The Queen’s secret trick to ensure she can walk all day at royal engagements has been revealed

The Queen's secret trick for walking all day at royal engagements is pure genius

The Queen's secret trick for walking all day at royal engagements is pure genius. Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she arrives before the Opening of the Flanders' Fields Memorial Garden at Wellington Barracks on November 6, 2014 in London, England
(Image credit: WPA Pool / Pool via Getty)

The Queen's clever trick for walking all day has been revealed—and let's just say, we probably won't be following in her footsteps. 


As the UK head of state, the Queen spends a great deal of time traveling, standing, and meeting people—meaning comfortable shoes are an absolute necessity. 

While the rest of us can get away with a pair of stylish walking boots, Her Majesty knows she must adhere to higher standards when it comes to her fashion. She therefore only wears well-worn shoes in public—but no, they're not from a charity shop. 

Rather than risk blisters and calluses, the Queen hires staff to break in her footwear before she wears them. These employees are known as 'flunkies' and their job involves walking on Buckingham Palace's carpets in the monarch's new shoes until they're nice and soft. It's a random job, but it has to be done. 

"The shoes have to be immediately comfortable," royal couturier Stewart Parvin explains. "The Queen can never say, 'I'm uncomfortable, I can't walk anymore.'"

LONDON: Queen Elizabeth II gets a fit of the giggles as she walks past her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh who is standing to attention in his uniform and bearskin hat at Buckingham Palace in 2005. (Photo by Anwar Hussein/Getty Images)

The Queen's secret trick for walking all day at royal engagements is pure genius

(Image credit: Anwar Hussein/Getty Images)

The task typically goes to a member of Her Majesty's fashion team, the exclusive squad that organizes all of her outfits. Angela Kelly, the Queen's personal designer, is one of the people who has walked in the monarch's shoes. 

"The Queen has very little time to herself and not time to wear in her own shoes, and as we share the same shoe size it makes the most sense this way," she revealed to Hello! magazine. 

Fortunately for Angela, the Queen doesn't get too experimental with her shoe styles. Her Majesty has reportedly worn the same type of shoe for the past 50 years, favoring Anello & Davide slip-ons for all her public engagements. She has reportedly gone through hundreds of pairs during her reign, keeping 10 pairs on-hand around at any given time. 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.

Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.