The Queen is in mourning again, after the
news that her close friend and lady-in-waiting Lady Farnham has died at the age
of 90. The death occurred on 29 December, according to a report from The Telegraph.
Lady Farnham was
the monarch’s Lady of the Bedchamber since 1987 and long-time support and
confidante for the Queen, even
accompanying her to a Diamond Jubilee service of thanksgiving in 2012 after the
Duke of Edinburgh was hospitalized and could not attend. Sadly, the
news follows the loss of another of Her Majesty’s closest friends,
the Duchess of Grafton, who died aged 101 on 3 December.
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| Lady Farnham pictured accompanying the Queen to a Jubilee service |
It’s been a difficult few months for the
Queen, who lost her husband in April 2021 and had to sit alone at his
funeral due to COVID-19 guidelines.
The 95-year-old monarch moved viewers on
Christmas Day as her annual speech made a heartfelt mention of her late
husband, as well as prominently featuring a photo of the couple.
Speaking from the heart as she reflected on
the sad death of her husband at the age of 99, the Queen said: “Although
it’s a time of great happiness and good cheer for many, Christmas can be hard for those who have lost
loved ones. This year, especially, I understand why. But for me, in the
months since the death of my beloved Philip, I have drawn great comfort from
the warmth and affection of the many tributes to his life and work – from
around the country, the Commonwealth and the world.”
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| Lady Farnham pictured accompanying the Queen to a Jubilee service |
The
Queen went on: “His sense of service, intellectual curiosity and capacity
to squeeze the fun out of any situation – were all irrepressible. That mischievous,
enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on
him. But life, of course, consists
of final partings as well as first meetings; and as much as I and
my family miss him, I know he would want us to enjoy Christmas.”
