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- Angela Kelly (PA to the Queen) at The State Funeral of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,Image: 724231647, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Camera Press Rota, Model Release: no, Credit line: Mark Stewart / Avalon
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- Angela Kelly at The State Funeral of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,Image: 724232499, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Camera Press Rota, Model Release: no, Credit line: Mark Stewart / Avalon
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- (170118) — DAVOS, Jan. 18, 2017 () — U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaks at the 47th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 18, 2017.(/Xu Jinquan)(gl)
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- NEWS EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL USE. NO MERCHANDISING, ADVERTISING, SOUVENIRS, MEMORABILIA or COLOURABLY SIMILAR. NOT FOR USE AFTER 31 DECEMBER 2018 WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION FROM KENSINGTON PALACE. NO CROPPING. Publications are asked to credit the photograph to Alexi Lubomirski. The photograph must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified in any manner or form and must include all of the individuals in the photograph when published. This official wedding photograph released by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shows The Duke and Duchess in The Green Drawing Room, Windsor Castle, with (left-to-right): Back row: Master Jasper Dyer, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Prince of Wales, Ms. Doria Ragland, The Duke of Cambridge; middle row: Master Brian Mulroney, the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth II, the Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Miss Rylan Litt, Master John Mulroney; Front row: Miss Ivy Mulroney, Miss Florence van Cutsem, Miss Zalie Warren, Miss Remi Litt.
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- Queen Elizabeth II looks on during the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
I wish Meghan had worn the Spencer tiara, too.
This is all so unseemly! Way to make QEII look even more feeble-minded and bitchy in her final years, Angela.
I am sure the Queen’s “late offer” of a tiara was only made because she and/or William found out about the Spencer tiara offer.
Remember that weird story (not long after the Sussex wedding) about how William didn’t want Meghan wearing any jewelry in the Queen’s collection that Diana had worn? It was weird because Diana didn’t wear that much of the Queen’s jewelry. Also, the odd stories about Earl Spencer wanting to sell the tiara and then the indications, in an exhibition explainer, that the tiara was for Charlotte.
I think there was a tussle over the Spencer tiara because William didn’t want Megan to wear it.
Does it matter if there was “a tussle over the Spencer tiara because William didn’t want Megan to wear it.”? Seems like a doubtful story in any case given intervening years when Willy has had to make up stories to show any kind of relationship with the Spencers. Yet the Spencers have shown up to support Harry in UK and have traveled to SoCal for Lili’s christening. The main reason anyone would wish Meghan had stuck with the Spencer tiara plan is knowing BRFCo & Associates would have been deprived $$$£££ from all these stupid tiaragate stories that continue EIGHT YEARS after the marriage.
Apologies to Celebitchy for not actually reading the collusive caca coughed up and cobbled together by con-artists AK-47 and Katie Nicholl, who were so dismissive and uncaring about Betty’s appearance, health and well-being in later years.
Derangers are obsessed with the idea of Charlotte getting the spencer tiara, but it isn’t going to happen. I cannot see earl Spencer selling it, so those must have been tabloid rumors.
I agree, qeii only offered a tiara because she didn’t want Meghan in the Spencer.
William is little or no contact with the spencer relatives. But you can bet he’d do anything to prevent Meghan wearing that Spencer tiara. All about him trying to control everyone else
Reminder that the original tiara story was Meghan had a meltdown when she demanded a certain tiara. She was smeared as duchess difficult & it was said Angela & William agreed that Meghan wouldn’t have access to jewellry Diana had worn.
Now that Harry corrected the story on the record & said it was Angela being difficult see how it’s no longer Meghan that was the issue. Any delay is blamed on the late queen AND the white women tears have come out. I believe the people who went on the record & haven’t changed their story.
Yeah, and this version says “Meghan had been presented with several tiara options and preferred an emerald tiara, but the undefined provenance of its jewels meant it was not deemed a suitable choice.”.
