The reason the Queen always carried a spare pair of gloves after mishap at Kate and William's wedding

The Queen suffered a wardrobe malfunction at the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales back in 2011

The Queen gloves
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Queen reportedly insisted on carrying an extra pair of gloves everywhere she went after an unfortunate mishap at Kate Middleton and Prince William's 2011 wedding.


The Queen was reportedly left 'furious' during Kate and Will's wedding at Westminster Abbey after discovering there was a gaping hole in one of her gloves and from then on, always carried a spare pair in her handbag.

Understandably, the Queen, who sadly died in September 2022, was said to be very unhappy with not looking her best, despite having a styling team, and only realised the hole was in the glove as she waved to crowds on the big day back in 2011.

It was said to be referred to at internally at the Palace as 'Holegate' - and staff were keen not to let it happen again.

The Queen gloves

(Image credit: Getty)

The monarch tactfully covered the split up with her right hand in the carriage transporting her back to Buckingham Palace from Westminster Abbey, and no one seemed to pick up on the faux pax.

Stylist Bernard Connolly was working for the Queen at the time and has opened up about how she was left mortified by what happened and made sure that it would never happen again.

He told the Mail On Sunday, "How it wasn't written about at the time, I will never know, the Queen went out and waved to the world with a hole in her glove – can you imagine?

"You don't do that, you wouldn't do it in a fashion show, or in a photo shoot, and you certainly wouldn't do it to a monarch. It was not just any engagement, but the future King getting married."

The Queen was apparently 'angry' that not a single member of staff had noticed the slit in her glove before she went outside - so carrying a spare pair in her handbag ensured she wouldn't be left embarrassed again.

The Queen gloves

(Image credit: Getty)

Former royal butler Paul Burrell has previously revealed how the Queen would pick her outfits in a rather unusual way - and would never see her own wardrobe.

Speaking in 2019, he said, "The Queen has to have her outfits brought down to her, all her clothes are kept on the top floor.

"Her dresser will bring down two outfits in the morning, which are sketched with pieces of material clipped to them so that the Queen can remember whether it’s silk or cotton or wool.

"The one the Queen picks is the one which is brought downstairs from up above so she doesn’t actually see her wardrobe with clothes in it."

Robyn Morris
Entertainment writer - contributor

Robyn is a freelance celebrity journalist with ten years experience in the industry. While studying for a degree in Media and Cultural Studies at London College of Communication, she did internships at Now and Heat magazines. After graduating, she landed a job at Star magazine, where she worked her way up to features editor. She then worked at Future as Deputy Celebrity Content Director across Woman, Woman’s Own, Woman’s Weekly and Woman & Home magazines.