Contents
- 1 What does a lady-in-waiting do
- 2 Who was the lady-in-waiting at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation
- 3 Who was the lady-in-waiting for Queen Margaret
- 4 Who is the queen’s best friend
- 5 What are the benefits of being a lady-in-waiting
- 6 What will happen to the Queen’s lady-in-waiting
- 7 What is the male equivalent of a lady-in-waiting
What does a lady-in-waiting do
United Kingdom – In the Royal Households of the United Kingdom, a lady-in-waiting is a woman attending a female member of the royal family, Ladies-in-waiting are routinely appointed by junior female members of the royal family, to accompany them on public engagements and provide other support and assistance.
- A woman attending on a queen regnant or queen consort is also often referred to by this title (including in official notices), but is more formally styled as either woman of the bedchamber or lady of the bedchamber (depending on which of these offices she holds).
- On more formal occasions ladies in waiting wear a badge of office, which usually takes the form of a jewelled or enamelled monogram of the relevant member of the royal family beneath the appropriate crown or coronet, suspended from a coloured ribbon.
The senior lady of a queen’s household (whether queen regnant or queen consort) is the mistress of the robes, who (as well as being in attendance herself on occasion) has traditionally been responsible for arranging all the duties of the queen’s ladies in waiting.
How many lady-in-waiting does the Queen have?
The Queen has eight ladies in waiting: one Lady of the Bedchamber and seven Women of the Bedchamber. These positions are unpaid and personally selected by the Queen to be close companions, accompany her during state visits, and carry essential items like combs, gloves, and tissues.
Is lady-in-waiting royalty?
Ladies in waiting have been a familiar sight during the long reign of Elizabeth II. But what exactly are they and what do they do? To put it simply, a lady in waiting is an attendant to a female member of the Royal Family and she is usually the wife or daughter of a peer but could just be a close friend or cousin of the royal she is attending.
Her duties are to act as a companion and to help the Royal during her day-to-day duties. On occasions she would be involved in replying to non-official correspondence and diary events. When Queen Elizabeth died, it was announced that The Queen Consort, Queen Camilla, would not have ladies in waiting but instead she would be attended by queen’s companions, also that the role would be much more informal in that they would not be involved in the administrative tasks usually covered by ladies in waiting.
The King also announced in September 2022 that the late Queen’s ladies in waiting would be retained, those that were not intending to retire, and would be known as ladies of the household. Their main duty would be to help in hosting events at Buckingham Palace.
What is a male lady-in-waiting called?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lords-in-waiting (male) or baronesses-in-waiting (female) are peers who hold office in the Royal Household of the sovereign of the United Kingdom, In the official Court Circular they are styled “Lord in Waiting” or “Baroness in Waiting” (without hyphenation).
There are two kinds of lord-in-waiting: political appointees by the government of the day who serve as junior government whips in the House of Lords (the senior whips have the positions of Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard ); and non-political appointments by the monarch (who, if they have a seat in the House of Lords, sit as crossbenchers ).
Lords-in-waiting (whether political or non-political) may be called upon periodically to represent the sovereign; for example, one of their number is regularly called upon to greet visiting heads of state on arrival at an airport at the start of a state or official visit, and they may then play a role in accompanying them for the duration of their stay (for instance, on 3 June 2019 lord-in-waiting Viscount Brookeborough was in attendance at Stansted Airport to welcome U.S.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on behalf of the Queen; he and Viscountess Brookeborough then remained “specially attached” to the Trumps for the duration of their visit.) They are also occasionally in attendance on other state or royal occasions. “Extra” lords-in-waiting may also be appointed, supernumerary to the regular appointees, who fulfil a similar role; for example, the Baroness Rawlings, whose appointment as a government whip (and baroness-in-waiting) ceased in 2012, continued to serve as an extra baroness-in-waiting, and represented the Queen on certain occasions (for example on 27 February 2019 she was present at RAF Northolt to welcome the King and Queen of Jordan, while at the same time another baroness-in-waiting, Baroness Manzoor, was present at Heathrow Airport to welcome the President of Slovenia).
In addition, the honour of serving as a permanent lord-in-waiting is occasionally bestowed on very senior courtiers following their retirement. A permanent lord-in-waiting may also represent the sovereign, as often happens at funerals or memorial services for former courtiers.
Do Princess have ladies in waiting?
65) The Princess Royal has 11 Ladies-in-Waiting, one of whom accompanies her on official engagements.
What is the difference between a maid and a lady-in-waiting?
A lady-in-waiting’s duties include teaching me manners, languages, and dances prevalent at court; reading and composing correspondence — though, honestly, I don’t know who’s going to write me a letter; painting, which I love with my whole heart; horseback riding — sign me up! music and participation in other queenly pastimes.
- There’s also care of my wardrobe — I’m not too into clothes, so let’s not worry about that; matters of diplomacy; supervision of servants; keeping me informed about everything that’s happening at court; and discreetly relaying messages upon command.
- A lady-in-waiting is a personal assistant to a queen, princess, or noblewoman at court.
They are often of noble birth themselves but are usually from a lower social rank than the woman they are attending to. The duties of a lady-in-waiting can vary greatly, as can their relationship with their mistress. They will often help her get dressed, serve food to her room, and prepare her for bed, while also accompanying her during courtly activities like dancing lessons or horse riding.
Depending on how much the mistress trusts her ladies-in-waiting, they could be her confidante, pass on secret messages for her, or spy on other members of the court. Ladies-in-waiting can be either viewed as friends by the mistress or as simple tools to use however she sees fit. If a lady-in-waiting has a close physical resemblance to their mistress, she may be utilized as a Body Double to throw off possible assassination attempts or to help the lady slip out of the castle for a secret rendezvous.
Princess Catherine – A Queen in Waiting (2023)
If the lady-in-waiting is older, she may be a Matron Chaperone and part of a Maid and Maiden duo. Distaff Counterpart to The Squire, Other terms that are used instead of lady-in-waiting include maid-of-honor, handmaiden, and ladys maid. The difference between a maid-of-honor and a lady-in-waiting is that a maid-of-honor is young and unmarried, while a lady-in-waiting is a married adult.
Who was the lady-in-waiting at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation
Glittering lives of the Queen’s six maids of honour at her coronation Published: 12:24 BST, 3 May 2023 | Updated: 12:24 BST, 3 May 2023
- They have described themselves as the ” of their day – the six maids of honour who flanked on the day of her Coronation on 2 June 1953.
- Lady Rosemary Muir, Lady, Lady Moyra Campbell, Lady Mary Russell, Lady Jane Lacey and Baroness Willoughby de Eresby were chosen for their ‘decorative’ beauty as well as their ability to carry the Queen’s heavy 21ft train.
- They became famous in their own right when their names were announced as the women selected to follow the then Princess Elizabeth down Westminster Abbey to be crowned the new Queen.
- Best known as ‘s closest confidante, i t has been announced Lady Glenconner will attend this weekend’s Coronation of King Charles.
What happened next? Here, The Mail’s new Royal’s section reveals the varied fortunes of Her Majesty’s inner circle. The Maids of Honour are (left-right): Lady Moyra Campbell, Lady Anne Glenconner Lady Jane Lacey, Lady Mary Russell, Baroness Willoughby de Eresby and Lady Rosemary Muir.