Can you imagine they give you options of what would be appropriate, and then tell you that the one you like is somehow not appropriate. I mean if it isn’t appropriate why was it presented as an option? These people make no logical sense.
“Meghan had been presented with several tiara options and preferred an emerald tiara, but the undefined provenance of its jewels meant it was not deemed a suitable choice.” Then why present it as an option at all? This never ever made sense. And the emerald tiara referred to, that Eugenie wore, had provenance (it was from Mrs Greville) it just hadn’t been seen on a royal. No one even really knew about it so how would harry in the other version where they “demanded” it? Even if you don’t like Harry or trust his version it’s the only one that makes sense.
More ever so fragile southern belle BS. She was in tears, was she? The woman nicknamed AK-47? The toughie but softie? I mean. It’s a bit tired, at this point. You can’t make it up. It’s prechewed and recycled.
We know AK-47 is a liar, QE2 was surrounded by her “family” when she died? Does the Royal family comprise only of Anne?
Sigh. Tiara gate continues. Of course this comes from Katie Nicholls. Who has been accused by both Harry and Sadie Frost of using illegal means to get stories and who outed Sadie’s private abortion to the public. So yeah, Nicholls interviewing Angela checks out, two horrible people.
Anyways, this story makes no sense. Why was Meghan ever shown an emerald tiara in the first place if it couldn’t be worn. My understanding is they showed her a few choices and not the whole vault. So why show her a tiara she ultimately couldn’t wear. So if this emerald tiara ever existed it couldn’t have been the one Eugenie wore. Again if this supposed emerald tiara ever existed.
But the rest of the story aligns with what Harry said in spare. Except Angela is now blaming the Queen as being the one who wouldn’t let Meghan practice her hair with the tiara. So yep, blame the Queen now that she’s gone. And again why was that such a hardship? What a bunch of assholes. It’s funny how Angela doesn’t mention the fact that Megan was supposed to wear the Spencer tiara until they offered her tiaras at the last minute.
They really are vile. This interview really was the epitome of “two dumb bitches telling each other exaccccctttllly”.
Yep, nicholls is trying to get some sort of a scoop from AK but it’s all reheated nachos and lies. I’m curious to see if the results of the trial, if she’s found guilty, will have any effect on her career. Will VF still employ nichols if she is found guilty of what’s been accused in this DM case? I kinda lean towards VF not caring.
LOL, @ Miranda
And that is SUCH a lie because Harry already outlined in Spare that it was *the Queen* herself who recommended to Meghan that she should make sure that she practised with the tiara before the big day. Why would she then turn around and say “She can’t have it”??? Unless she was told a bunch of lies about what M wanted?
I believe Harry. From the Spencer tiara offer, to the Windsors finding out and realising that questions would be asked as to why they had not offered Meghan one (plus they – especially Kate and William – certainly didn’t want Meghan wearing “Diana’s” tiara), to this woman being obstructive, as Harry said. There was never any emerald tiara, or Harry would have mentioned it. As others have said, Meghan was shown a small selection of tiaras. There is no way she would have been offered a tiara of unknown provenance in the first place, only for it to then be snatched away. There was only ever one tiara in the running, and it was the one that Meghan and Harry and the Queen and “all others in attendance” at that viewing agreed was the one that suited her best. All this will do is get people to go back to the definitive record – Spare – to refresh their memories with the truth.
These people are so desperate, and sullying the name of the woman they claim to care about in their quest to get back at Harry for spilling the beans on their racist, backstabbing behaviour towards Meghan. This woman who spent her entire time in the palace plotting and scheming to become the Queen’s confidante – and winning every battle – was suddenly reduced to tears by Prince Harry, who she clearly thought beneath her, even though he was the Queen’s grandson? Bollocks.
KatieN has been a Middleton insider/hack since the dating years.
Not that I feel bad for AK 47 but Charles just didnt care about the Queens final wishes except for Camilla being called a Queen. He kicked out AK,he evicted the Sussexes and who knows what else the Queen wanted that he later over ruled.
