The Queen is a well-known handbag aficionado, you’d be hard pressed to find any occasion where she has been seen sans handbag. Her Maj (we all feel we know her by now, don’t we? Very un-Australian to not have a nickname for someone we’re so familiar with!), even had her handbag with her in the official portrait to mark her 90th birthday. Her great-granddaughter, Mia Tindall, was given the privilege of holding it for the monarch.
The Queen owns more than 200 Launer bags; her preferred styles are the aptly named, the Royale and the black patent Traviata which has a longer handle to make the process of handshaking easier.
So what are these Launer bags I hear you ask? Well here’s a brief history for you. Launer was established around 1941 with a defined mission: “to make elegant handbags and leather goods from the very best materials, superbly finished and handmade by the highest skilled craftspeople. Launer pioneered British made goods when others opted to manufacture abroad and has remained true to this pledge more than 70 years later. Each item is handmade using traditional methods…
Since Gerald Bodmer took over the firm in the early 80’s, Launer has built an enviable reputation with Royalty, Heads of State and Society ladies. In 1968 Launer was granted a Royal Warrant by HM The Queen which gave the brand immense prestige on a global stage. From that time, distinguished figures and political leaders have carried Launer bags including The Duchess of Cornwall, the late Baroness Thatcher and Japan’s Crown Princess Masako alongside national treasures Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith.”
Top Left: Launer Traviata in Blue/Ruby/White. Top Right: Launer Juliette in Rose. Bottom Left: Launer Elizabether in Milkwood/Charcoal. Photos: Launer.
So now that we know her preferred brand, what, you may ask, does the Queen carry in her bags? I suspect she doesn’t have the clutter typically found in the bags of the masses – items such as coins, bus tickets, keys etc. Let’s face it, even if she were interested in taking a bus to town, I suspect the driver would let her ride for free. And keys? Not really essential when you have security and doormen at every entrance to your home. So maybe she just likes to have a handkerchief handy, or perhaps a mint.
In 2012, a royal biographer disclosed that in amongst everyday items such as a mirror and lipstick, her Maj always has a crisply folder five pound note to donate to the church on Sundays. Occasionally the donation increases to ten pounds, but apparently that’s as generous a donation as she chooses to make.
But most interesting to me, of course, is the fact that according to Sally Bedell Smith, author of Elizabeth the Queen: The Woman Behind the Throne; one indispensable item the queen absolutely always carries with her is a handbag hook or hanger. The Queen, it seems, insists that her bag never touch the floor. Smart lady. Likewise, it goes against Hindu culture to put anything of value on the ground.
I personally couldn’t agree more; which is why I made it my mission to get our handbags off the ground, both at home and when out and about. Our Petite hanger, the smaller of the two that you find in three of our hanger collections; is ideal to pop into your bag before you leave home. It’s great for over the back of chairs, over railings or other spots when you just can’t bear the thought of your beloved bag hitting the pavement. No doubt her Maj would highly recommend you invest in one – a very small price to pay to protect your often high priced handbags. No other handbag hanger is as stylish and sturdy, and if you don’t believe me, here’s how it looks in action…
thh - the handbag hanger: Petite in action keeping a gorgeous Chanel off the ground, safe and sound.