- The Queen is pictured in the centre LADY MOYRA CAMPBELL Lady Moyra Campbell died aged 90 in November 2020.
- A royal source said at the time: ‘It’s very sad.
- Her Majesty kept in touch with all her former maids of honour.’ Lady Moyra passed away at a nursing home in Belfast.
- Nown at the time of the Coronation as Lady Moyra Hamilton, she was the only daughter of the 4th Duke of Abercorn and a first cousin of Princess Diana’s father, the 8th Earl Spencer.
She was aged 22 when the Queen chose her to be one of her train bearers who carried her Robe of State. Lady Moyra Campbell (pictured in 2011) died aged 90 in November 2020. A royal source said at the time: ‘It’s very sad. Her Majesty kept in touch with all her former maids of honour.’ Lady Moyra Campbell, pictured above in the 1950s, was aged 22 when the Queen chose her to be one of her train bearers On the 60th anniversary of the Coronation in 2013, Lady Moyra joined her five fellow maids of honour for the Radio 4 programme The Reunion On the 60th anniversary of the Coronation in 2013, Lady Moyra joined her five fellow maids of honour, with whom she was still good friends, in recalling what she said was the greatest day of her life for the Radio 4 programme The Reunion.
She said they were touched by the cheering crowds along the route. Race-horse-loving Lady Moyra specially remembered the 6ft 3in Queen of Tonga, who refused a hood and rode through the pouring rain in an open carriage. ‘She was one of the stars of the day,’ she said. ‘I later called a newborn colt Tonga in her honour, but sadly he wasn’t quite the success she was!’ Lady Moyra married distinguished naval officer Cdr Peter Campbell and the pair, who lived in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, had two sons.
She was staying with cousins in Gloucestershire when the invitation arrived at home in County Tyrone. She recalled in 2013: ‘I bumped into the Duke of Norfolk at a fundraising evening and he said: “Have you had a letter from me?” I swooned with amazement and rang home, which you only did then in an emergency.’ The first fitting with Norman Hartnell was in January 1953.
- The dresses were made incredibly quickly – the seamstresses must have stayed up all night.’ Lady Moyra spent the night before with her grandparents in Mount Street in Mayfair.
- She recalled: ‘My grandmother made a cooked breakfast.
- We got into a car sent from the Royal Mews to the Abbey on the dot of 8am.
It was a humbling experience to see all the crowds who had been out all night in the rain waiting.’ As she recalled, they stood for three hours and the ceremony went like clockwork. ‘The young Duke of Kent looked at his watch and said to his mother “bang on time!” as he walked out of the Abbey after the service.
‘You could feel the history of the ancient walls, the expectation of the vast congregation and you knew the television audience was on us. Amidst it all was the complete composure of the Queen, making her solemn promise. ‘About halfway through the ceremony, Prince Charles was allowed in and we heard his little voice asking the Queen Mother questions.
At the party afterwards he wanted us to smell his father’s hair oil in his hair.’ Later, Lady Moyra went home to change, and went out onto the Mall with a cousin who had been wounded in the war from which Britain was still recovering. The gaiety in the street so soon after those dark years seemed ‘like the dawn of a new age’.
BARONESS GLENCONNER Lady Anne Glenconner, then Lady Anne Coke, the 20-year-old daughter of the Earl of Leicester, was a vivacious socialite who described the six maids of honour as the ‘Spice Girls of our day’ and explained each were chosen because of their lineage – the girls had to be the daughter of an Earl, Marquess or Duke – and be unmarried.
‘We also had to have a certain type of look and figure. Put it this way, we wouldn’t have got picked if we were fat!’ she told The Daily Mail in 2013. According to Lady Anne, who went on to marry Colin Tennant, the 3rd Baron Glenconner, there was barely any time to rehearse – and never in the Abbey itself.
Lady Anne Glenconner (pictured on Lorraine in 2023), then Lady Anne Coke, the 20-year-old daughter of the Earl of Leicester, was a vivacious socialite who described the six maids of honour as the ‘Spice Girls of our day’ Friends with Princess Margaret: Lady Anne, daughter of the 5th Earl of Leicester and the Countess of Leicester.
She married Colin Tennant, later Lord Glenconner, who bought Mustique and spent much of his life in the Caribbean ‘We had a few run-throughs with the Duchess of Norfolk, who actually walked quite differently from the Queen – she walked much faster and we had to really pick up our pace in a hurry when we got to the Abbey.
- ‘In the end we had just one rehearsal with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, where she wore some kind of curtain wrapped around her waist to mimic her heavy robes,’ she recalled.
- The night before the Coronation the capital was so packed that Lady Glenconner had to sleep on a mattress on her great-uncle’s floor.
‘I don’t think many people would have imagined that,’ she said. She added: ‘On the morning we had our hair and make-up done because the event was being televised for the first time, but my hair was a disaster. ‘I had just had a perm done and they put these heated rollers in my hair.
- I was frazzled and looked like a sheep and was awfully upset.
- Fortunately the hairdresser got to work and made me look half decent.
- ‘We dressed at Buckingham Palace.
- Like the Queen our dresses were by Norman Hartnell, but while they looked exquisite they were the most horribly uncomfortable things to wear and absolutely crushed our ribs.
We were told to keep wriggling our toes to try and keep the circulation going.’ Lady Anne’s father had been the Duke of York’s equerry and as her parents lived ten miles from Sandringham, she had been to many birthday parties there. Princess Margaret was Anne’s age and Anne would go on to be her lady-in-waiting for 34 years.
- She wrote: ‘The simple truth is that I lived with domestic violence and abuse for most of my marriage.
- ‘On some level I always knew that, but I didn’t allow myself to think it.’
- When news of her ‘selection’ came through for the Coronation, her name was front page news — although she was abroad: ‘I was in New Orleans selling pottery, recovering from an unhappy love affair, when a telegram came through to come home.
- ‘We were so excited about going to have our dresses designed by Norman Hartnell because clothes were still on coupons then.
‘I remember I had one dress made out of parachute silk, To suddenly have this fantastic dress was a fairy tale,’ she recalled. Years later, Anne was watching the footage with Princess Margaret and asked her why she looked so sad on that day. ‘People forget I had just lost my father, and then I lost my sister and my home, too,’ she replied.
- Margaret moved out of Buckingham Palace to live with her mother at Clarence House.
- LADY JANE LACEY
- Lady Jane Lacey was known as Lady Jane Vane-Tempest-Stewart, the 20-year-old daughter of the 8th Marquess of Londonderry, when attending the Queen’s Coronation.
She married property developer Max Rayne, later Lord Rayne, in 1965, and the couple had four children together. Lord Rayne died in 2003. Two years later, she began dating historian and royal biographer Robert Lacey. The pair were married in 2012, when Lady Jane was 80 years old, and Robert was 68.
Robert’s marriage to his first wife, Sandi, ended in 2004 in a legal separation after 34 years and three children. But even close members of his family were stunned to learn that at the age of 68 Robert had quietly got married again, reported The Daily Mail at the time. Few members of her family had any idea that the wedding had taken place.
