Queen Elizabeth II's hairdresser on trust, rollers and an intimate job

The hairdresser behind Queen Elizabeth II's neat, curled bob has described the job as deeply personal, built on years of quiet trust.

Scottish hairdresser Ian Carmichael spoke about his long working relationship with the late Queen in an interview with Woman & Home for its centenary issue, as reported by Hello! Magazine. Carmichael helped create the signature style that stayed with her for decades.

Doing the Queen's hair was, in his words, "a very intimate job". Few people could touch the monarch in an ordinary way. He said he enjoyed being with her and felt it was always an honour, but added that he knew his place.

That trust was practical as well as personal. Carmichael said Queen Elizabeth II placed a huge amount of trust in him. A royal hairdresser works close up, unseen by cameras, and keeps to a strict routine.

His routine was simple. He typically shampooed her hair and set it with rollers to give it lift and curl, occasionally using a silver rinse for shine. No drama. Just wash, set and finish.

Carmichael was London-based and worked as a senior stylist at Trevor Sorbie, according to earlier reports. He served as the Queen's hairdresser for over two decades, as reported by Hello! Magazine and Yahoo UK.

The routine changed in March 2020. During the Covid-19 lockdowns, the Queen's senior dresser Angela Kelly took over the weekly wash, set, style and trim. Kelly worked as part of HMS Bubble, the small, tight-knit group of staff who stayed with the Queen at Windsor Castle through the pandemic.

Kelly later said her team jokingly called the makeshift setup Kelly's Salon. She had only done the Queen's hair once or twice before, while on board the Royal Yacht Britannia.

What makes this stand out is how little changed. A shampoo and roller set. The same shape, week after week. It was care you could see from across a room.