Rigby & Peller has been fitting royal bras since 1960, however the publication of a controversial new book has led to the upper crust lingerie firm losing their royal warrant.
82-year-old June Kenton owns Rigby & Peller and has worked as the official corsetiere to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II since the 1980s. She has also fitted bras for various senior royals including Princess Diana, Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother.
She has now released her autobiography – humorously entitled Storm in a D-Cup – where she discussed her lengthy career in luxury bra fitting, including her visits to Buckingham Palace.
And its fair to say the palace have not been, ahem, supportive of her new literary endeavours…
Getting things off her chest with the BBC, ‘the UK’s leading boobologist’ confessed she was ‘very sad’ at the prospect of losing the prestigious royal warrant:
Im very sad Buckingham Palace took exception to the story – it’s a kind and gentle story about what went on in my life,
I only ever said I went there, not what happened. I have never, ever spoken about what I do there with her, or the Queen Mother or Princess Margaret.
I think it’s unbelievable. It’s just upsetting at the end of my life, but what can I do. I can’t fight with Buckingham Palace and I wouldn’t want to, but it’s hard.
June feels she has been ‘honourable’ throughout the course of her life, and doesn’t believe there is anything in the book which could have caused such offence.
However, it has been noted there were some personal details within the book which could be said to have overstepped the mark.
In one chapter she discussed how she first gave the Queen a bra fitting in front of her famous corgis:
Suddenly there was an enormous thunderclap. Her Majesty calmly flicked on the main light switch, looked out of her window and said she hoped it wouldn’t rain as she had 8,000 people coming for tea.
Eight thousand! All I could think was that if I were her, I’d be busy cutting sandwiches rather than bothering with a bra fitting. However, even the grandest ladies in the land need to be well-supported.
Her Majesty’s thoughts were obviously elsewhere as she ordered the dogs be brought in from outside and only then did we settle down to the business in hand.
Pipe Major MacRae’s bagpipes were still droning on when I finally retraced my steps to the tradesman’s entrance. I was in a dream.
Who could have predicted that I, June Kenton, a little Jewish lady who used to sell clothes on a market stall, would one day be fitting the monarch for a made-to-measure Rigby & Peller bra?
Nothing too eyebrow raising here of course. However, I think I speak for a lot of women when I say it might be a bit embarrassing to read back the details of your bra fitting from someone you trusted to be discrete.
This story has divided people. Some believe the decision to strip June of her royal warrant was too harsh, however others feel her work should have been kept private; even if it is the very breast in the business.
One person tweeted, ‘What was she thinking! Talk about violating someone’s trust’.
Another said:
We pay so much money to pay for that family to live a life of luxury & they treat people like dirt.
It’s common knowledge Rugby & Peller supplied bras to Elizabeth so if there’s nothing personal in the book, I can’t see what the problem is. Why do we even have a monarchy in 2018?
According to the BBC, Buckingham Palace has stated it does not ‘comment on individual companies’.
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.