They were married quietly at Jane’s holiday villa near Grasse in the South of France with two French witnesses. Lady Jane Lacey (pictured with her husband Robert Lacey in 2020) was known as Lady Jane Vane-Tempest-Stewart, the 20-year-old daughter of the 8th Marquess of Londonderry, when attending the Queen’s Coronation Society photographer Sterling Henry Nahum Baron nominated Jane as one of the ten most beautiful women in England (pictured in 2016) Recalling the Coronation in 2013, Lady Jane said: ‘It was such a shock to receive the invitation.
I had met the old King and the Queen with my parents but never the new Queen. ‘We met them when I was about six and my sister was about four. I think Annabel was slightly disappointed they weren’t wearing gowns and crowns.’ In the rehearsals, Jane had found that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher, got cross easily and was very stern and pompous.
‘So we all laughed when he tripped up on one occasion.’ When the day finally came around, she recalled being far too nervous to eat and that the dress was actually very uncomfortable. It was unlined and scratchy. But she did wear it again, to great effect, to a ball at Grosvenor House thrown for the American evangelist Billy Graham.
- Jane was such a beauty that society photographer Sterling Henry Nahum Baron (commonly known as just Baron) had nominated her as one of the ten most beautiful women in England.
- LADY MARY RUSSELL Lady Mary Russell pictured at her home in Combe near Hungerford in 2011.
- She died a day before the Queen’s state funeral Lady Mary Russell (pictured) was one of six women to carry the late monarch’s train during her 1953 Coronation Lady Mary Russell died aged 88 the night before Her Majesty’s state funeral last year.
She passed away ‘peacefully at home’ surrounded by her family on September 18. An in The Times described her as mother-of-five, grandmother-of-12 and ‘beloved wife of David’. The daughter of the Earl and Countess of Haddington, Lady Mary helped to carry the Queen’s 21ft train as she walked through Westminster Abbey for her Coronation 70 years ago.
- Speaking about the day, she said: ‘Of all the girls our age in the country, we six girls were chosen to carry the Queen’s train and that meant a great deal.
- ‘It was overwhelming and moving – especially during the anointing It was an incredible moment, but all I could think about was how heavy the embroidery felt.’
- Lady Mary’s father was a childhood friend of the Queen Mother from Scotland and her childhood scrapbook featured a picture of him at George VI’s Coronation in 1937 carrying The Sceptre of the Dove – one of two sceptres handed to the new monarch.
Following the tradition of Queen Victoria, the maids of honour were all daughters of Dukes, Marquesses, and Earls, unmarried, and aged between 17 and 23. They were left in no doubt what a signal honour they’d been given. Their task was to carry the Queen’s train, so heavy she couldn’t move without them.
- An annexe had been built onto the Abbey where the four taking part in the procession but who did not travel in the coach could drink coffee and listen to the radio commentary of the Queen’s journey from Buckingham Palace.
- After walking her up the aisle, and then back down, they all went to the Palace to be photographed by the renowned Cecil Beaton and famously appeared on the balcony.
- For Lady Mary and the others, the most moving moment was the anointing, when the Queen took off her regalia and was blessed with Holy Oil under a canopy held by four Knights of the Garter.
- She said: ‘Afterwards, the Queen gave us all the most simple, beautiful brooch of her initials in her handwriting in diamonds.
‘After the reception, I went outside the Palace with friends, and cheered and cheered so many times. I felt pretty flat afterwards.’
- BARONESS WILLOUGHBY DE ERESBY
- Aged 18, and the daughter of the 3rd Earl of Ancaster, the Lord Great Chamberlain, and granddaughter of Nancy Astor, Lady Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby was the youngest maid of honour.
- Now Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, she inherited one of her father’s titles and fortune and became Lady Jane Willoughby de Eresby, with homes at Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire and Drummond Castle in Perthshire.
- She has been listed in the Sunday Times Rich List, placing 1,572nd in 2008, according to reports.
Lady Mary Russell and Baroness Willoughby de Eresby arrive at Westminster Abbey for a service to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Coronation in 2013
- Lady Jane’s father was the Lord Great Chamberlain at the time of the Coronation, and therefore a key player in the ceremony.
- The youngest Maid of Honour caught the train up from her finishing school in the country for rehearsals and dress fittings.
- Her Coronation day started round the corner from the Abbey at her home in Westminster Gardens.
She recalled to the Mail On Sunday in 2013: ‘My father was part of the procession but he left before me. I had no professional hair or make-up help. A car arrived with Mary Baillie-Hamilton already in it and it was a jolly ride as the pubs were open and full of drivers who’d dropped people off.
- It was dark and cold outside when we got to the Abbey.
- I found my father, who had lost part of his leg during the war, shivering in the annexe, so I got him a cup of coffee.
- The whole ceremony went extraordinarily fast.
- In the rehearsals there was lots of stopping and starting and people fainting — now the marvellous music just carried you along.’ She continued: ‘The train was so heavy it was like lifting up a carpet.
A dead weight. The Queen was very much in control, extraordinarily strong and upright, with a measured step.’ Only the Abbey part of the day had been rehearsed. ‘The rest just happened. For example we didn’t know we would be going on to the balcony, that was quite unexpected.’ LADY ROSEMARY MUIR Lady Rosemary Muir, the widow of aristocrat Charles Muir, who lives in Oxfordshire, was just 23 when attending the Coronation.
Titled Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill, she was the daughter of 10th Duke of Marlborough. She was the eldest Maid of Honour and probably the least fazed. She was brought up with 36 ‘indoor’ servants at Blenheim Palace near Oxford and Winston Churchill was her uncle. The mother-of-three recalled in 2013: ‘I was used to huge numbers of people and vast parties.
‘Foreign royals often came to Blenheim (where she lived). I was once pulled out of bed to meet the Queen of Egypt. I had my wedding, with 950 guests, at Blenheim two weeks later.’ She had moved her wedding date to accommodate the Coronation. So in the weeks before, Lady Rosemary was darting back and forth between Norman Hartnell for her Coronation gown and his great rival, Hardy Amies, for her wedding dress.
- Lady Rosemary Muir (pictured in 2011), the widow of aristocrat Charles Muir, who lives in Oxfordshire, was just 23 when attending the Coronation.
- Titled Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill, she was the daughter of 10th Duke of Marlborough In June 2022, Lady Rosemary, 93, was left in tears after being presented with the dress she wore at the Coronation after it was painstakingly restored to its former glory.
Pictured, Lady Rosemary is presented with the gown on an episode of Nick Knowles: Heritage Rescue on discovery+. Steeped in history: Lady Rosemary’s dress spent decades in an archive at Blenheim Palace, pictured in the above stock image, the family seat of the Dukes of Marlborough and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill ‘I woke up in my parents’ house in Mayfair and the whole place was in turmoil,’ she said of the big day.
- The two of them helped the Queen into her carriage and when they arrived at the Abbey, the Maids of Honour were paired off in height order, Rosemary the tallest with Lady Moyra Hamilton.
- ‘The Queen was so confident that you didn’t think anything could go wrong,’ she recalled.
- The only hitch for Lady Rosemary was that at one point the Archbishop of Canterbury squeezed her hand so hard that he crushed the phial of ammonia — given in case any of them fainted and needed reviving — that was hidden in her glove, and the smell wafted through the Abbey.
