CATTA

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 55, Issue 3927, 16 July 1937, Page 7

CATTA

Many descriptions have been written of the now historic gown worn by Queen Elizabeth on her Coronation day, but little is known of the people who helped to robe her Majesty on that great occasion.

The crowning of the Queen was .the supreme moment in the life of a young Scottish woman—Miss Catherine Mclean. Her home folk in Inverness little dreamed that the lassie who went to Glamis Castle over 20 years ago to sew for Lady Strathmore’s large family would one morning call the Queen Consort to robe her for her Coronation.

The Queen’s dresser —now appointed officially to that position—is known to her Royal mistres as “Catta,” and it was she who attired the Queen in the gold embroidered satin gown on May 12. “Catta” called the Queen on May 12 before her usual rising hour cf 8 o’clock. For days beforehand she had worked devotedly to ensure that every detail of the Royal attire was flawless. The Queen and her dresser are about the same age, height, and build, and her Majesty has known her since both were children. When Lady Elizabeth began to take part in social I’fe, Miss McLean went with her—to London, to Paris, on country house visits. “Catta” dressed the Queen on her wedding day and became permanent lady’s maid to the new Duchess of York.

Now the Scottish country girl is established as head dresser at Buckingham Palace, with the great responsibility of taking charge of the Royal wardrobe. She has two assistant dressers under her. Everyone likes the pleasant little woman with the faint Scotch accent who has attained such remarkable success in her career. Everyone pays tribute to her ability and devotion to her duties. These include calling the Queen every morning and preparing the clothes to be worn for each of the day’s events.