Her Majesty can’t abide by blisters (and nor can we).
Breaking in a new pair of leather shoes can be unendurably torturous. Forget to step out of the house armed with hospital grade plasters, and you’re likely to end up with your heels rubbed raw – making walking, much less anything else, pretty much near impossible.
So we’re not surprised there are those, like the Queen, who would go to any lengths to avoid that particular agony.
The Evening Standard reports Her Royal Highness is so determined to make sure her shoes don’t cause her undue pain and needless suffering, she has someone on hand to make sure all her new shoes are properly broken in.
According to a royal insider, this special staff member wears in all the Queen’s shoes, making sure they’re well out of the blister-inducing stage.
Of course, even breaking in a pair of shoes for royalty comes with a certain level of protocol.
Stewart Parvin, the Queen’s wardrobe designer of 11 years, revealed the new shoes are broken in by a royal shoe-wearer who first dons a pair of beige-coloured socks before softening the shoes by walking the carpeted halls.
“The shoes have to immediately comfortable…” he says. “She does get someone to wear them. The Queen can never say ‘I’m uncomfortable, I can’t walk any more’.”
Oh, how we wish we had that kind of power!