- She also remembered that ‘Uncle Winston Churchill’s coach broke down’ at one stage.
- After the Buckingham Palace reception, she returned to Blenheim, where her mother was roasting an ox for the tenants on the estate.
- She’d had to get special permission from the Ministry of Food — ‘an ox was a wonderful thing during rationing’.
- In June 2022, Lady Rosemary, 93, was left in tears after being presented with the dress she wore at the Coronation after it was painstakingly restored to its former glory.
Wedding bells: Lady Rosemary married Robert Muir two weeks after the coronation after moving the date for the Queen She praised the ‘unbelievable’ transformation of the faded Norman Hartnell gown, which had laid in storage for decades and was badly damaged due to sun exposure.
- It was recently brought out of storage at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, and given to textile conservator Emma Telford, who spent 400 hours repairing the delicate silk dress, before Lady Rosemary was presented with the gown on an episode of Nick Knowles: Heritage Rescue on discovery+.
- ‘Oh, my goodness me, I must put on my glasses,’ Lady Rosemary gasped on seeing the dress.
‘It’s fantastic. Emma, I congratulate you, it’s unbelievable what you’ve done.’ While Rosemary accompanied the Queen during the procession that marked the start of her reign, her grandson, Captain Tom Muir, accompanied her on her last – leading the detachment of Life Guards from Buckingham Palace on the day of the Queen’s funeral.
Who was the lady-in-waiting for Queen Margaret
Lady Anne Glenconner can vividly recall one of the final moments she spent with her husband of 54 years. The 90-year-old, a lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret for three decades, looked after Lord Colin Tennant, the Baron Glenconner, as he battled prostate cancer.
- We had separate bedrooms,” she recalled to Fox News Digital.
- I was very upset and I was crying quietly to myself.
- I didn’t think he could hear that. He did.
- He came in and he hugged me.
- It was the first time in years that he touched me.
- He said, ‘Was it all bad, Anne?’ I said, ‘No, of course it wasn’t all bad.
A lot of it was fine.’ But it was very touching. I always remembered that. And it was a wonderful thing to happen.” Lady Anne Glenconner was one of Queen Elizabeth II’s maids of honor at her coronation in 1953. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images) The British aristocrat passed away in 2010 at age 83. Glenconner, who wrote a book in 2020 about her friendship with Queen Elizabeth II’s younger sister, has written a follow-up published on Feb.21 titled “Whatever Next? Lessons from an Unexpected Life,” which details her troubled marriage. Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images) ” I made light of a lot of things,” Glenconner admitted. “I didn’t say everything I really wanted to say I was influenced, I supposed, by the Queen Consort, who has done so much for battered wives and women who are abused. And I had a talk with my children That’s why I did it.” The former Lady Anne Coke is the eldest daughter of the 5th Earl of Leicester. (Apic/Getty Images) Glenconner is the eldest daughter of the 5th Earl of Leicester and was childhood friends with both the queen and Margaret. She went on to become a maid of honor at the queen’s coronation in 1953, Glenconner married Tennant, the charming and charismatic friend of Margaret’s, in 1956. Lady Anne Glenconner married Colin Tennant in 1956. (PA Images via Getty Images) “He was quite different from anybody else I’d ever met,” she said. “He was attractive, he was funny. He was full of wonderful ideas and just made me see that my life could be different.
It could be a great adventure. And I completely fell for him. He was also a great friend of Princess Margaret. He was one of the young men she went out with. And I was always rather amazed that he chose me, that he actually wanted to marry me. And a lot of the time we were very happy.” But according to Glenconner, it didn’t take long for her to see her spouse’s dark side.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER “I had seen him lose his temper before we got married,” she said. “He always said, ‘The minute we’re married, I won’t need to lose my temper.’ Which, of course, I believed. But he lost his temper on our honeymoon. Colin Tennant, friend of Princess Margaret, and Lady Anne Coke as they announce their engagement on Dec.16, 1955. (Norman Potter/Central Press/Getty Images) Glenconner alleged that Tennent was physically abusive behind closed doors. She described him as having violent outbursts. Colin Tennant and Lady Anne Glenconner outside the London nursing home with their first baby Charles. (PA Images via Getty Images) “The trouble was one never knew when he would lose his temper,” she explained. “And that made it very exhausting to be with him.” Glenconner said she felt as if she was “treading on eggshells” throughout her marriage. Barbara Barnes was later chosen by then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana to be the royal nanny for Prince William and Prince Harry. (PA Images via Getty Images) “I was brought up quite old-fashioned, I suppose,” she reflected. “We were brought up that you stick with things.
When I went back to my mother once and said, ‘Look, I don’t think I can cope,’ she said, ‘You’re married Anne, you’ll go straight back.’ And I did. And you know, people didn’t divorce so much when I was young. We stuck with it. We tried to make the best of it.” According to Glenconner, Tennant had many mistresses.
To cope, she turned to a close friend, who was also married. It resulted in a 34-year affair. Glenconner has never named her lover. “I lost my trust in men,” she said. “We saw each other once a week. We had lunch and the occasional weekend. But he gave me back, Lady Anne Glenconner had a decades-long affair to cope with her tumultuous marriage. She said similar arrangements were quite common among the elite. (Evening Standard/Getty Images) Glenconner said her lover’s wife was aware of the arrangement. Affairs among the upper crust were very common, she pointed out.
And when the mystery man was on his deathbed, his wife invited Glenconner to come to say goodbye. ‘ST. ELSEWHERE’ STAR BONNIE BARTLETT DANIELS REFLECTS ON PAST OPEN MARRIAGE: ‘THAT WAS VERY PAINFUL’ “I didn’t know she was going to ask me, but I so pleased when she did,” said Glenconner. “She sent me a memento after he died I think she probably had someone of her own.
That’s what people used to do in marriages. That’s how they kept marriages together, really. People had affairs. And yet, we carried on. It was an alternative to divorce.” Glenconner also found solace in her friendship with Margaret, who was struggling in her own marriage. Princess Margaret, center, with Lord Colin Tennant and Lady Anne Glenconner in the West Indies. The royal yacht Britannia is in the background. (Ron Bell – PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images) ” knew Colin had a terrible temper,” she said. “He used to lose his temper in front of her.
So she knew it. Once, he was particularly awful to me and I started to cry. She said to me, ‘Anne, there’s absolutely no point in crying. Come on. Brace up, man up.’ She was very practical. She said, ‘You mustn’t let him see he has this effect on you. You’ve got to be stronger.’ And she was in a very difficult marriage herself for one wonderful year, I lived with her We would just talk and talk.
And in the end, when I left, she said, ‘I really enjoyed having you, Anne. We got on so well. So much better than our awful husbands,’ We just had to laugh. You have to laugh. Otherwise, life is impossible.” Princess Margaret (1930 – 2002) with Colin Tennant, 3rd Baron Glenconner, on the Caribbean island of Mustique, which Glenconner owns, February 1989. (Slim Aarons/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) During the final years of her marriage, Glenconner resided in England while her husband stayed in the West Indies.