Wait so now it’s she wanted an ” emerald” tiara and not specifically the one Eugenie wore, because that was their story for a while too. And they harped on how they told Meghan no, but Eugenie got it because she was a ” real” princess. This is how you know all of this stuff is lies, because how do you have 10 variants on a miniscule story for seven or eight years?
And that photo of QEII just saddens me. They all wanted to be associated with her for what she could provide but they couldn’t be bothered at end. All that naming your daughters Elizabeth but Harry was the only one who was concerned for her when he lives five thousand miles away.
the most common version of the story was that Meghan wanted an emerald one that was of unknown provenance, people just assumed it was the one Eugenie wore.
Omid Scobie’s book was the first one that pretty much solidified that Meghan wanted the one she ended up wearing, and Harry’s book added the detail that she wasn’t even offered a tiara originally, so was going to wear the Spencer tiara.
This passage right here tells you it’s all a lie:
“Meghan had been presented with several tiara options and preferred an emerald tiara, but the undefined provenance of its jewels meant it was not deemed a suitable choice.”
First, Kelly admits Meghan was presented with a selection of tiaras. When tiara gate first broke, the rota acted like Meghan strolled into the vault and riffled through the jewels before deciding on an emerald tiara. Anyone familiar with how Kelly guarded the collection knew that didn’t happen. Meghan would have been shown a handful of options at most. She would have had no idea what else the collection contained unless it was something routinely worn in public.
That segue’s into the next issue: she would not have been shown anything unsuitable to wear in public for the reasons stated, jewels of undefined provenance (aka, stolen). They make it sound as though a tiara with sketchy emeralds was one of her choices, Meghan said “oh, that one,” then they backtracked and said no and she threw a fit. That never happened because such a piece of jewelry would never have been among the choices shown to her.
Angela Kelly is a lying liar who lies, and it says at lot about Lizzie that she counted her among her closest friends.
Unless it was a set-up and they purposely showed her some tiaras that she couldn’t wear. But idk if I even believe that. Harry never mentioned an emerald tiara in Spare, just the Spencer one. So I’m more apt to believe the emerald tiara has been an elaborate lie from the start.
Harry said in Spare that they were presented with five tiaras including an emerald and aquamarine.
I could easily see AK playing provenance games and setting Meghan up for future leaked stories – like she did later with the earrings. But I think she was thwarted this time because didn’t QE2 actually show up and they tried on tiaras with her in the room? QE2 is going to know which ones have dodgy provenances so she might have eliminated options before Meghan ever saw them. But since AK’s mad her plans to smear Meghan were delayed, she’s using a variety of explanations after the fact. Vile woman.
Imagine saying to at least two women (Kate, Meghan, possibly more daughters in law) that you can’t have a trying on session with a priceless tiara ahead of time to ensure everyone knows what they’re doing. Ridiculous — and she’s proud of it while trying to blame QE2 for it.
Harry wouldn’t have “brought you to tears” if it was really the Queen who said that. If the Queen said it from the start–that would have been IT. But clearly she meddled and Harry was already sick of all this BS coming at him from multiple angles.
None of the stories make a lick of sense, the veil tells the story, they didnt want her to wear one of theirs till they heard about the veil designed to match the Spencer tiara that was a gut punch then they rallied, and emerald wouldnt have matched anything , the dress was ice white, Meghan would have had to have gone with a cream coloured dress to pull off the emeralds so its all bollocks.
how long has queenie been dead her legacy is getting over shadowed by being constantly dug up to smear Meghan and Harry
When you consider that the plan was to wear the Spencer tiara, Meghan would picked a tiara that looked the closest tiara. She wouldn’t not have wanted an Emerald tiara.
especially when we look back over the last 8 years and have a good sense of the kind of jewelry Meghan likes. She’s not opposed to a statement piece here and there but the tiara she wore seemed to suit her style perfectly.