Tennant spent vast amounts of his fortune on transforming Mustique, a tiny island in the Caribbean, into a party resort for the rich and famous. He paid nearly $54,000 for the island in 1958, the New Yorker reported. WHAT IS A LADY-IN-WAITING? “I stayed with Colin,” she said. “We were married for 54 years, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody else.
But I think that we were lucky toward the end, especially. We didn’t spend a great deal of time together We spoke to each other on the telephone frequently, two or three times a week.” Colin Tennant and his wife Anne, on the island of Mustique, which he owned, circa 1973. (Slim Aarons/Getty Images) But Glenconner said she received a final blow from her husband when he passed away. According to reports, he cut her from his will and instead, left a sizable amount of his fortune to his devoted valet Kent Adonai. It resulted in a legal battle with Tennant’s grandson. Lord Colin Tennant at home in St.Lucia. He died there in 2010 at age 83. (David Howells/Corbis via Getty Images) “I got over everything else, more or less,” she said. “All his private things should have gone to the children and me. And I minded about that.
I didn’t know how to take it, really couldn’t believe it After seven years we took it to court and got half of it back. So something came back.” Today, life for Glenconner has been “wonderful.” Since sharing her story, she’s received countless letters from women who’ve also endured struggles in their marriages.
She’s also penned two historic novels. Her new book offers a list of addresses for those “who are going through a difficult time,” including SafeLives, a charity the queen consort supports. QUEEN ELIZABETH’S LONGTIME FRIEND CRITICIZES NETFLIX’S ‘THE CROWN’: ‘IT JUST MAKES ME SO ANGRY Queen Consort Camilla inspired Lady Anne Glenconner to tell her story. (Finnbarr Webster – WPA Pool / Getty Images) “I’ve never been so happy,” she said. “Walking away from a marriage can be quite difficult for many reasons. And I hope my story helps others realize they’re not alone.” If you or someone you know is suffering from abuse, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
How many ladies in Waiting does Kate Middleton have?
What is a lady-in-waiting? – In Britain, ladies-in-waiting are titled noblewomen who serve not only the queen, but also high-ranking women in the royal household. Kate Middleton has one, while the queen’s sister Princess Margaret had many. Queen Elizabeth II herself had nine before the Duchess of Grafton and Lady Farnham died, with seven remaining, including Susan Rhodes, Lady Elizabeth Leeming, The Hon Mary Morrison and Virginia Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie.
Who is the queen’s best friend
Granted to stay at her grace-and-favour home after the queen’s passing – It is normal for staff who serve the royal family to have a one-month notice after the end of their reign before they get allocated to work for another royal household, per British media.
Kelly first met Britain’s longest reigning monarch in 1992, when she impressed the latter with her respect for clients’ privacy – it didn’t take long for Elizabeth to hire her She’s won awards throughout her service to the royal family, and was a part of the HMS Bubble during Covid-19, even becoming the queen’s hairdresser for a time
: Meet Queen Elizabeth’s most loyal aide till the end, Angela Kelly
Where did ladies in waiting sleep?
The role of the ladies-in-waiting changed under the two queens-regnant. Whilst Henry’s wives had had some influence over him, and they, in turn, might be influenced to a degree by their women, in the households of Mary and Elizabeth, women had an opportunity for real political power.
- Each queen had, in descending order of rank, three Ladies of the Bedchamber, seven Ladies and Gentlewomen of the Privy Chamber, four chamberers (who undertook more menial tasks), and six maids-of-honour.
- In addition were the great ladies – wives of senior noblemen who might be at court who but were not officially of the household.
A good example is Lady Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox, cousin to both the Tudor queens. She and Mary were close friends and the countess spent a good deal of time at court in Mary’s reign. However, on Elizabeth’s accession, she was no longer welcome.
Another lady who was demoted was Lady Katherine Grey, another cousin of both queens, who had been given a position as a gentlewoman of the bedchamber to Mary, despite the fact that she was the sister of Lady Jane Grey, executed after her father and father-in-law used her to try to oust Mary from the throne.
On Elizabeth’s accession, she was demoted from the bedchamber, to the presence chamber, the least intimate role. In Charlotte White’s essay on the households of Mary and Elizabeth,in ‘ Tudor Queenship: The Reigns of Mary and Elizabeth ‘ she makes the interesting point that Mary’s court was far less partisan than Elizabeth’s – Mary had courtiers and ladies who were friends and relatives of those who had opposed her succession and her policies, whilst Elizabeth was almost entirely surrounded by her mother’s kin – Careys, Howards and Knollys.
- White’s thesis is that this left Elizabeth out of touch with some of her more distant nobles and contributed to the Rising of the Northern Earls in 1569.
- Elizabeth was an exacting mistress.
- She allowed her favourite ladies little time off.
- Her cousin, Katherine Carey, Lady Knollys, was required to return to court as soon as possible after bearing her numerous children.
Later in her life, Elizabeth became increasingly irascible with the younger women and it was not unknown for her to hurl things at them. Elizabeth disliked eating in public. Food would be sent to her privy chamber and the ladies would wait on her in privacy, carving the meat, and pouring the wine.
What are the benefits of being a lady-in-waiting
Let’s say a princess asked you to be her best friend. Would you jump at the chance? That was precisely the role that a lady-in-waiting was hired to fill. You would have to be of noble birth, of course, but let’s imagine that luck was in your favor. Considering how many stories, films, and shows are about princesses, it’s surprising how few of them acknowledge their esteemed companions.
If a princess is a superhero, her lady-in-waiting would be her sidekick. Is being a sidekick so bad? You would still get to be part of the all action at court. Only in recent years has the lady-in-waiting role made a comeback in the media. There are many benefits of being a lady-in-waiting, Though it was an unpaid position, ladies got free room and board in the castle and beautiful gowns to match their status.
Let’s face it. Those are two of the best perks of being a princess. The position comes with esteem and honor for yourself and your family, and you get a royal best friend who confides in you without having to deal any of the responsibility that would come with being a ruler. First and foremost, nearly all princess stories focused on romance until very recently. While everyone is rooting for the prince and princess to get together, it is difficult to find time to notice on other members of the royal court. Also, most early animation studios had mastered the art of drawing animals and comedic characters long before they were able to draw a humans with ease.
- That’s why they had to keep things simple and only animate the people who were absolutely necessary to the story, which was usually the prince, princess, and villain.
- Instead of having to draw more unnecessary characters, which would slow production, the princesses were given animal sidekicks.
- There are a few exceptions.
Disney’s 1995 Pocahontas had another Native American woman around Pocahontas’s age named Nakoma, If Pocahontas had been a traditional European princess, Nakoma would have probably been her lady-in-waiting. This movie was the only time that Disney gave one of their princesses another girlfriend to confide in the ’90s.
- It wasn’t until over a decade later, when The Princess and the Frog was released in 2009, that Tiana was given a human confidante in Charlotte La Bouff,
- Before Tiana married Naveen, Miss Charlotte was the one with the money and power.
- Just like any princess would do for her lady, Charlotte provided her best friend with a proper gown the moment she noticed that Tiana had a fashion malfunction at the Mardi Gras party.
In a previous post, I mentioned my favorite animated series, Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders, which, like Pocahontas, came out in 1995. In the episode “Song of the Rainbow,” when Tamara is gifted with a magical harp, the man who gives it to her refers to her as “Lady Tamara.” One requirement to be a lady-in-waiting is to be musically inclined, so it would not be much of a stretch to assume that Tamara might be one of Princess Gwenevere’s ladies-in-waiting.
- It isn’t much of a surprise that this show would be one of the few princess stories to include noble ladies because it was a show about friendship, first and foremost.
- Romantic subplots were very rare, and irrelevant to the main story.
- Times have changed since then, and princes have become less vital to the princess formula,
As result, the lady-in-waiting has made a comeback. The biggest example of this is the recently ended CW series, Reign, which told the loosely historical story of Mary, Queen of Scots and her ladies-in-waiting. The show took great creative liberties with its historical context and renamed the ladies, commonly referred to as “The Four Marys.” Lady Lola, Lady Greer, Lady Kenna, and Lady Aylee all had beautiful costumes and unique personalities.
All of the drama in their lives was spiced up tenfold with many scandalous subplots, most likely to gain more ratings. Like Mary, their stories all ended in a downfall of some sort, but they were the highlights of the show whenever Mary’s plot twists grew tiresome. Most recently, Disney’s newest princess show, Tangled: The Series, has given one of our Disney Princesses a proper palace pal.
Lady Cassandra is everything we could hope for in a modern lady-in-waiting. She is very knowledgeable about the kingdom of Corona, which is useful when the princess has been missing in action for 18 years, and she has a hidden wild side. Her father leads the royal guard, so it’s no surprise that she is just as good a fighter as any knight.
- Voiced by Eden Espinosa of Wicked fame, Cassandra is also able to sing, covering the music requirement of her position.
- Most importantly, she’s an excellent confidante for Rapunzel, keeping her secrets and advising her with tough love and brutal honesty in the hopes of breaking through the princess’s naive exterior.
For another adventure story about a lady-in-waiting, check out Most Wanted Knight, the novella I wrote in 2009. It’s about a mysterious knight who returns after years of exile and is reunited with his old flame. Lady Gwendolyn, who is employed as the queen’s confidante, must escape the unwanted advances of the wicked prince.
Do servants live in Buckingham Palace?
Inside Buckingham Palace: A Home To A Small Army Of Staff – The British Royal Family’s official residence is a hive of activity at Buckingham Palace, as it is known. The monarch and many of her staff live there, with 491 full-time employees reported in the 2021/22 Sovereign Grant Report.
- The staff is estimated to earn £23.7 million in 2022, according to estimates.
- It’s no secret that the palace has plenty of bedrooms for live-in staff, but there are a few restrictions on living and working there.
- The Queen has over 1,000 staff members, many of whom live on-site, where their meals are free, according to Forbes.
Buckingham Palace’s operations are overseen by a small army of staff, ranging from maids to maids to chefs, as well as footmen, maids, and more. In her final years, Queen Elizabeth II chose to stay permanently in Windsor Castle after relocating to the palace from time to time during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What will happen to the Queen’s lady-in-waiting
The King keeps on Queen Elizabeth II’s Ladies-in-Waiting, including Lady Susan Hussey Lady Susan Hussey is centre of shot behind the Princess of Wales
The King has decided to keep on a number of Ladies-in-Waiting, with the aides being rebranded as Ladies of the Household.Lady Susan Hussey, Mary Morrison and Dame Annabel Whitehead will continue on with their work, despite the death of their mistress in September.The three senior aides will assist His Majesty when hosting formal occasions at,Photographs published last week showed Lady Susan Hussey in her new role as she attended the State Banquet for the President of South Africa at the,The late Queen had a number of Ladies-in-Waiting, some of them serving The Queen for 60 years.They were some of the late monarch’s closest confidants, accompanying the late monarch to engagements and attending to her in private.Lady Susan Hussey was one of Elizabeth’s longest serving aides, and became so close to the monarch that she became godmother to Prince William.Lady Susan also formed part of ‘HMS Bubble’ during the lockdowns, and was the only person allowed to accompany the Queen to the funeral of her late husband, Prince Philip.A Lady-in-waiting’s jobs mainly consist of helping their mistress collect flowers at events, attending private and personal matters, running errands and handling general correspondence.Unlike in past times, not all Ladies-in-Waiting are of noble birth with many being are siblings or close friends of the ladies they serve.In an effort to modernise the monarchy, Queen Camilla has not appointed any Ladies-in-waiting, instead choosing to appoint six friends as ‘companions’.Although rebadged, it is understood that these companions will fulfil a similar role to a lady, and will accompany Her Majesty at official engagements.
: The King keeps on Queen Elizabeth II’s Ladies-in-Waiting, including Lady Susan Hussey
Who was the Queen’s longest lady-in-waiting?
LONDON — For more than 60 years, Susan Hussey served as a courtier to the royals in the House of Windsor. She was the ultimate insider’s insider, who rose to the title of “Woman of the Bedchamber” and was dubbed “Number One Head Girl.” But the downfall of Lady Susan, who was one of the closest confidantes of Queen Elizabeth II as well as Prince William’s godmother, was swift — and very public.
- Within hours of a Black British charity chief posting their conversation at Buckingham Palace on social media, saying she was asked — repeatedly — where she was from, Hussey resigned from her royal role.
- Who is the woman at the center of the royal racism storm? And did she commit verbal “abuse” reflecting racist views? Or was she just elderly and out of touch? Did she reflect the attitudes of the new British monarch or was she a relic? Britons hotly debated the matter on Thursday.
Lady Susan Hussey, Prince William’s godmother, resigned Nov.30 after she repeatedly asked a Black British palace guest about where her “people” came from. (Video: Reuters) Hussey was the queen’s longest-serving lady-in-waiting and quite possibly her favorite, given that she held the title of “Woman of the Bedchamber,” which effectively means she was the queen’s right-hand woman.
- The role is honorary and unpaid — and in modern times has little to do with the bedchamber.
- Hussey began working at the palace in 1960.
- Like other ladies-in-waiting, Hussey would have helped the queen with correspondence, greeted guests at functions and accompanied the monarch to royal engagements, at home and abroad.
She was reportedly tasked with helping newcomers navigate royal life. The queen offered Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, “the ear of her most senior lady-in-waiting, Lady Susan Hussey,” Tina Brown wrote in her book “The Palace Papers.” Brown also asserted: “She hailed from the Jurassic period of court etiquette, and had also been proffered for guidance to Diana (who couldn’t stand her).” Hussey was clearly close with the Windsors.
- She was named godmother to William when he was born in 1982.
- After Prince Philip died, it was Hussey who accompanied the queen to her husband’s lonely funeral, when attendance was limited because of the coronavirus,
- She’s very tall, nicknamed the ‘head girl’ and a bit imposing, but very kind,” said Ingrid Seward, editor of Majesty Magazine.
“She was very close with the queen and the whole royal family. She’s always been very, very kind to Charles, always, throughout his whole life.” A head girl or boy in British schools is the student who often represents the class on public occasions. “They are so sensitive with anything to do with racism.