So proof that they were undermining Meghan from the start.
They chose the small number of tiaras she could select from, and of course the tiara she chose is wrong. If that tiara was so bad why did they hand pick it to be one of the options?
They gave her the tiara, but she wasn’t allowed to test it as part of her hair test, when that’s a standard part of any pre-wedding rehearsal?
Didn’t one of the York girls (does anyone have a trick for remembering which is which? I always confuse them) wear an emerald tiara for her wedding? Was that the one Meghan allegedly wanted? But yeah, I would’ve just gone for the Spencer tiara if they were going to make a fuss over who was or wasn’t allowed to wear this or that. Not to mention, the Spencer tiara would’ve really complimented Meghan’s wedding look (very simple dress with a statement veil).
Tangent: I thought it was meh at the time, but I found myself appreciating Meghan’s wedding dress more and more after shopping for my own. I’m very petite and the princessy dresses I always dreamed of kind of overwhelmed me, so I too decided to make my veil that showpiece. It was surprisingly difficult to find just a plain but flattering and relatively modest (Catholic church wedding) dress that wasn’t basically a slip.
Yes, the original story was that Meghan threw a fit bc she couldn’t wear the emerald tiara that Eugenie eventually wore for her wedding. So they’re now pretending that that entire storyline and smear never existed. Bc this supposed emerald tiara cannot be seen in public due to provenance issues so there’s no way Meghan could have ever coveted Eugenie’s tiara and threw a fit over it. So now they’re swearing there really was an emerald tiara in the mix, just not Eugenie’s. It makes no sense. It just feels like lies on top of lies.
I always remember B for Beatrice with the bug eyes
I’ll have to try that because I swear to God I have trouble remembering which one is which. (And I don’t mean that as a slight to either).
i can tell them apart now, but for years I had to make a point of remembering that Beatrice was blonde (or strawberry blonde.)
this doesnt fully make sense lmao bc Eugenie has brown hair so I could have easily said Beatrice was a brunette but it worked for me.
I get the feeling that Angela Kelly treated the Queen like a child and who can forget that she sent out the Queen with her coat buttoned up wrong. Harry should have just given up on the tiara when Angela Kelly was being obstructive and Meghan should have worn the Spencer tiara.
Some of these stories she’s telling about how close she and the queen were…I’m guessing they’re supposed to be cute and humanizing but they are just not coming across like that. At all.
They’re coming across as evil caregiver taking advantage of frail, isolated elder.
This gatekeeper BS is so tired and reheated at this point. I mean. Really. The only way these people get invited to the party is if they’re manning the door.
It’s pretty clear that Angela Kelly was used to bossing people around because she had the queens ear and Harry wasn’t going to put up with that.
She did the same to Kate about not letting them test the tiara but William didn’t give a shit about stepping in. Harry did care. So they are making this story about Harry making her cry, but the real story is that Angela Kelly was a control freak.
They could easily arrange to have hair people show up to where the tiaras are stored and do a test there.
Exactly. This whole thing is so stupid. Rational people would tell bride and stylist to come to the palace to try on the tiara. Makes you wonder about the competency and common sense of royal advisors. Anyway, where does the story that Meghan wanted to wear an emerald tiara come from? It just seems so made up. It’s clear that Meghan liked gold and diamonds. She didn’t seem to show any inclination for any other gemstones, and obviously was not brought up with emeralds, rubies and sapphires.
They had no intention on letting Meghan to wear a royal tiara, until they found out that she was going to wear the Spencer tiara.
💯
I wish she’d worn the Spencer tiara. Would have been amazing but the royals would have freaked out at that tribute to Diana. Her wedding tiara was beautiful but the dress and veil design definitely reflect the Spencer.
Okay, so this interview in Vanity Fair by someone who was, after all, a servant of the queen is NOT considered to be someone using their proximity to the royal family for profit? When do the loud protests from the Windsors and the BM begin?