I was surprised they didn’t support her a bit more, but they probably have behind the scenes,” Seward added. “But traditionally with royals throughout history, if anyone displeases them, they are out. As Prince Philip always, always said: ‘It’s not about the individual. It’s about the institution.'” Hussey was born in 1939 and is the daughter of the 12th Earl Waldegrave and Mary Hermione, Countess Waldegrave.
Her husband, Marmaduke Hussey, was a former chairman of the BBC. He died in 2006. The couple had two children. Their daughter, Katharine, followed her mother’s footsteps and is one of the six “official companions” to Camilla, Queen Consort. Hussey was awarded multiple medals, including ones for long and faithful service to the royal household.
When Elizabeth died, Charles transferred Hussey to work for him. Her new job, Seward said, had been that of an “honorary” lady, who, along with Camilla’s companions, would be there to help out at big functions at the palace. They “were meant to help smooth the way, be nice to guests, make them feel at home,” Seward said.
That was not the experience for Ngozi Fulani, a Black Briton and the chief executive of the domestic-abuse charity Sistah Space. She was at a reception at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday that brought together campaigners who are working to end violence against women and girls.
When Hussey approached Fulani, she repeatedly asked where she was from. “It was like an interrogation,” Fulani told BBC Radio on Thursday. “I guess the only way I can explain it, she’s determined: ‘Where are you from? Where are your people from?'” “I have to really question how this can happen in a space that’s supposed to protect women against all kinds of violence,” Fulani said.
“Although it’s not physical violence — it is an abuse.” She waved away excuses made that it had to do with Hussey’s age. “Let us be clear what this is,” Fulani said. “I’ve heard so many suggestions it’s about her age and stuff like that, and I think that’s kind of a disrespect — an ageism kind of thing.” Hussey has yet to comment publicly, but the palace issued a statement saying that “the individual concerned would like to express her profound apologies for the hurt caused and has stepped aside from her honorary role with immediate effect.” Hussey’s age has drawn some attention in Britain, where some say the encounter was a generational thing, suggesting older Brits are adjusting to a new, more diverse country.
- She’s 83″ was trending on social media in Britain on Thursday.
- Some say that she is of a generation in which comments like “Where are you from?” may be benign in intent, or that she just doesn’t know better.
- Others say that age is no excuse for comments that cause offense.
- What’s the official age at which you’re allowed to be racist?” asked LBC radio host James O’Brien.
Others disagreed that her comments were racist. In the Spectator, Petronella Wyatt wrote that she felt Hussey was being treated unfairly, noting the palace denounced the incident as “unacceptable.” “But what is more ‘unacceptable’?” Wyatt wrote. “To publicly condemn and dismiss an 83-year-old for showing curiosity about someone’s heritage? Or for dispatching a loyal, grey-haired servant with such cruel haste, without even the benefit of a day’s grace? I incline to the latter.
- But then I am prejudiced, I have known Susan Hussey since I was 18, and if she is a racist, then I am an ornamental fountain.” Sunder Katwala, director of the British Future think tank, said it is not unusual for ethnic minorities to be asked about where they come from.
- It happens to everybody all the time,” he said.
“It depends how it’s done.” The conversation as reported at the palace, he said, “felt as an assertion of power.” He said the “Where are you from?” question “can be done clumsily and offensively. It can also be done in a way that’s intended to be benign but done clumsily.” Halima Begum, director of Runnymede, a race equality think tank, said: “The courtier in question was born in the 1930s and is the product of a time and place defined by British imperialism.
- However, this does not excuse racism, whether or not it occurs inside the king’s London home.” Britain’s Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, embarked on a three-day trip to Boston on Nov.30.
- Video: The Washington Post) British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is of Indian descent and a Hindu, said he couldn’t comment directly on the Buckingham Palace event but acknowledged he had experienced racism in Britain.
He told reporters that the country has made “incredible progress” but that “the job is never done, and that’s why whenever we see it we must confront it and it’s right that we continually learn the lessons and move to a better future.” The Buckingham Palace controversy comes as Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, traveled to the United States for the first time in eight years, hoping to highlight a young, vibrant British monarchy focused on climate change, social justice and improving mental health.
- But it comes, too, as Prince Harry and Meghan prepare to launch a Netflix documentary on their decision to leave royal service, in part because of their feelings that the palace was not supportive of Meghan and that even a family member had asked what color their baby might be.
- Earlier this week, the British government released details of its 10-year census, which showed that the country was becoming ever more diverse and more secular.
For the first time, less than half the people in England and Wales described themselves as “Christian,” with the percentages of Muslims and Hindus increased. On race and ethnicity, the census found that 82 percent of residents in England and Wales identified as White, down from 86 percent a decade earlier.
Who are the Queen’s ladies in Waiting deaths?
Amid a scaled-back holiday season in the month of December, Queen Elizabeth mourned two of her long-serving ladies-in-waiting. Fortune Fitzroy, Dowager Duchess of Grafton, died on December 3 at the age of 101. Diana Maxwell, Lady Farnham, died on December 29 at the age of 90.
- A royal source told the Telegraph about the queen’s response to losing her friends.
- It has not been a good year for the Queen—losing her husband and then the Duchess of Grafton and now Lady Farnham,” the source said.
- They were dear friends who supported the Queen on official duties.
- Unfortunately a sad consequence of living a long life is that you have to say goodbye to a lot of people you care about.” The ladies-in-waiting are an organized hierarchy of close friends and confidants of the queen who have titles that date from the medieval period.
(Though they are called Ladies of the Bedchamber, they don’t actually have any duties in her bedroom or closet.) “They are almost exclusively drawn from the aristocracy, many of them are friends of the royal family, and all have shared interests, inbred caution, an intricate understanding of court etiquette, and sociable personalities,” Sally Bedell Smith explained in 2012’s Elizabeth the Queen.
They often attend luncheons at Buckingham Palace, respond to correspondence, greet guests of the queen, and stand ready to take any flowers or gifts given to the queen during the course of their duties. Fortune Grafton was first appointed as one of the queen’s ladies-in-waiting in 1953, and in 1967, she became the Mistress of the Robes, which is the title given to the highest ranking lady-in-waiting.
She was born in 1920 and trained as a nurse before her 1946 wedding to Hugh Fitzroy, who became the Duke of Grafton in 1970. In addition to her duties for the queen, she became a magistrate in 1949 and heard cases regarding juveniles for 23 years, before serving as a justice of the peace from 1972 to 1990, according to i News,
According to the Times, the queen visited her friend on her 100th birthday shortly before the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Lady Farnham, who was known to her friends as Marion, married Barry Maxwell, the 12th Baron Farnham in 1959 and became a Lady of the Bedchamber in 1959. She joined the royal household in 1987 and accompanied the queen on her 2012 tour of Ireland, the first visit to the country by a reigning monarch since independence.
The source who spoke to the Telegraph said, “It is very sad for the Queen. Everyone loved Lady Farnham, she was always so good humoured. She was also a very glamorous and attractive woman. She was always very generous to new people joining the household.” More Great Stories From Vanity Fair — The Story Behind the Only Known Photo of Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein — The Best Vanity Fair Photographs of the Year — What Ghislaine Maxwell’s Trial Reveals About Jeffrey Epstein’s Workaday Cruelty — Ben Affleck Says His Marriage Went South for a Lot of the Normal Reasons — The Most Festive Party Outfits Money Can Buy — The Second Coming of Guru Jagat — The “Original Carrie Bradshaw” on the Sex and the City Reboot — From the Archive: Jennifer Garner Talks Breaking Up With Ben Affleck — Sign up for “The Buyline” to receive a curated list of fashion, books, and beauty buys in one weekly newsletter.
How old is the Queen’s lady-in-waiting?
Who is Lady Susan Hussey? Prince William’s godmother and lady-in-waiting to the late Queen arrives for King Charles’s Coronation
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Lady Susan Hussey (foreground) arrives for the Coronation Joe Giddens – PA Images/Getty Images, ‘s godmother, was one of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s ladies-in-waiting and a member of her inner circle for more than 60 years, until Her Majesty’s death in September 2022.
Last November, Lady Susan Hussey resigned from her position as a royal aide after Ngozi Fulani, founder and chief executive of -based domestic abuse charity Sistah Space, took to Twitter to in which Lady Susan repeatedly asked where she was ‘really from’ at a Buckingham Palace reception on Tuesday. Lady Susan Hussey in 2014 Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images In the wake of the, the Palace responded with a statement stressing that they were taking the incident ‘extremely seriously’ and that ‘unacceptable and deeply regrettable comments’ had been made.
It was added that ‘the individual concerned would like to express her profound apologies for the hurt caused and has stepped aside from her honorary role with immediate effect.’ Three months later, however, and Lady Susan was ‘back in the fold’, as she represented at a memorial service for Dame Frances Campbell-Preston at the Royal Hospital in February.
- Dame Frances had served as lady-in-waiting to Mother from 1965 to 2002, and published two books in her lifetime.
- A family friend reportedly told the Daily Mail : ‘Lady Susan was formally asked to represent at the service.
- She was more than happy to do so.
- Her official position was recorded in the order of service.
It’s great to see her back in the royal fold.’ Nevertheless, as the newspaper reports, Lady Susan’s role was curiously omitted from the Court Circular, the daily bulletin that chronicles all official royal engagements. The Earl of Rosslyn was instead listed as the representative of the King and Queen Consort at the service.
Lady Susan was also spotted entering Buckingham Palace through the staff entrance in February. The Queen with Lady Susan Hussey at Sandringham, 2005 Tim Rooke / Shutterstock Lady Susan, 83, whose husband,, is depicted in The Crown Season 5, joined the Royal Household following the birth of in 1960, and was originally employed to help respond to a stream of letters on behalf of the late Queen.
She was reportedly known within Her Majesty’s household as ‘Number One Head Girl’ and has been described as one of the key trusted figures who helped the monarch in her later life. Their closeness was clear when Lady Susan accompanied the Queen to the funeral of, following his death aged 99.
- Due to Covid-19 restrictions, there were only 30 mourners in attendance and the Queen was forced to sit alone, but Lady Susan was by her side for the journey to the event.
- A Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order – the highest rank personally granted by the sovereign, also bestowed upon the late Prince Philip,, and – Lady Susan is the youngest daughter of the 12th Earl of Waldegrave and the sister of former Tory Cabinet minister, William Waldegrave.
The Queen, with Lady Susan Hussey in the State Bentley, during the ceremonial funeral procession of Prince Philip LEON NEAL / AFP via Getty Images She was previously said to have been close to and is godmother to, Her knowledge of the workings of the Palace once saw her play a role in helping newcomers – including Lady Diana Spencer – settle into royal life.
- She is said to have recommended Tiggy Legge-Bourke, the former nanny of Princes William and Harry, for the job.
- Ing Constantine, Lady Susan Hussey, Princess Alexandra, the Duchess of Westminster, Lord Romsey, Prince Harry, Princess Diana, Prince William, Prince Charles and the Queen after the confirmation of Prince William, 1997 Shutterstock While she has largely remained out of the spotlight until now, she has often been present through many aspects of royal Life, spotted in the background at key royal engagements.
It was Lady Susan, for example, who accompanied to church at Sandringham in 2017, or greeted incoming and outgoing Prime Ministers during their trips to the Palace. As a part of the royal household since 1960, she was a regular in the Court Circular, and often represented the late Queen at funerals and events when the monarch had obligations elsewhere.
- On top of her Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, which she was awarded in the Queen’s 2013 Birthday Honours, she also received the Queen Elizabeth II Version of the Royal Household Long and Faithful Service Medal with 30, 40, 50 and 60-year,
- Like other ladies-in-waiting, she was not paid for the role and continued to serve the Queen until she died out of personal loyalty.
The Queen accompanied by her Lady-in-Waiting Lady Susan Hussey departing after attending the Gold Service Scholarship awards ceremony from Claridge’s, 2016 Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images When the late Queen was still travelling the globe in her role as Head of State, Lady Susan was by her side; and in the office, she was one of the members of the team that answered the numerous letters sent to the monarch.
Who were the ladies-in-waiting at the queen’s coronation?
This portrait back to top – Beaton was commissioned to take the official photographs of the Coronation, due in great part to the support of the Queen Mother, whom he had first photographed in 1939. Queen Elizabeth chose six Maids of Honour for her Coronation ceremony, following a precedent set by Queen Victoria,
What is the difference between a maid and a lady-in-waiting?
A lady-in-waiting’s duties include teaching me manners, languages, and dances prevalent at court; reading and composing correspondence — though, honestly, I don’t know who’s going to write me a letter; painting, which I love with my whole heart; horseback riding — sign me up! music and participation in other queenly pastimes.
There’s also care of my wardrobe — I’m not too into clothes, so let’s not worry about that; matters of diplomacy; supervision of servants; keeping me informed about everything that’s happening at court; and discreetly relaying messages upon command. A lady-in-waiting is a personal assistant to a queen, princess, or noblewoman at court.
They are often of noble birth themselves but are usually from a lower social rank than the woman they are attending to. The duties of a lady-in-waiting can vary greatly, as can their relationship with their mistress. They will often help her get dressed, serve food to her room, and prepare her for bed, while also accompanying her during courtly activities like dancing lessons or horse riding.
Depending on how much the mistress trusts her ladies-in-waiting, they could be her confidante, pass on secret messages for her, or spy on other members of the court. Ladies-in-waiting can be either viewed as friends by the mistress or as simple tools to use however she sees fit. If a lady-in-waiting has a close physical resemblance to their mistress, she may be utilized as a Body Double to throw off possible assassination attempts or to help the lady slip out of the castle for a secret rendezvous.
Princess Catherine – A Queen in Waiting (2023)
If the lady-in-waiting is older, she may be a Matron Chaperone and part of a Maid and Maiden duo. Distaff Counterpart to The Squire, Other terms that are used instead of lady-in-waiting include maid-of-honor, handmaiden, and ladys maid. The difference between a maid-of-honor and a lady-in-waiting is that a maid-of-honor is young and unmarried, while a lady-in-waiting is a married adult.
What is the male equivalent of a lady-in-waiting
Gentleman-in-waiting. (ˌdʒɛntəlmənɪnˈweɪtɪŋ ) noun Word forms: plural gentlemen-in-waiting. a man who comes from a family of high social standing and who is attached to a royal household or to the household of a person of high rank.